Head orientation in turns--how is it taught for aviation?

When you make a coordinated turn in an aircraft, are you taught to let your
head tilt with the bank angle of the aircraft, or are you taught to keep your
head normal to the horizon?

Mxsmanic wrote
When you make a coordinated turn in an aircraft, are you taught to let
your head tilt with the bank angle of the aircraft, or are you taught
to keep your head normal to the horizon?

Head and body should remain perpendicular to the floor of the
cockpit. This comes naturally if the turn is coordinated.

Bob Moore

In rec.aviation.piloting Mxsmanic wrote:
When you make a coordinated turn in an aircraft, are you taught to let your
head tilt with the bank angle of the aircraft, or are you taught to keep your
head normal to the horizon?

You are taught to step on the ball to keep it centered.

(Anxiously awaiting the usual arrogant, childish, arguements that real
pilots know nothing and are not to be trusted)

--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

I generally keep my head parallel to the top of the computer screen. This
avoids falling out of the chair.

For steep turns, I tilt the monitor so it is parallel with the horizon.

Now, please proceed to impress us with your knowledge about the vestibular
system.

"Bob Moore" wrote in message
46.128...
Head and body should remain perpendicular to the floor of the
cockpit. This comes naturally if the turn is coordinated.

I usually avoid these threads but there is a safety issue here. I teach my
students to LOOK WHERE THEY ARE GOING.

Vaughn

FAA permits teaching of either method. See AC 61-104.

F--

"Viperdoc" wrote in message
t...
I generally keep my head parallel to the top of the computer screen. This
avoids falling out of the chair.

For steep turns, I tilt the monitor so it is parallel with the horizon.


Isn't your computer table mounted on springs? C'mon...get with it!

Bob Moore writes:

Head and body should remain perpendicular to the floor of the
cockpit. This comes naturally if the turn is coordinated.

Interesting. When you learn to ride a motorcycle, you're taught to keep your
head normal to the horizon in turns ... because turning your head with the
bike as you lean into a turn results in disorientation.

Perhaps pilots would be less prone to disorientation if they kept their heads
normal to the horizon, even in turns (for instrument flight, this would mean
keeping one's head level with the horizon of the attitude indicator).

I note from in-cockpit videos of aerobatic pilots that they keep their heads
level with the horizon, not level with the aircraft.

Vaughn Simon writes:

I usually avoid these threads but there is a safety issue here. I teach my
students to LOOK WHERE THEY ARE GOING.

But you can look where you're going in both cases: with your head level with
the horizon, and with your head level with the aircraft.

Viperdoc writes:

Now, please proceed to impress us with your knowledge about the vestibular
system.

I know that if it isn't disturbed, it isn't confused. I also know that if
your head is level with the horizon, you'll feel turns as a sideways movement,
but if your head is level with the wings (and the turn is coordinated), you'll
incorrectly perceive the turn as a climb or descent. I can easily see how
this latter policy would encourage disorientation.