BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE AIR FORCE ...

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AFMAN 11-217V1 3 JANUARY 2005
deliveries during night or periods of reduced visibility and air combat maneuvers.
Again, under such conditions the only completely reliable information related to
aircraft attitude is provided to the pilot by the flight instruments. Because of the
nature of the mission, the pilot’s attention is directed outside the cockpit. Potential
for distraction is great. What the pilot sees outside the cockpit may be misleading or
the pilot may fail to scan an important instrument parameter (such as attitude,
airspeed, altitude, or vertical velocity) during a critical phase of the weapons delivery.
These factors easily can lead to an unrecognized spatial disorientation or “lack of
attitude awareness” in which the pilot inadvertently places the aircraft in a position
from which recovery is impossible.
17.5.6.3. Formation Flying. A demanding situation with a high potential for creating
spatial disorientation is night or weather formation flying. Formation flying presents
special problems to the pilot in maintaining spatial orientation. First and most
important, pilots flying on the wing cannot maintain appropriate visual dominance.
They are deprived of any reliable visual information concerning aircraft attitude
related to the earth’s surface. They cannot see the true horizon and have little or no
time to scan their own instruments. Under these conditions, it becomes difficult to
suppress information provided by unreliable sources such as the vestibular system.
Illusions of various kinds are almost inevitable. A pilot’s concentration on
maintaining proper wing position may be compromised by what the pilot “feels” the
aircraft attitude to be. Lack of confidence in lead will increase tension and anxiety.
An inexperienced, rough, flight lead will most certainly aggravate the situation. Poor
in-flight communications and the lack of specific procedures (properly briefed) to
recover a disoriented wingman will increase the potential for an aircraft mishap.
17.6. Prevention of Spatial Disorientation Mishaps. The pilot’s role in preventing
mishaps due to spatial disorientation essentially involves three things: training, good flight
planning, and knowledge of procedures. It must be emphasized that the key to success in
instrument flying is an efficient instrument crosscheck. The flight instruments provide the
only reliable aircraft orientation information, at night or in IMC. Any situation or factor that
interferes with this flow of information, directly or indirectly, increases the potential for
disorientation.
17.6.1. Training. The training and education of the pilot about the dangers of spatial
disorientation begin with the information in this chapter. Additional information is
provided by flight surgeons, aerospace physiologists, IRC instructors, and flying safety
officers through lectures, slide presentations, films, videotapes, and safety journals.
Experienced pilots can pass on valuable information to new crewmembers in flight
briefings and squadron meetings.
17.6.1.1. Basic Knowledge. The effects of spatial disorientation can be minimized
through an understanding of the physiological mechanisms that cause various
illusions, the phases of flight where the illusions can be expected, and a plan of action
(procedure) to follow in dealing with sensory conflicts once they occur.
17.6.1.2. Flight Simulators and Trainers to Prevent SD. Aircraft simulators are
excellent training devices for learning instrument flight procedures. These devices
are not typically used for specific SD trainers. However, some special-purpose