Objective Assessment Methods for Pilots' Psychological Resistance Against Loss of Spatial Orientation

This study examines how flight illusions impact pilots' spatial orientation and their ability to manage these illusions during complex flight tasks. Standard pilot performance evaluations often fail to detect individual psychological resistance, which is crucial for effective flight training and safety. The proposed methodology combines spatial disorientation simulation with psychological diagnostics, including performance tests and personality assessments. The results show no significant effect of flight illusions on cognitive performance. However, statistically significant relationships were found between selected personality traits and the ability to cope with illusions. Pilots with higher psychomotor agitation and openness to dynamic stimuli demonstrated better control over flight trajectory during Coriolis illusion exposure, while those with rigid decision-making styles showed poorer adaptability. These findings suggest that incorporating personality diagnostics into pilot training may enhance individual feedback and improve resilience against spatial disorientation.