Flight Operations Track


Spatial Disorientation / Flying on Night-Vision Goggles

Wednesday, March 6 | | 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Las Vegas Convention Center, North Hall, Room N253
Flight Operations Track

This course is for pilots and crewmembers flying rotary-wing aircraft. The course covers background, statistics, factors affecting spatial disorientation (SD), types of SD, and prevention and treatment of SD. Topics include becoming spatially disorientated while flying on night-vision goggles (NVGs), including the causes, effects, limitations, and skills needed to help prevent SD while flying with NVGs. Video is used in this presentation.

Learning Objectives/Benefits

  • Educate pilots and crewmembers on SD through a presentation, class participation exercises, training videos, and lecture to help reduce the risk of becoming spatially disoriented while flying helicopters
  • Educate and inform on the use of NVGs and how their use can lead to spatial disorientation, as well as how to prevent SD while flying on goggles
  • Discuss how pilots can continue to reduce the risk of SD beyond this educational course.

Instructor

Rich Weber is a dual-rated airline transport pilot, certified gold seal flight instructor in both helicopters and airplanes, and a full time police pilot/instructor. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Advanced Instrument School, where SD training was part of the curriculum. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Night-Vision Goggle Instructor School, which covered SD while flying on NVGs. Rich has the Federal Aviation Administration NVG Pilot-In-Command sign off and NVG Instructor sign off.