Spatial Disorientation Survey Among Military Pilots

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Spatial disorientation (SD) remains a significant cause of accidents and near accidents. A variety of training methods have been used to assist pilots to anticipate the SD problem. The value of such training in the prevention of disorientation has been difficult to assess.METHODS: To study transfer of SD awareness training, we related reported incidents to the content and frequency of SD awareness training received. The questionnaire was completed by 368 out of 495 pilots; 189 currently flying fixed-wing, and 150 flying rotary-wing aircraft. On average, their age was 38, and they had 2466 flight hours on-type.RESULTS: Respondents gave high ratings for the importance of SD training and their awareness of SD, the latter being one of the training objectives. The amount of SD training received by respondents was positively correlated with ratings for appreciation and importance. Self-rated awareness was positively correlated with the number of reported SD experiences. Although the correlations were below 0.50, the results provide an indication that SD training is effective. In total, respondents reported 5773 SD experiences, 195 of them resulting in a serious risk for flight safety. Narratives of these serious events show that, in many cases, pilots managed their SD by carefully checking the flight instruments, and also by good crew coordination.DISCUSSION: The results of the survey provide some evidence, although based on subjective reports, for transfer of SD training. The results of the SD experiences can be used to improve the SD training in terms of content and frequency.Pennings HJM, Oprins EAPB, Wittenberg H, Houben MMJ, Groen EL. Spatial disorientation survey among military pilots. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2020; 91(1):4–10.

A survey of spatial disorientation incidence in Polish military pilots

“…In order to compare the results with data obtained from other surveys conducted on the Royal Air Force (RAF) [17], the United States Air Force (USAF) [14] and the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) [18] aviators (using the same or a near-identical questionnaire), the aircraft types were categorized as fast-jet, multi-engine, trainer and rotary-wing. Using the same classification of variables, the authors investigated the effects of the following independent variables: age, training rating, aircraft type, total flying hours and hours-on-type.…”

“…In addition, the emphasis was placed on whether the amount of SD training increased the pilots' awareness of the conditions predisposing to SD and improved their ability to recognize the factors that lead to this phenomenon. Finally, to perceive the SD incidence in a wider context, the authors compared and evaluated how the results obtained from this study differed from the results of questionnaire-based SD surveys performed in other countries [14,17,18].…”

“…The most commonly experienced episodes of SD (in the rank order) for all pilots are provided in Table 2. In order to compare how the results obtained in this study differed from the results of questionnaire-based SD surveys on aviators from other countries (i.e., RAF [17], USAF [14], RNLAF [18] and HAF [21]), the authors also included these data in Table 2. Among the 4 analyzed aircraft groups (fast-jet, multi-engine, trainer and rotary-wing), the most common illusion was "loss of horizon due to atmospheric conditions" (86%, 75%, 83% and 77%, respectively).…”

“…The most frequently experienced (top 40%) flight illusion episodes for the pilots by aircraft type are illustrated in Table 3. The results of SD surveys from RAF [17] USAF [14] and RNLAF [18] are also presented.…”

“…To evaluate the impact of new aircraft or to display technologies on pilots' susceptibility to SD illusions, as well as to track changes in the incidence of SD over time and across different aircrew populations, Project Group 117 of ASCC Working Party 61 developed a SD survey questionnaire (INFO PU18B 61/117/5) [15,16]. So far, several surveys have been conducted using this standardized tool [14, 17,18] and a self-authoring questionnaire [19,20]. These surveys have reported some commonalities in the SD experiences of aviators.…”