Coping with spatial disorientation

Without an outside horizon, balance organs and eyes lie. One rule: trust the instruments, not senses.

Night flying (TC AIM AIR 2.15):

• Raises risk further.
• Orientation, navigation, weather avoidance all harder in dark.
• Takeoff and landing especially dangerous, for VFR and IFR pilots alike.

Loss of visual reference (TP 1102 Instrument Flying):

• Switch to instrument scan, trust it.
• Never react to an unconfirmed physical sensation, however strong.

Coping:

• Without instrument training: always keep a visual horizon. Never flight-plan VFR into expected bad weather or low visibility (TC AIM AIR 3.7).
• Instrument rating doesn't prevent disorientation; its required training teaches overcoming it.
• Raise susceptibility: illness, medication, alcohol, fatigue, sleep loss, even mild hypoxia. Be rested, fed, night-adapted before flying into reduced visibility.
• Unusual-attitude recovery training builds experience to overcome disorientation.
• Seatbelt snug: a body free to move makes false sensations more acute and believable.

Approach, cross-check against other information:

• Frequent reference to altimeter.
• Planning: note size and terrain of unfamiliar aerodrome.
• Overfly before landing.
• Fly a normal circuit.

Trap: acting on what the body feels. In cloud or on a black night sensations are convincing and wrong: fly the instruments.

Practice