Sensory Illusions in Aviation

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As for flight operations, there are two types—conducting under visual flight rules (VFR) and instrument flight rules (IFR). Visual flight rules are a set of regulations under which a pilot operates an aircraft, seeing outside the cockpit, whereas instrument flight rules are the aircraft operations that totally rely on the instrument and get instructions from the control center. In case of VFR, even able pilots are likely to have a sensory illusion in aviation if he enters a spin or the aircraft turns upside down. Sea looks like a sky, night lights on earth look like starlights in the sky. Though the aircraft is taking a nose-dive, the pilot mistakes it as chandelle, which often causes it to crash on the ground.

In the desperately dangerous situation where the pilot loses the sense of direction, what he must trust is not his sense or decision but the instrument panel. Experts say that the pilot must recognize quickly that he has fallen into sensory illusions and read out the information on the instrument panel and cope with the situation to get out of danger.

He who is overconfident in himself without knowing that he is going the wrong way may meet a tragic end. In order not to take misconception as belief, we need to stay alert and always examine ourselves if we are taking the right course and making the right decision.