Aeromed - Spatial Disorientation

Question 1

One acronym to remember the # visual illusions is ___.

Answer 1

13, FFF CRASH CSAR

Question 2

The three systems that help maintain balance and equilibrium are:

Answer 2

Vision
Vestibular (Inner ear)
Proprioreceptive (Sense of touch)

Question 3

What is spatial disorientation?

Answer 3

The inability to determine your position, attitude, or motion in relation to the surface of the earth or significant objects

Question 4

What are the three kinds of spatial disorientation?

Answer 4

Type I - Unrecognized
Type II - Recognized
Type III - Incapacitating

Question 5

Which is the most dangerous kind of spatial disorientation?

Answer 5

Unrecognized

Question 6

Describe unrecognized spatial disorientation.

Answer 6

Pilot does not perceive any disorientation instruments and aircraft are performing normally. A hard landing due to height/depth misperception would be one example.

Question 7

Describe recognized spatial disorientation.

Answer 7

Pilot perceives a problem, but might now know it is SD, may attribute to a control or instrument malfunction. Flying the aircraft at a roll due to false horizon would be one example.

Question 8

Describe incapacitating spatial disorientation.

Answer 8

Pilot experiences overwhelming sensations and is unable to orient themselves either by visual or instrument cues.

Question 9

The most important system for maintaining spatial orientation is ___.

Answer 9

Vision, contributes up to 80%.

Question 10

The vestibular system of the inner ear is made up of what structures?

Answer 10

Otolith organs and semicircular canals

Question 11

The otolith organs of the vestibular system respond to what sensations?

Answer 11

Acceleration (and deceleration) and gravity

Question 12

The semicircular canals of the vestibular system respond to what sensations?

Answer 12

Roll, pitch, and yaw

Question 13

Explain false horizon.

Answer 13

Pilot confuses cloud formations with the horizon or the ground and flys at a bank. Also occurs if pilot was inside for a prolonged period.

Question 14

Explain fascination/fixation.

Answer 14

Focusing on the target/goal/problem and forgetting to maintain aircraft control or proper scan.

Two types: task or target fixation

Question 15

Explain flicker vertigo

Answer 15

Caused by light flickering through rotor disk, or anti-collision lights on ground or in clouds. Usually only annoying or a distraction, may possibly cause seizures in some individuals.

Question 16

Explain confusing ground lights

Answer 16

Confusing stars with ground lights, or vice versa. May occur along coastline or in rural areas.

Question 17

Explain relative motion

Answer 17

The motion of another object causes the perception of self motion - another helicopter moving makes you feel as if you are moving the opposite direction.

Question 18

Explain altered plane of reference

Answer 18

Inaccurate sense of altitude, attitude, or elevation due to a large object (mountain) that replaces the horizon. Or, the changing slope of a hill/valley may - aircraft not be able to climb faster than the change in elevation.

Question 19

Explain structural illusion

Answer 19

Objects become distorted when looking at them through rain/fog/sleet, multiple panes of class, curved windows, etc

Question 20

Explain height/depth illusion

Answer 20

Due to a lack of visual cues, crew perceives the aircraft to be higher than it actually is

Question 21

Explain crater illusion

Answer 21

Crew perceives landing into a crater when the search light is positioned too far under the aircraft. Occurs particularly in tall grass

Question 22

Explain size-distance illusion

Answer 22

False sense of distance or altitude when a crew member perceives an unknown object to be of a similar size to

Question 23

Explain autokinesis

Answer 23

False sense of an object (light) moving when it is stared at for several seconds

Question 24

Explain reversible perspective

Answer 24

False sense of direction when an object (aircraft) is moving towards/away from you

Question 25

What are two ways to manage spatial disorientation

Answer 25

Refer to (and trust) your instruments

Transfer the controls