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Spatial Disorientation in Aviation » (New Edition)

Book cover image of Spatial Disorientation in Aviation by Fred H. Previc

Authors: Fred H. Previc, William R. Ercoline, Northrop Grumman Information F. Previc
ISBN-13: 9781563476549, ISBN-10: 1563476541
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics
Date Published: February 2004
Edition: New Edition

Author Biography: Fred H. Previc

Fred H. Previc is an experimental psychologist with a background in physiology and cognitive neuroscience. He performed basic and applied research in the area of spatial disorientation for 13 years as a civil servant at the Air Force's School of Aerospace Medicine and led the Air Force's Spatial Disorientation Countermeasures Task Group for several years. He is now a senior human-factors specialist at Northrop Grumman Information Technology in San Antonio.

William R. Ercoline is a former C-130 pilot an a T-38 instructor pilot who is an expert at designing cockpit displays and training that help pilots avoid disorientation and cope with it when it happens. At Brooks Air Force Base (now Brooks City-Base), Ercoline helped develop the Air Force's Advanced Spatial Disorientation Trainer. He is currently a researcher for General Dynamics Advanced Information Engineering Servcies at Brooks City-Base. He also teaches spatial disorientation countermeasures at the Air Force's School of Aerospace Medicine and the Advanced Instruments School at Randolph Air Force Base.

Book Synopsis

Previc, a human factors specialist who formerly led the Air Force's Spatial Disorientation Countermeasures Task Group, and Ercoline (disorientation countermeasures, the Air Force's School of Aerospace Medicine) collect information on spatial disorientation in flight. The book describes the movements of aircraft in mathematical detail, and explains how these movements can conspire to fool human sensory systems, especially the vestibular organs of the inner ear and the visual mechanisms that contribute to perceptions of motion. Chapters on countermeasures look at innovations in ground-based training, in-flight sorties, instrument training, and display design. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

	Preface	xiii
Chapter 1.	Spatial Disorientation in Aviation: Historical Background, Concepts, and Terminology	1
I.	Definition	1
II.	Historical Background	4
III.	Types of SD	20
IV.	Aircraft Motions in Flight	22
V.	Summary	32
	References	32
Chapter 2.	Nonvisual Spatial Orientation Mechanisms	37
I.	Introduction	37
II.	Overview of Spatial Orientation Mechanisms in Flight	38
III.	Vestibular Input to Orientation	39
IV.	Vestibular Contribution to Gaze Stability	56
V.	Interactions Between the Semicircular Canals and Otoliths	62
VI.	Visual-Vestibular Interaction	63
VII.	Vestibular Influence on Cardiovascular Control	65
VIII.	Vestibular Habituation	67
IX.	Alignment with the Gravitational Vertical	68
X.	Vestibulospinal vs Corticospinal Motor Mechanisms	70
XI.	Somatosensory Input to Orientation	72
XII.	Auditory Input to Orientation	78
XIII.	Cortical Input to Spatial Orientation	80
XIV.	Summary	82
	References	82
Chapter 3.	Visual Orientation Mechanisms	95
I.	Introduction	95
II.	Nature of Three-Dimensional Space	97
III.	Function of Ambient Vision	99
IV.	Ambient Visual Mechanisms	102
V.	Neurophysiology of Ambient Vision	127
VI.	Summary	132
	References	133
Chapter 4.	Psychological Factors	145
I.	Personality and Other Traits	145
II.	Mental and Physical State	148
III.	Experience	170
IV.	Task	173
V.	Environment	176
VI.	SD Phenomena Related to Psychological Factors	179
VII.	Summary	185
	References	185
Chapter 5.	Spatial Disorientation Mishap Classification, Data, and Investigation	197
I.	Introduction	197
II.	Human Factors Modeling	199
III.	Spatial Disorientation Mishap Classification Issues	203
IV.	Mishap Statistics	207
V.	Investigation Concerns and Techniques	227
VI.	Summary	237
	References	239
Chapter 6.	Nonvisual Illusions in Flight	243
I.	Introduction	243
II.	Illusions Primarily Involving the Semicircular Canals	244
III.	Illusions Primarily Involving the Otoliths	251
IV.	Illusions Involving Semicircular Canals and Otoliths	260
V.	Visual and Audio Correlates of Somatic Illusions	264
VI.	Illusions Contributed by the Somatosensory System	265
VII.	Incapacitating Illusions	265
VIII.	Inner-Ear Problems Contributing to SD	268
IX.	Summary	271
Appendix A	Assortment of Practical Recommendations for Flight Surgeons	272
	References	275
Chapter 7.	Visual Illusions in Flight	283
I.	Introduction	283
II.	Specific Visual Illusions of Flight	286
III.	Optical-Device Distortions and Illusions	310
IV.	Summary	317
	References	317
Chapter 8.	Spatial Disorientation Instruction, Demonstration, and Training	323
I.	Introduction	323
II.	Didactic Instruction	327
III.	Ground-Based Devices	336
IV.	In-Flight Demonstration and Training	348
V.	Efficacy of Demonstration and Training	354
VI.	Improvements in SD Education	359
VII.	Summary	360
Appendix A	Didactic Syllabus of the SD Mechanisms	361
Appendix B	Example of Disseminated Advice on Managing SD	364
Appendix C	Use of Flight Simulators for SD Training	365
Appendix D	Rotary Wing In-Flight SD Demonstration	368
Appendix E	Fixed Wing In-Flight SD Demonstration	369
Appendix F	Training Objective for Recovery from Unusual Attitudes	372
	References	372
Chapter 9.	Flight Displays I: Head-Down Display Topics for Spatial Orientation	379
I.	Introduction	379
II.	Piloting Topics	382
III.	Design Topics	401
IV.	Conclusion	438
V.	Summary	439
Appendix A	Perceiving Horizon Position and Movement	440
Appendix B	Visibility Definitions	442
Appendix C	Performance Standards	443
	References	444
Chapter 10.	Flight Displays II: Head-Up and Helmet-Mounted Displays	451
I.	Introduction	451
II.	Basic Characteristics of HUDs and HMDs	452
III.	HUD Symbology and Spatial Disorientation	457
IV.	HMD Symbology and Spatial Disorientation	463
V.	Development of HUDs and HMDs and Their Standards	467
VI.	Spatial Disorientation Research Related to HUDs and HMDs	473
VII.	Unusual-Attitude-Recovery Techniques	477
VIII.	Conclusions and Recommendations	485
Appendix A	Flight-Test Techniques	486
	References	500
Chapter 11.	Spatial Disorientation Countermeasures--Advanced Problems and Concepts	509
I.	Introduction	509
II.	Modeling Spatial Orientation for Advanced Technologies	511
III.	Supermaneuverability	513
IV.	Future Cockpit	519
V.	Unmanned Aerial Vehicles	533
VI.	Summary	534
	References	535
	Glossary	541
	Index	557
	Series Listing	565

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Author Biography: Fred H. Previc

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