Recommendation to Implement GYRO-IPT for Disorientation Training at CFSAT.

With the acquisition of the GYRO IPT ETC at the Canadian Forces School of Aeromedical Training CFSAT, an evaluation was completed to determine the usefulness of this device and how it might be implemented into existing undergraduate pilot training syllabus. The GYRO IPT is the most recent version of the GYRO-1 series of flight simulators. It features upgrades on the pitch and roll motion capability and options for data acquisition and medical monitoring. The major advantage of the device is its interactive closed-loop pilot-in-the-loop feature that forces the trainee to relate any demonstration to actual flight situations. In summary, the motion capability of the GYRO-IPT is able to elicit the type of vestibular illusions that are related to the inadequacy of the semicircular canals system incapable of detecting constant velocity motion. However, due to the limited pitch - 15 degrees and roll - 30 degrees capability and the lack of planetary rotation, disorientation illusions that can be demonstrated by the GYRO IPT are limited to the type of vestibular illusions that are related to the inadequacy of the semicircular canals system. For example, Coriolis cross-coupling and somatogyral illusions are very convincing. The device also reasonably demonstrates most of the visual illusion profiles such as autokinesis, black hole approach, false horizon, runway width and up-sloped runway. We find that the listing of nystagmus as an illusion is erroneous. Nystagmus is not an illusion but a physiological response to the sustained angular acceleration and deceleration acting on the semicircular canals. Due to the lack of positive G forces greater than one which normally accompany the graveyard spin and graveyard spiral illusions in the aircraft it is recommended that graveyard spinspiral be replaced by a spin demonstration only.