Use of Simulator Spatial Disorientation Awareness Training Scenarios by the U.S. Army and National Guard
Abstract
Spatial disorientation (SD) occurs .... . when the aviator fails to sense correctly the position, motion, or attitude of his aircraft or of himself within the fixed coordinate system provided by the surface of the earth and gravitational vertical" (Benson, 1978). SD remains an important source of attrition in military flying. U.S. Army Field Manual 3-04.301 (Headquarters, Department of the Army, 2000), Aeromedical Training for Flight Personnel, states that, "Spatial disorientation contributes more to aircraft accidents than any other physiological problem in flight." Regardless of their flight time or experience, all aircrew members are vulnerable to SD. According to the U.S. Army Safety Center (USASC) accident files and a report published by the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL) (Braithwaite et al., 1997), SD was considered to be a significant factor in 291(30 percent) of Class A, B and C helicopter accidents in the U.S. Army between 1987 and 1995. According to the report, during this time, 110 lives were lost and a cost of nearly $468 million was incurred. The monetary cost of SD is high and the fatality rate is between one and one-half to two times that of nondisorientation accidents. One of the means of reducing the impact of SD may be through enhanced awareness and training of aviators. While aviators may have had some experience in recovering from unusual attitudes during initial entry flight training, it is not possible to demonstrate many of the disorienting circumstances safely during actual flight. It can, however, be safely and effectively demonstrated in a visual flight simulator.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA395082
Entities
People
- Arthur Estrada
- Gina E. Adam
Organizations
- United States Army Aeromedical Research Lab