CORIOLIS ILLUSION

Coriolis illusion or Coriolis effect is a perceptual phenomenon experienced by pilots during flight. It occurs when rapid head movements, typically during instrument flight in low visibility conditions, disrupt the fluid movement within the semicircular canals of the inner ear. This disruption can lead to sensations of spinning or rotation that are not actually occurring, causing disorientation and potentially hazardous flight control inputs.

• Moving your head during a turn: If the aircraft is in a steady turn, a sudden movement (greater than about 3° a second) of the head will be sensed as a change in the turn rate. If the aircraft is turning in one direction and the head at an opposite direction, the vestibular system will give the impression of turning towards the direction of the head movement.

Somatogyral illusion or coriolis effect may also be referred to as vertigo.