Saturday, May 19, 2012

Coriolis Effect - Introduction

This illusion occurs when you stimulate two semicircular canals simultaneously. If you remember, in instrument flight training, when you were flying “under the hood” straight and level, your instructor dropped a object at your feet. Distraction while flying can precipitate this sensation.


As you leaned down to pick it up the instructor took over the controls and put the plane into a steep climbing turn to the right. You all know what the experience was like. Immediate nausea and the illusion that you were tumbling out of control. It is a very dangerous condition for a human being when flying a plane.

My instructor gave the control of the plane back to me and told me to land. I didn’t think I could I was so sick. But, land I did! He let me have a few minutes to get my “bearings” and ordered me to take-off and experience it again. By the way, the airport was a small grass strip with no communication facilities. A great spot to torture instrument flight students.

Net effect this can produce an overpowering sensation that the plane is rolling, pitching, and yawing all at the same time, which compares with the sensation of rolling down a hillside. This illusion can make the pilot quickly become disoriented and lose control of the plane. This introductory article is teaching you what not to do while on instruments. Know the attitude of your plane at all times.