Kinda interesting historical tidbit

[OIO]

Was watching some special on NASA's Mercury program, and they dropped an interesting piece of information dated to WW2 that made its way into the space program.

One of the tests astronauts had to undergo was to stare at blinking lights of various frequencies (colors) for a certain period of time.

Odd test? Yep.

But it came from experiences that some WW2 pilots went through.

In all theatres, there were reports of pilots rolling their planes on takeoff...but the pilots never pulled the stick to lift the planes..or did anything for that matter. When the planes crashed, and when the pilots were removed from the planes alive, it was found the pilots only remembered starting to roll their planes then it was all blank, they could not remember what had happened after that.

Turns out that these pilots had been taking off in early morning as the sun rose or later in the day when the sun set.. and the reflection of the sun on the proppellor's blades had literally HYPNOTIZED the pilots.

Thus NASA had the Mercury astronauts go through this test to make sure their men would not lose their heads in limbo during re-entry.

Amazing stuff

[LLv34_Snefens]

I guess they discontinued the test when some rocket scientist noticed that they forgot to put proppellors on the space craft?

[hazed-]

Originally posted by LLv34_Snefens
I guess they discontinued the test when some rocket scientist noticed that they forgot to put proppellors on the space craft?

lol


hmmm maybe id better stop using this cheap $2 electric fan airconditioner while im driving

'ok take the next turning on your right....I will obey oh master'

[Dux]

Was it actually hypnosis, or more like an epileptic fit? I know a couple of people who have to be really careful about staring at blinkiing lights.

[sonofagun]

I read an article years ago about this same phenomena affecting chopper pilots in Vietnam.  You can feel the same effect when driving through a grove of trees in the winter with a bright sun shining through.

[Rasker]

many epileptic fits are said to be triggered by the pattern of sunlight reflecting from or passing thru picket fences when view from a passing car.

[Gunslngr]

I believe you are referring to "Flicker vertigo" It was documented
in several cases where sunlight passing through a propeller arc
at a certain RPM would induce a type of vertigo or seizure.
see below for info stolen fron a aviation safety web site.
_____________________________ ______________________

"Flicker vertigo" is a term that describes an imbalance in brain cell activity created by light sources that emit a flickering rather than steady light. Light flickering from 4 to 20 times per second can produce dangerous and unpleasant reactions in some people, including nausea, dizziness, migraines, unconsciousness, and even epileptic seizures.

Both natural and artificial light sources — especially florescent lighting and television screens — may precipitate flicker vertigo. In aviation operations, problematic light sources include windmilling propellers that cut the sun to give a flashing effect, and rotating beacons or strobes in certain lighting and atmospheric conditions.

Chapter 8-1- 5 of the Aeronautical Information Manual, Medical Facts for Pilots, offers a comprehensive discussion of other illusions of motion and position.

_____________________________ ______________________

And I thought my aviation degree was useless

[RTR]

Let me tell you a story.

A few years ago I was flying a job in northern Alberta. (Helicopter)
I was slinging equipment into a fairly small confined area, surrounded by trees. It was winter, everything was white and the sun was shining. A very nice day to fly actually.

Anyway, on my third or fourth (can't remember which) trip in, I started to feel very queezy. This came on very rapidly and right about the time I was approaching the hole and sticking my head out the door. I became slightly disoreinted.

I aborted the approach and flew into a very large area about 500 yds past the equipment drop area. After setting the load down I landed, shut the helicopter down and got out to walk around a bit. Once my head cleared and I was feeling a little more normal, I got back in, placed the load at the drop and RTB'd. That was the last flight I made that day, and told the customer we would finish the job in the AM.

I distinctly remember the sun shining and the main rotors causing
a very subtle strobe effect. I had heard of "flicker vertigo" when I did my training years ago, although at this time it never occured to me that I may have been experiencing it. I thought that maybe I had just eaten something that disagreed with me.

At any rate, just wanted to itterate that it is a very real phenomina, and the onset can be quite rapid. I was lucky, I was only affected mildly and had some where to go. It is pretty rare I understand, although the way my life works, if it can happen it has happened, or will happen to me. LOL

Cheers,
RTR

[Angus]

I read somewhere that the Brits were experimenting with (flashing?) light as a secret weapon. The main aim was to disorientate enemy soldiers, and there was something about bright flashes messing up people's sense of distance.
The tale tells they tested this in the advance into Germany in 1945!