Disorientation phenomena in naval helicopter pilots.

The incidence of pilot disorientation in fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft has been previously investigated, but special orientation problems of naval helicopter pilots engaged in operations at sea and landing on moving platforms have not been previously investigated. A questionnaire concerning disorientations was answered anonymously and individually by 104 active naval helicopter pilots. Fifty-six percent indicated one or more espisodes of severe disorientation, and 8.6% indicated having experienced severe disorientation five or more times while piloting helicopters. A number of factors conducive to disorientation were identified. Some precipitating factors appear to be specific to operations over water or over a moving deck, although some of these may well have their counterparts in special operations over land. Other factors are common to fixed-wing as well as rotary-wing aircraft. A number of potential countermeasures for various precipitating factors are discussed.