Illusions and Aeromedical Flashcards
Ice flags
Inversion
Coriolis
Elevator
False horizons
Leans
Autokinesis
Graveyard spiral
Graveyard spin
Somotogravic
Types of Hypoxia
Hypoxic
Hypemic
Histoxic
Stagnant
Vestibular system
3 semicircular canals sense movement in a ll 3 axes. the canals are filled with fluid which moves against tiny sensory hairs as the head is moved.
2 otholith organs, the utricle and saccule, sense acceleration in the horizontal and vertical planes
Inversion
From climb to straight and level abruptly, creates tumbling backward illusion
Coriolis
Head movements during long turns that makes it seem like turning or accelerating in a different direction
False horizon
Clouds, auroras, dark scenes and with lights providing inaccurate visual cues or a false horizon for aircraft alignment
Leans
After leveling the wings following a prolonged turn, pilot may feel that the aircraft is banked in the opposite direction of the turn.
Autokinesis
In the dark a stationary light will appear to move when stared at for too long. You can lose control and direction when trying to align with this light.
Graveyard spiral
A pilot in a prolonged, coordinated constant- rate turn may experience the illusion of not turning. After leveling the wings the pilot may experience the leans causing the pilot to turn back to the turning attitude. Since you need a higher angle of attack the pilot may see loss of altitude and pull back on the elevators tightening the spiral and increasing loss of altitude
Graveyard spin
Graveyard Spin (Pilot recovers from spin but senses they are in a new spin, so re-enter that spin)
Somatogravic
Rapid acceleration stimulates the inner ear the same way as tilting the head backwards. This may create the illusion of a higher pitch angle. Deceleration causes the opposite illusion of the head tilting sensation and the aircraft being in a nose low attitude.
Elevator
an abrupt upward vertical acceleration may create the illusion a climb.
Runway width illusion
A narrow runway may create the illusion that the aircraft is higher than it actually is. A wide runway may cause the illusion of the aircraft being lower than it is
Runway and terrain slope illusion
An upsloping terrain or runway may create the illusion that the aircraft is at a higher altitude than it actually is
Featureless terrain illusion
aka black hole approach. Flying over featureless or dark areas, such as in an over water approach, can create the illusion that the aircraft is at a higher altitude than it actually is and may lead the pilot to fly at a lower altitude than desired
Water refraction
rain on the windscreen can create an illusion of being at a higher altitude than it actually is and may lead the pilot to fly at a lower altitude than desired
Haze
Shooting an approach in haze may create the illusion that the runway is further than it actually is, or that the aircraft is higher than it actually is
Fog
Flying into fog may create the illusion of a nose up motion
Ground Lighting Illusion
Light along a straight path, such as a road or lights on moving trains, can be mistaken for runway and approach lights. Bright runway and approach lighting systems, especially where few lights illuminate the surrounding terrain, may create the illusion that the runway is closer than it actually is. This may result in the pilot flying a higher approach than desired.
Hypoxic Hypoxia
Insufficient supply of O2 to the body as a whole. As altutude increases pressure decreases and not enough pressure exists for o2 to pass from the respritory system in to the blood.
Hypemic Hypoxia
Inability of the blood to carry the o2 molecules. May be insufficient blood (bleeding lor blood donation, anemia, or carbon monoxide poisioning
Histoxic Hypoxia
Inability of the body cells to use the o2 supplied by the blood. (alcohol or drugs)
stagnant hypoxia
