Preflight Brief: Illusions and Loss of Control - A Hidden Threat in GA Flying

Welcome to the Safety Section of the Flying Clubs Newsletter, Club Connector!      

Every month we provide resources for flying club safety officers to keep their clubs informed and safe. We include links to PowerPoint presentations (and smaller PDFs) that we use at our own meetings, so there is always a topic ready for your club’s next safety meeting. Along with the presentations, we also provide links to relevant articles, videos, and other media that you may also find useful. You can find this month’s safety article and the full archive, here: https://youcanfly.aopa.org/flying-clubs/flying-club-newsletter/safety       

So, let’s get on with this month’s safety topic!       

Background: 

Vestibular illusions pose a significant threat to flight safety, particularly in conditions where visual references are limited or absent. These illusions arise from the inner ear’s misinterpretation of motion and orientation, often leading pilots to make incorrect control inputs. A study by the General Aviation Joint Safety Committee (GAJSC) revealed that many fatal Loss of Control (LOC) accidents in general aviation may be linked to pilots’ inappropriate responses to such illusions. Understanding how human sensory systems, especially the vestibular system, interact with perception and decision-making is critical. By integrating scenario-based training and emphasizing the limitations of human information processing, pilots can better recognize and manage these illusions, ultimately reducing the risk of spatial disorientation and improving overall flight safety.     

Learning points:  

Human Information Processing

• Pilots gather, assess, and act on information through four stages: Sensing, Perceiving, Deciding, and Acting.
• The Conscious Workspace is slow, limited, and effortful but essential for new tasks and problem-solving.
• Long-term Memory is fast, vast, and handles familiar routines effortlessly.
• Effective decision-making depends on balancing both systems and managing attention, distractions, and biases.

Visual Challenges and Illusions

• Bright Light: Can impair vision and cause temporary blindness. Use sunglasses and avoid direct exposure.
• Low Light: Reduces central and color vision. Use scan patterns and preserve night vision.
• Blind Spots: Natural blind areas in the retina. Use short, regular eye movements to scan.
• Empty-Field Myopia: Eyes focus too close when no distant objects are visible. Focus on a wingtip or distant object.
• Dirty Windshields: Can cause misfocus. Keep windows clean and scratch-free.
• Transitioning from IMC to VMC: Can cause disorientation. Focus quickly on runway features and be ready to return to instruments.

Common Visual Illusions

• Autokinesis: A stationary light appears to move. Shift gaze or look beside the light.
• Black Hole Approach: Over unlit terrain, altitude perception is distorted. Use instruments and avoid long finals.
• False Horizons: Terrain or lights may be mistaken for the horizon. Trust the attitude indicator.
• Runway Lights: Bright lights can make you feel lower than you are. Use proper pattern altitudes and slope indicators.
• Runway Width: Narrow runways make you feel high; wide runways make you feel low. Stick to published altitudes.
• Runway Slope: Uphill slopes make you feel high; downhill slopes make you feel low. Maintain standard approach paths.
• Rain, Fog, and Haze: Can distort perception of runway distance and brightness. Trust instruments and avoid “duck-under” tendencies.

Vestibular and Kinesthetic Illusions

• The Leans: False sensation of banking. Maintain coordinated turns and scan instruments.
• Coriolis Illusion: Head movement during a turn causes disorientation. Avoid abrupt head movements.
• Graveyard Spiral: Perceived wings-level descent leads to tightening turns. Trust instruments to recover.
• Somatogravic Illusion: Acceleration feels like pitch-up; deceleration feels like pitch-down. Rely on instruments.
• Inversion Illusion: Abrupt pitch changes feel like tumbling backward. Use smooth control inputs.
• Elevator Illusion: Updrafts/downdrafts cause false pitch sensations. Scan instruments and maintain wings-level attitude.

Mitigation Strategies

• Trust your instruments over bodily sensations, especially in IMC or night conditions.
• Avoid abrupt head movements during turns or in limited visibility.
• Maintain instrument proficiency through regular training and practice.
• Use autopilot when appropriate to reduce workload and maintain stable flight.
• Anticipate illusions by studying airport charts, terrain, lighting, and weather.
• Stay vigilant and manage distractions to maintain situational awareness.
• Night VFR is high-risk due to reduced visual cues—treat it with the same caution as IMC.

Other Safety Resources:       

Here is a reminder of just some of the safety resources available to all pilots:       

FAASTeam:       

faasafety.gov       

The FAASTeam website is the portal to a vast array of courses, videos, links, and much more.  Remember that WINGS not only encompasses knowledge activities but also flight activities.  Use the search options to narrow down to say, flight activities for a basic phase of WINGS, and you’ll be able to find a syllabus and often a worksheet for various flight activities.  Use WINGS to keep you proficient and think of the flight activities as a progressive flight review—earnt over 12-months, rather than at the end of 24-months.       

Wait…you don’t do WINGS?       

That’s a big shame—you are missing out on a free pilot proficiency program that will help you enjoy your flying even more, allow you to earn a flight review every 12 months just by flying, and may provide insurance discounts.       

The FAASTeam WINGS pilot proficiency program is the best way for general aviation pilots to ensure they are competent, confident, and safe in their flight operations.   Oh, and being perpetually proficient will save you money in the long run.         

If you are interested in using the FAASTeam WINGS program for your personal flying or with your flying club, create an account on the FAASTeam website, http://www.faasafety.gov, and explore the collection of courses and flight activities.  Also, feel free to contact me (Jason Levine, WINGS Representative), and I’d be pleased to walk you through the program.  More on “WINGS for Clubs” can be found here in Flying Clubs Radio Episode 8 and the May 2020 Question of the Month.         

Other FAA Resources:       

Don’t forget to regularly revisit these FAA safety gems, as new material is frequently added:       

Pilot Minute       

57 Seconds to Safer Flying       

FAA Safety Briefing Magazine       

From the Flight Deck          

AOPA Air Safety Institute:       

https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/air-safety-institute       

AOPA’s Air Safety Institute (ASI), which by the way is funded by the AOPA Foundation just like the Flying Clubs Initiative, is packed with exceptional content, including exceptional videos, podcasts, accident analysis, online courses, recorded webinars and more.  Completing ASI activities may also earn WINGS credits.  Of particular interest to flying club safety officers is the updated Safety to Go section.  There, you can download a selection of topics, each coming with PowerPoint slides and speaker’s notes!