Disorientation training in FAA-certificated flight and ground schools: a survey

A 10-item, voluntary questionnaire answered by 674 flight and ground schools provided information on 1) the conduct of formal instruction about disorientation, 2) the occurrence and content of lectures on disorientation, 3) use of on-the-ground demonstrations of disorientation, 4) use of in-the-air demonstrations of disorientation, 5) use of films on pilot vertigo, 6) amount of instrument flying training students receive, 7) amount of instrument flying training required of flight instructors to maintain their proficiency, 8) adequacy of the schools' programs on disorientation training, 9) other comments, and 10) numerical data regarding the number of students beginning and completing various flight and/or ground school courses. More than one-third of the respondents evaluated their disorientation training program as inadequate and defined the inadequacy most often as a lack of appropriate materials, aids, and information. Tabulations of responses to the separate items suggested areas for improvement in disorientation training. Recommendations were made.