1. This material is protected by Copyright Law and may not be reproduced by any means or method
without the written consent of the author, Edward Gray
Course Objectives
The course is taught to instructors and pilots to forewarn them and maintain their awareness of
the potential dangers of disorientation and deliver better and safer pilots. Participants are
taught what causes disorientation and lack of spatial awareness and how to identify increasing
disorientation and promptly take corrective action.
Pilots are equipped with compensatory skills that will counteract disconnect of visual spatial
awareness and prevent disorientation. A greater sense of equilibrioception and centre of gravity
is developed that aids in proper orientation during a combination of yaw, roll, and pitch
motions, specifically when no visual input is available.
Course Outcomes
1. Determining level of disorientation and lack of spatial awareness.
2. Understanding the Vestibular function as it relates to disorientation.
3. Accurately diagnose the causes of disorientation and poor spatial awareness.
4. Demonstrate knowledge how to improve visual vestibular interactions.
5. Understanding and correcting the effect gravity and linear acceleration has on the
Otolith Organs and Orientation.
6. Development of sensorimotor skills for enhanced spatial orientation.
7. Measuring the development of Equilibrioception.
8. Demonstrate knowledge of categories of Spatial Disorientation (SD) and how to improve
spatial awareness.
a. Type 1 SD – unrecognised
b. Type 2 SD – recognised
c. Type 3 SD – incapacitating
9. Demonstrate knowledge of counter measures to negate effects of Disorientation.
10. Determine the relationship between disorientation and illusions of flight and how to
correct discrepancies.
11. Demonstrate spatial awareness and disorientation exercises.
12. Mitigating situational awareness and divided attention requirements.
13. Correct interpretation and controlling of Pitch, roll, yaw, and centrifugal force
sensations.
14. Identify pilots with Sensory Integration Disorder (SID).

2. This material is protected by Copyright Law and may not be reproduced by any means or method
without the written consent of the author, Edward Gray
15. Understanding sensory illusions in aviation.
a. Vestibular/somatogyral illusions.
b. Vestibular/somatogravic illusions.
c. Visual illusions/oculogravic effect.
16. Offering training exercises to prevent illusions.
17. How vision in flight (Visual Processing of colour, depth, motion) impacts on orientation.
18. Thresholds of perception, channelized attention, and contrast sensitivity affecting
awareness and orientation training.
19. Setting up equipment to simulate conditions flying in haze/darkness/visually restricted.
20. Demonstrate exercises for quick recovery and accident avoidance.
21. Effective treatment of 5 patients for disorientation and lack of spatial awareness.
22. Understanding Bottom-up vs. Top-down Processes and Theories of Vision.
23. Use of Head-up Displays as part of orientation programme (Under development).
24. Addressing overconfidence, a major cause of accidents.
Course Structure
Pilots are indoctrinated about physiological limitations, which may result in different types of
illusions. This takes place using both didactic lectures and demonstration and training on the
Gyro for a period of 185 hours for pilot instructors, and practical training of between 40 to 50
hours for pilots.
During the course therapists observe the treatment of pilots experiencing disorientation and
lack of spatial awareness and are expected to demonstrate their theoretical and practical
knowledge on work done during the previous day’s session before commencement of the next
session.
During the course therapists have to treat 5 patients experiencing various degrees of illusions
and disorientation under supervision of the instructor as part of their internship.
Tests are written at the end of each week, with a final written and practical exam at the end of
the course.
Learning Resources
Course manual, study guide, data capture sheets, and portfolio of evidence (PoE).