A Simple Short-Term Solution to Helicopter Spatial Disorientation During Operations in Degraded Visual Environments

For the past 10 years, the number one operational helicopter problem reported by the military operating in desert environments is the inability to maintain control of the aircraft in degraded visual environments (DVE). A DVE mishap is a special subset of the Spatial Disorientation (SD) mishap. SD is defined as the inability of the pilot to correctly perceive the position, motion or attitude of the aircraft relative to the earth or other significant objects. The U.S. military establishment has been developing a three-pronged approach to reduce the problem of operating helicopters in DVE including; the development of active sensors capable of sufficient dust penetration to form an image of the terrain and obstacles, enhanced automation that improves pilot ability to maintain control, and improved man-machine interfaces that increase pilots awareness of spatial orientation. Rather than continuing down the traditional path of ever more complex advanced visual displays that have continuously added to workload and divided attention from the outside environment, it is now time to consider the adoption/addition of a non-visual display technology for veridical orientation information. Non-visual displays will permit the pilot to devote visual attention to either visual instruments or transition to search for outside visual cues while fully confident he/she is in full control of the aircraft despite being in a DVE environment. All animals in nature use this approach - multiple sensory systems to provide redundant, concurrent information that automatically maintains spatial orientation.