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A student pilot is seated in a rotating chamber without any outside visual reference. He/she is told to move his/her head up and down slowly. Soon he/she starts to feel dizzy and nausea sets in. What is the reason for this?
  • A
    Spatial disorientation
  • B
    Black hole effect
  • C
    Coriolis effect
  • D
    Flicker vertigo

Refer to figure.

CORIOLIS ILLUSION

Coriolis illusion happens when you're in a constant turn long enough for the fluid in your ears to stop moving. When the fluid in your ears stops moving, your brain thinks it is 'straight-and-level'. At this point, if you move your head, such as tilting your head down to change a fuel tank or pick up a pen, the fluid in your ears will be moving in an entirely different axis. This makes you feel like the airplane is maneuvering in a way that it isn't, an overwhelming sensation of rotating, turning, or accelerating along an entirely different plane. An attempt to stop the sensation by maneuvering the plane may put it into a dangerous attitude.

Coriolis illusion can quickly disorient the pilot and cause dizziness and nausea, as well as complete spatial disorientation.

  • To avoid this illusion, do not move your head too fast in limited visibility or darkness.

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