Disorientation

Question 1

Types of disorientation

Answer 1

Type 1 - Unaware - Aware of incorrect perception and accident
Type 2 - Aware - correct and ok
Type 3 - Incapacitated - Accident

Question 2

Risk factors that contribute to SD

Answer 2

Degraded visuals
- Night, IMC, High Altitude, Featureless terrain, NVGs
Accelerations
- Subthreshold change
- Sustained or prolonged turns
Human
- Fatigue, Distractions, high workload, illness/medication.

Question 3

Describe otoliths organs function

Answer 3

Linear acceleration
Tilt sensation
Gravity sensor

Question 4

Describe Semicircular canals function

Answer 4

Angular acceleration
Visual stability
Sense of turning/rotation

Question 5

Define somatogravic illusion

Answer 5

Causes: otoliths and proprioception in dark night take off.
Confusion of linear translation and tilt.
EgAcceleration can be mistaken at pitching up.
“ misinterpretation of lateral acceleration as pitching up on take off and pitch down to correct causing crash.”

Prevent by preparedness and discipline instrument scan.

Question 6

Define the Leans

Answer 6

False sensation of roll attitude
Pilots lean to dispel the sensation
Due to semilunar canal
Occur on subthreshold roll
Rolling out of prolonged turn
Prevent it by: awareness, leans toward

EG: slow roll subthreshold movement and then correction then above threshold soo feel uneven.

Question 7

Define somatogyral illusion

Answer 7

Due to semi-circular canals
False sensation of rotation when still
No sense of rotation when turning.
May overcorrect and re enter speed was out if poor visual cue.

it happens due to poor visual cues
Spin recovery post prolonged turning
“Graveyard spin or spiral”

How to prevent: preparedness, avoid prolonged spins, trust your instructment

Question 8

Define G Excess Illusion

Answer 8

Horizontal otoliths.
When in roll and turn head to view confirmed hit under G force
This cause Horizontal linear movement eg coming out of roll.
Pilot responses by tightening the turn.

Question 9

Define Coriolis

Answer 9

Rare
When: head movement in a turning aircraft.
Due to semi circular canal
When in turn atstable speed and then the pilot moves head in another plane changing angular acceleration to another semicircular canal giving pilot feeling of movement in the wrong way.
Displacement of otoliths - coriolis force

Strong unpleasant sensation of tumbling and nausea.
How to prevent it: preparation, minimise head movement in a turn. Maximise eye movements. Return head to original position

Question 10

Define Flicker vertigo

Answer 10

Rotating or flickering light

Flas sense of rotation in a direction opposite to the movin light

Question 11

Define alternobaric vertigo

Answer 11

Spinning sensation caused by a difference in pressure between the left and right middle ear

Question 12

Define central errors

Answer 12

Break off phenomenon - feeling of detachment, isolation or physical separation while flying
Knife edge - increase awareness of aircraft movement
Giant hand - inability to make control inputs

Question 13

The semi circular canal detect
A. Angular acceleration
B. Linear acceleration
C. Movement of the eyes
D. Acceleration due to gravity

Answer 13

Angular acceleration

Question 14

A somatogravic illusion generally produce a false sense of 
A. Roll attitude
B.Yaw attitude
C. Pitch attitude
D. Rotation

Answer 14

D. Rotation

Question 15

What is the subthreshold for acceleration detect in order for the semicircular canals

Answer 15

2 deg/sec/sec

Question 16

What illusion are caused by the semicircular canals

Answer 16

Somatogyral
Coriolis
Leans

Question 17

Describe the vestibule-ocular reflex

Answer 17

Allows us to keep an eye on target when moving our head
Movement detected in semicircular canals in pasted to vestibular nuclei and then to the extra ocular muscle to move the eyes

Very fast

Question 18

Describe the otoliths organs

Answer 18

2 in each ear
- utricle and saccule
Aligned horizontal and vertical (detect gravity) plane
Detect linear accelerometers

Question 19

Summary the systems that the body used for orientation

Answer 19

Vision: dominant sense, peripheral retina, streaming cues
Otoliths organs: linear acceleration, tilt sensation, gravity sensor
Proprioception: joints, muscles, tendons, skin, touch, pressure, joint position, muscle stretch, vibration, gravity
Semicircular canals: angular acceleration, visual stability, sense of turning/rotation

Question 20

Define Spatial disorientation

Answer 20

The failure to correctly sense the position, motion or attitude of yourself, or your aircraft, in relation to gravity and the earth’s surface.

Question 21

Prevent strategies for aircrews to prevent SD

Answer 21

Preparation
- awareness of missions nd flight conditions, recognise threats, use AVRM
- transition early onto instruments, verify their information
- stay on them until you have good visual cues
- ASORs
Proficiency
- Maintain proficiency in instrument flying
- don’t fly by seat of the pants
- Instrumentation and cockpit factor
- emergency recovery training
Physiology
- Physical health
- mental health
- manage fatigue
- avoid alcohol
- avoid self medication
- safe prescribed meds
- I’M SAFE checklist

Question 22

Management of disorientation

Answer 22

Take immediate action
Defer non-essential tasks
Get on instruments, make them “read right”
Avoid unnecessary head movements
Maintain straight and level flight
Advise ATC/Declare emergency 
Transfer aircraft control
Abandon aircraft?