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Abstract
Previous research exploring the relationship between spatial orientation and cognition shows that if balance and orientation are unstable, there is a natural tendency to direct all mental resources to regaining orientation. To expand this line of research, this study examined how disorientation affects aviators' cognition while actively piloting a flight simulator. Thirty-six UH-60 aviators participated in the study, and were asked to perform cognitive tests (presented aurally) as they flew oriented and disoriented flight profiles. Test accuracy was significantly worse for the disoriented condition than the two oriented conditions for both cognitive tests.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you to Ms. Edna Rath for help with data collection. Thank you to LTC Steve Gaydos, LTC Lynne Walters, Dr. Angus Rupert, and Dr. John Crowley for their medical support. Thank you to Mr. John Ramiccio, CPT Michael Crivello, and the USAARL Flight Systems Branch for their support of this project. Thank you to Dr. Efrem Reeves, Dr. Melinda Hill, and LTC Kristen Casto for their audiological expertise. Thank you to Dr. Heber Jones for help with the Research Data Acquisition System, and Mr. Paul Stricklin and Mr. Charles Brown for their help with the NUH-60 Research Flight Simulator. The opinions, interpretations, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the U.S. Army or the U.S. Department of Defense.
Notes
This article not subject to U.S. copyright law.