ITALIAN AIR FORCE SPATIAL DISORIENTATION (SD) TRAINING PROGRAM A PRIMER FOR SPATIAL DISORIENTATION COUNTERMEASURES

SD happens for a variety of reasons. And after reviewing the history and on-going research a clear and concise summary can be written. There are two known effective countermeasures- a good instrument crosscheck and awareness of spatial disorientation. The instrument crosscheck is thoroughly taught in undergraduate pilot training and during many refresher programs throughout a pilot’s career, but a heavy dose of awareness is a relatively new concept. Awareness is accomplished by the physiologist when he or she teaches the pilot about the didactics of SD in the classroom and then places the pilot in a controlled device capable of producing some of the more commonly known SD illusions. It is within these devices known as SD Trainers where the real awareness develops. We all know it is not enough to just tell a pilot to “believe the instruments.” Instructor pilots and physiologists have been telling pilots to do such since the 1930’s (much to the pilot’s chagrin). Now, with these new technologies of the SD trainer, the pilot can experience the interaction of vestibular and/or visual cues while at the controls of the aircraft-in a perfectly safe environment. The pilot is now capable of believing the instruments and making them read right. Only SD Trainers have the capability to produce these illusions while generating the motion cues often experienced in flight. Finally, in addition to the use of the SD Trainer, the aerospace physiologists and flight surgeons are now playing an ever more important role in the basic flight training of the pilot. The end result is a safer pilot and a tremendous savings of valuable resources. Several air forces from various countries around the world are dealing with the problem through their institutes of aerospace medicine. ItAF SD training program is here in details illustrated.