An Australian pilot stands to revolutionise the global aviation industry with his world-first idea for a cockpit lighting system that could solve the problem of spatial disorientation.

Pilot and businessman Russell Crane has received a provisional patent for the Green Orientation Light – or GO Light – a proposed system that some aviation safety experts have called “the most important Australian aviation invention since the black box”.

“The GO Light is a system of light fixtures that will give pilots a constant reference point of the horizon in their peripheral vision, helping them stay continually aware of the plane’s attitude,” Mr Crane said.

“Presently, to verify orientation when there are no visual cues, the pilot has to focus on their small attitude indicator (AI) instrument. However, this verification requires the pilot firstly to recognise that they may be disorientated and actively focus their attention on the AI,” he said.

Research has shown that in accidents caused by spatial disorientation, the phenomenon went unrecognised by the pilot in up to 85 per cent of occurrences.

“The GO Light mitigates unrecognised spatial disorientation and allows pilots more freedom to concentrate on their other instruments whilst maintaining an almost subconscious and accurate awareness of their attitude.”

If implemented by a manufacturer, the GO Light would be the first attitude indication instrument to provide a full illumination function that would bathe the cockpit in a field of light visible to pilots at all times.

The system’s design also includes an additional feature in which external lights on the fuselage would be replaced with pivoting lights to replicate the in-cockpit system outside the aircraft.

AvLaw International chairman Ron Bartsch – a former airline safety manager and current UNSW aviation lecturer – said that spatial disorientation was thought to be a contributing factor in up to 32 per cent of aviation accidents.

“A solution to spatial disorientation is like the elusive Holy Grail of aviation safety,” Mr Bartsch said.

“The GO Light takes the concept of the AI and turns it into a constant part of the pilot’s subconscious perception.

“If this concept can be taken forward and commercialised, it could be the most important Australian aviation invention since the black box.’’

See also http://go-light.com.au/