Spatial Orientation Flashcards
Review
Proprioceptors are
A. eye cells that respond to light and colour.
B. brain cells responsible for memory.
C. fine hairs in the ear that respond to sound.
D. nerve endings in joints and muscles that send messages about body movement to the brain.
D. nerve endings in joints and muscles that send messages about body movement to the brain
Which human sense is most important for maintaining orientation?
A. touch.
B. sight.
C. hearing.
D. balance.
B. sight
Your aircraft is in a turn with the head tilted, during a lesson with a student pilot. You look down to read your notes and when you look up again it feels like you are ‘rolling down a hillside’. This is more than likely due to
A. proprioceptor dysfunction.
B. too much oxygen.
C. the Coriolis illusion.
D. hyperventilation.
C. the Coriolis illusion
If an aircraft is accelerating in straight and level flight, which of the following sensations may the pilot experience?
A. Coriolis phenomenon, or pitch down.
B. somatogravic illusion, or pitch up.
C. somatogravic illusion, or pitch down.
D. Coriolis phenomenon, or pitch up.
B. somatogravic illusion, or pitch up
The leans can be experienced by a pilot
A. In VMC only.
B. During night flying only.
C. When there is no visible horizon at any time during a flight.
D. In IMC only.
C. When there is no visible horizon at any time during a flight
The somatogyral illusion is the same as
A. the leans.
B. a graveyard spiral.
C. linear acceleration.
D. a spiral death dive.
B. a graveyard spiral
How do you prevent spatial disorientation?
A. Rely on your otolith organs.
B. Rely on your instruments.
C. Trust your balance organs.
D. Trust your proprioceptors.
B. Rely on your instruments
Somatogravic illusion is
A. a very common illusion that pilots observe. It is caused by a sudden return to level flight following a gradual and prolonged turn.
B. due to the otolith organs sensing both linear acceleration and head/body tilt, but being unable to distinguish between them (both give the sensation of a steep climb).
C. also known as the graveyard spiral and the graveyard spin.
D. caused by the stimulation of two of the semicircular canals.
B. due to the otolith organs sensing both linear acceleration and head/body tilt, but being unable to distinguish between them (both give the sensation of a steep climb)
Disorientation
A. is not an issue when flying IFR.
B. can be an issue when flying VFR.
C. only occurs in new pilots.
D. only occurs if the semicircular canals and otolith organs are not working properly.
B. can be an issue when flying VFR
Which human sense is most important for maintaining orientation?
A. balance organs.
B. inner ear.
C. proprioceptive organs.
D. eyes.
D. eyes
Which of the following is the best example of a somatogravic illusion?
A. Sub-threshold stimulation.
B. Sensation of steep climb.
C. Graveyard spin.
D. Graveyard spiral.
B. Sensation of steep climb
Which of the following statements about disorientation is TRUE?
A. Caused by sub-threshold stimulation and the leans.
B. It is more problematic during daylight hours.
C. The possibility lessens with a switch from VFR to IFR at the last moment.
D. Both A and C.
D. Both A and C
You are flying with a student pilot. The aircraft is in a turn with the head tilted. You look down to read your notes, and when you look up again it feels like you are ‘rolling down a hillside’. What is the most likely cause of this sensation?
A. the Coriolis illusion.
B. decompression sickness.
C. hypoxia.
D. motion sickness.
A. the Coriolis illusion
