A South Australian general aviation pilot has developed a system to help pilots avoid spatial disorientation.
Spatial disorientation involves pilots being unable to detect the position of their aircraft when they have no visual reference of the horizon, such as when flying on dark nights or in IMC.
The Green Orientation Light (GO Light), invented by pilot Russell Crane, casts a green light over the lower section of the cockpit, and is always aligned with the horizon, regardless of the aircraft attitude or angle of bank.
This enables pilots to use peripheral vision in the cockpit rather than having to seek out the artificial horizon to establish the aeroplane's attitude.
"The GO Light is a system of gyroscopically moving lights that will give pilots a constant reference point of the horizon in their peripheral vision, helping them stay continually aware of the plane’s attitude,” Crane said.
“Everyone has experienced spatial disorientation at some time or another. Think of when you’re in a car, stationary in traffic, and you get the feeling of backwards movement when the car next to you moves forward. That’s spatial disorientation.
“Presently, to verify orientation when there are no visual cues, the pilot has to focus on their small attitude indicator (AI) instrument. However, this verification requires the pilot to recognise that they may be disorientated and actively focus their attention on the AI."
The idea has the support of AvLaw International chairman Ron Bartsch – a former airline safety manager and current UNSW aviation lecturer.
“A solution to spatial disorientation is like the elusive Holy Grail of aviation safety,” Bartsch said. “The GO Light takes the concept of the AI and turns it into a constant part of the pilot’s subconscious perception.
“If this concept can be taken forward and commercialised, it could be the most important Australian aviation invention since the black box.’’
To find out more, visit the GO Light website.