In-flight Spatial Disorientation Induces Roll Reversal Errors when Using the Attitude Indicator

In-flight Spatial Disorientation Induces Roll Reversal Errors when Using the Attitude Indicator

Landman, H.M. (TU Delft Control & Simulation; TNO)
Davies, Simon (Cranfield University)
Groen, Eric L. (TNO)
van Paassen, M.M. (TU Delft Control & Simulation)
Lawson, Nicholas (Cranfield University)
Bronkhorst, Adelbert W. (TNO)
Mulder, Max (TU Delft Control & Simulation)

2019

We hypothesized that an incorrect expectation due to spatial disorientation may induce roll reversal errors. To test this, an in-flight experiment was performed, in which forty non-pilots rolled wings level after receiving motion cues. A No-leans condition (subthreshold motion to a bank angle) was included, as well as a Leans-opposite condition (leans cues, opposite to the bank angle) and a Leans-level condition (leans cues, but level flight). The presence of leans cues led to an increase of the roll reversal error (RRE) rate by a factor of 2.6. There was no significant difference between the Leans-opposite and Leans-level condition. This suggests that the expectation strongly affects the occurrence of an RRE, and that people tend to base their responses on motion cues instead of on information on the AI. We conclude that expectation and spatial disorientation have a large effect on piloting errors and may cause hazardous aircraft upsets.

Aviation
Displays
Spatial disorientation
Surprise
Upset recovery

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:8beb2a2c-af8f-4392-a692-a3130b6f5bfa

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2019.102905

2020-07-26

0003-6870

Applied Ergonomics: human factors in technology and society, 81

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2019 H.M. Landman, Simon Davies, Eric L. Groen, M.M. van Paassen, Nicholas Lawson, Adelbert W. Bronkhorst, Max Mulder