Northwest Aerospace News Issue No. 26 April | May 2022 | Page 32

Humans have overcome amazing odds in taking flight . Helicopters fly around 10,000 feet ( about the height of Mount St . Helens ), and commercial air flights hover around 30,000-40,000 feet . In addition to the altitude gain , other physiological factors are at play in taking flight . For pilots , the visual system ( sight ) is one method for understanding the world outside , the horizon , the instrument panels , and internal and external factors of the cockpit . The human vestibular system is commonly thought of as the auditory system , but has more to do with motion and balance — while the auditory system deals in hearing — the different human body systems are in play during flight . Additionally , meteorological systems are at play in nature , and weather can be severe at many places in the world .

For pilots like Tyson Phillips , concern is about spatial disorientation during flight , which is especially common during night flights and in degraded visual environments ( sand , snow , low light , rain , fog , etc .) That is why Phillips , along with partner André Lavallée , created a pilot training tool called ATS Device . Per their website , http :// www . atsystemsllc . com ,
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