Implementation of a vestibular illusion simulator into IR training

Abstract

Although illusions may be very common and dangerous, they do not receive enough attention in civil pilots training in terms of identification and experience. In contrast to military aviation, there is not any aeromedical training focused on flight illusions concerning civil aviators to this day. Therefore, the aim of this research was to determine whether to implement vestibular illusion simulator training into IR (Instrument Rating) training. Subsequently, specific parts of IR training along with a particular flight profile were chosen. This was based on the design of a practical experiment, which included induction of specific illusions in various flight profiles and situations. Using spatial disorientation simulator, twenty-five instrument rating instructors were exposed to three flight profiles containing four vestibular illusions. Specifically, it was somatogravic, somatogyral, Coriolis and the leans illusion. After each flight profile, a questionnaire concerning subjective responses regarding specific illusions and flight profiles was filled. Twenty-four out of twenty-five instructors were in favour of implementing vestibular illusion simulator into IR training, either mandatory or on voluntarily basis. The potential integration phase was chosen to be the beginning part or the final part of the IR training. This could lead to an overall improvement for safety of aviation.