No More Vertigo
Military has a $1 vest that is electronically hooked to aircraft instrumentation in such a way that sight is no longer needed for flight. Sensor probes in the vest provide continuous orientation information that replaces false information from the central nervous system. Vertical rows of tactors in the vest allow the disorientated pilot to recover in less than 15 seconds from unusual attitudes.

Simulation is not Reality
During the proficiency phase of hood work 'unusual attitudes' should be practiced. This means that you will put on the hood, close his eyes, lower or raise his head while the instructor flies. The instructor will make a series of slow and rapid flight movements designed to disrupt the flow of fluids in the inner ear. After such a series the student will be told to recover the aircraft through use of the instruments. When visual cues are missing the inner ear and kinesthetic systems kick in. When vision is re-admitted confusion occurs. Panic often ensues when an unusual attitude occurs without warning. The unusual attitude instruction must emphasize faith in and use of the instruments, especially the attitude indicator.

If the instructor's efforts succeed, the recovery will be difficult for the student due to sensations of vertigo. Vertigo is a physical condition where the victim suffers symptoms such as spatial disorientation, inability to perform and intellectual confusion. The instinct to trust our senses causes these problems. This instinctive trust must be transferred to reliance on the aircraft instruments through training. Until this transfer is completely accomplished safe IFR flight is not possible. The ability to recognize and recover from a rudder caused unusual attitude is a good skill best acquired through aerobatic instruction.

The recovery from unusual attitudes proceeds through several steps depending on the aircraft attitude and airspeed. If the aircraft/engine noise is high, reduce the power, correct any bank, raise and level the wings on the AI horizon. If the aircraft/engine noise is low, apply full power, correct any bank, lower and level the wings on the AI horizon. Be aware that the instructor may have applied flaps, trim, or covered instruments to make the recovery more difficult.

Knowing how to correctly recover from non-spinning unusual attitudes is important. More aircraft and pilots are lost because they try to pull the yoke to recover a nose-down, semi-inverted unusual attitude than from spins. Use ailerons to roll upright. A non-aerobatic pilot must avoid making the initial reaction which is pulling back on the yoke. More often than not this makes the situation worse. This is specifically true when in a steep bank or inverted. In a spiral, pull the power off, coordinate aileron and rudder to level wings and recover with less than 2 Gs. If wake turbulence puts you into a steep bank or turns you upside down you must first reduce power, move the yoke forward and roll the ailerons to get upright. Any other procedure will over-stress the aircraft.

Unusual attitudes are unintentionally entered by pilots who overestimate their ability and competence while underestimating the weather conditions. Begin by being caught on top of a cloud layer. Follow by a sense of being lost because you no longer have the same sensory aids you are used to having. You can't chart progress except electronically. Instinctively the pilot will turn and fly to where he wants to be, not necessarily where he wants to go.

A private pilot with the minimum required hood time will maintain control about seven seconds on entering IFR conditions. This can be prevented only by getting on the instruments and executing a 180 degree level turn. Failure to act or to act improperly on entering IFR conditions is very likely to destroy the aircraft in the air. Slow up on entering turbulence, keep a light touch on the controls and keep the aircraft level, freely allow altitude changes, and don't attempt any turns.

Below clouds things appear differently, augmented by a desire to keep the surface in sight, the pilot will fly under and around visual obstructions in an ongoing belief that things will get better. They may, but I you haven't checked the weather ahead, they probably won't. You must know which way the weather is moving in relation to your flight direction. It forecasts and winds say the weather is better from whence you came, turn around even though the illusions of improvement ahead exist. Among the disadvantages of flying below the clouds is the instinctive loss of altitude any time you need to improve visibility. Visibility may improve but you are in the process of destroying your ability to communicate. Now a situation that could have been resolved with ATC help is running out of options. As a student this should be a 'hood' exercise with your instructor

Add a dose of air contaminated fuel tanks and an approaching need to descend even further and enter clouds and we need to have pre-planned a few years ago what would be the most appropriate thing to do. Without training and planning stress will so focus your attention that your recovery will be in doubt. Your arrival on the ground is a certainty. Getting there safely is dependent you how well you exercise mental and aircraft control. We should have worked out these options while a student long before reaching this crisis. Aircraft control is the essential element.

Tumbling Gyros
Readiness to tumble depends on the construction of the gyro. Older gyros have 'stops' that when reached during aerobatics would cause the gyro to tumble and become unusable. This was hard on the instrument so gyros were often 'caged' or locked against moving during extreme maneuvers. Modern gyros are 'non-tumbling' and are not damaged by aerobatics. When a gyro instrument does not behave well after maneuvers or in turbulence it should serve as a warning that it will soon enter a failure mode.

VFR to IFR Options
What to do? If you're on top, do the four C's. Climb, communicate, confess, and comply. If fuel and weather limits your ability to find a VFR escape route. Don't delay, find an area in which to descend to VFR below. ATC vectors may get you to the area but you must know how to make a safe decent. As a student the maneuvers below should be a 'hood' exercise with your instructor. Some practice now may solve a future problem by having a pre-planned solution. Try it until you can do it. When the need for performance occurs you can advise ATC of your ability to perform an IFR climb or descent in a declared emergency.

One way follows. There are other ways. Pay our money and take your choice. Assume that all instruments are functional. Get on a cardinal heading, C.H. power to 2000 rpm, and trim for 60 knots. Let go of the yoke and hold heading with rudder. Slowly decrease power to 1500 rpm and descend at 60 knots using only rudder. If the terrain below is completely unknown as to cloud clearance and terrain elevation. Do the process with full flaps and airspeeds as low as 45 knots. The worse thing you can do is a spiraling descent.

If you are below a cloud deck with a known top attainable by your aircraft and fuel remaining, initiate a VFR to IFR to VFR climb using much the same technique as the descent. Well below the cloud base, initiate a 65-knot climb and trim for hands off. Let go of the yoke and hold a cardinal heading with only the rudder. Once on top you should know if an escape VFR airport is within range.

Hopefully, you will never need an emergency option. You should practice recognition of weather so as to initiate the 180 escape before it cant be done. When the turn is only possible in IFR conditions you must know enough to totally rely on your instruments. Any effort to mix IFR with VFR is doomed to failure. Use the turn coordinator to limit the bank to a standard rate. Better yet learn the amount of bank on the HI that gives the standard rate for your airspeed.

You and Illusions
1) Illusions can and do occur to everyone
2) Proper planning for strange airport conditions is essential
3) Weather and poor visual conditions make airport conditions worse.
4) Rely on your instruments to help your sense perceptions
5) Maintain situational awareness, know where you are.
6) Use airport systems and lights for directional and slope help. 
7) Your physical condition can make matters better or worse.

IFR Flying Faults
Initially, VFR to IFR flight results in over-controlling especially when making corrections. Non-instrument rated pilots who fly into instrument weather lose control in about a minute of level flight. The usual VFR movements for climbs, descents, and turns are far too extreme for IFR flight. One technique used to avoid over controlling on heading changes is to use the AI to set the standard rate of turn. Count three, five, or six at a steady rate. Level out from the bank using the attitude indicator top index to level the wings and note the degree of change in the HI. Do this several times until you can get the count needed to get 10 degrees correction every time. Focus on the attitude indicator top index when leveling off. This technique prevents the common fault of reversing the bank back to nearly the original heading. This reversal is caused by the beginner's inability to ignore the turning sense imparted by the fluids of the inner ear. This problem is normal for the beginner but focusing the eyes on the top index of the AI for a few seconds will give the inner ear fluids time to lose their influence.

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