An aircraft accelerating in a straight horizontal flight can create to the pilot the illusion of...
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SOMATOGRAVIC ILLUSION
Somatogravic illusion is a perceptual phenomenon experienced by pilots during flight, particularly during acceleration or deceleration phases. It occurs due to the sensory organs in the inner ear (specifically the otolith organs) sensing linear accelerations and decelerations. These organs are responsible for detecting changes in head position relative to gravity.
When an aircraft accelerates forward (increases speed) or decelerates (decreases speed), the otolith organs may interpret these changes in linear acceleration as changes in pitch angle (nose-up or nose-down attitude). As a result, pilots may experience the sensation that the aircraft is pitching up (climbing) during acceleration or pitching down (descending) during deceleration, even though the actual flight path remains straight and level.
Acceleration → Climb illusion
Deceleration → Descent illusion
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