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Recognition

Understanding our visual limitations and general difficulties with orientation gives us a clue to the best recognition techniques use to overcome these problems. The keys lie with good detection and interpretation techniques.

This is primarily the ability to make sense of what we see. Much of interpretation comes only with training and experience. Aircraft have shapes quite different from our land-based experience, and even present themselves quite differently depending upon the circumstances.

Students must learn to interpret their profiles, as this is often one key to detection. We have many opportunities with gaggle and circuit flying with gliders to check the students’ perceptions in this regard.  Instructors should remember that interpretation is learned, and that this should be actively promoted with the students.

The second key to detection is good scanning technique. This is characterized by changing the orientation of our forward vision on a timely basis to cover as much of our field of view as is possible. The constraints are that we must fix our vision periodically to allow us to interpret what we see, but not to stop for a long period where we lose our orientation clues or our ability to focus (empty field myopia).  While the horizon is our main focus, we should try to pick some objects that have good edge features just below the horizon periodically to maintain our focal distance. Otherwise, divide the sky into five sectors, fix our gaze for periods of approximately 1-3 seconds in each sector, and note any activity.

With students, the lookout is introduced which is a structured approach to scanning, requiring motions between each sector from one side to the other in order. This is used so that no sectors are omitted from consideration. For instance for a turn to the right the order is far left, left, ahead, right, far right. The attention is then devoted to the best visual reference straight ahead to the horizon for the turn. Once the turn is established, the lookout is then resumed in the opposite order from right to left to make sure it is still clear in the direction of the turn. Experienced pilots move to what can be termed the look around.  All sectors are covered, but not necessarily in order. However, if the pilot decides to change course, then the more structured lookout is executed as with the students.