Abstract：
Without visual references, nonpilots exposed to coordinated flight turns underestimate the bank angle, because of discordant information of the roll-angular displacement from the otoliths, consistently signaling vertical position, versus the semicircular canals, enabling detection of the displacement. Pilots may also use their ability to perceive the G load and knowledge of the relation between load and angle to assess the bank angle. Our aim was to investigate whether the perception of bank angle can be improved by spatial orientation training in a centrifuge. Sixteen pilots/pilot students assessed their roll tilt, in complete darkness, during both real coordinated flight turns and gondola centrifugation, at roll tilts of 30° and 60°. The experiments were repeated after a 3-wk period, during which eight of the subjects performed nine training sessions in the centrifuge, comprising feedback on roll angle vs. G load, and on indicating requested angles. Before training, the subjects perceived in the aircraft and centrifuge, respectively: 37 (17)°, 38 (14)° during 60° turns and 19 (12)°, 20 (10)° during 30° turns. Training improved the perception of angle during the 60° [to 60 (7)°, 55 (10)°; P ≤ 0.04] but not the 30° [21 (10)°, 15 (9)°; P ≥ 0.30] turns; the improvement disappeared within 2 yr after training. Angle assessments did not change in the untrained group. The results suggest that it is possible to, in a centrifuge, train a pilot\'s ability to perceive large but not discrete-to-moderate roll-angular displacements. The transient training effect is attributable to improved capacity to perceive and translate G load into roll angle and/or to increased reliance on semicircular canal signals.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Spatial disorientation is a major problem in aviation. When performing coordinated flight turns without external visual cues (e.g., flying in clouds or darkness), the pilot underestimates the aircraft bank angle because the vestibular system provides unreliable information of roll tilt. The present study demonstrates that it is possible to, in a long-arm centrifuge, train a pilot\'s ability to perceive large but not discrete-to-moderate roll-angular displacements.
摘要：
没有视觉参考，接触协调飞行的非飞行员低估了倾斜角，由于耳石的滚动角位移信息不一致，一致地发出垂直位置信号，相对于半规管，能够检测位移。飞行员还可以利用他们感知G负载的能力以及负载与角度之间关系的知识来评估倾斜角。我们的目的是研究是否可以通过离心机中的空间定向训练来改善倾斜角度的感知。16名飞行员/飞行员学生评估了他们的侧倾倾斜，在完全黑暗中，在真正的协调飞行转弯和吊舱离心期间，在30°和60°的辊倾斜。3周后重复实验，在此期间，8名受试者在离心机中进行了9次培训，包括滚动角与G负载的反馈，并指示所要求的角度。培训前,在飞机和离心机中分别感知到的受试者：37（17）°；在60°转弯中38（14）°，和19(12)°;20(10)°在30°转弯。在60°[至60(7)°;55(10)°;p≤0.04]期间,训练改善了对角度的感知,但不是30°转弯[21(10)°;15(9)°;p≥0.30];训练后两年内改善消失。未训练组的角度评估没有变化。结果表明，这是可能的，在离心机中，训练飞行员感知大的能力，但不是离散到中等的滚动角位移。瞬态训练效应可归因于感知G载荷并将其转化为滚动角的能力提高和/或对半圆形运河信号的依赖增加。
