RI GH T S EA T A N E CDOT E S
Red sock v green sock BY DAVID P. E Y RE
MIKE TUOHY, THE CFI AT CHINCHILLA IN QUEENSLAND, CONTACTED ME WITH A PROBLEM. HE WAS TRAINING A CHAP WHO SEEMED TO HAVE A PROBLEM IDENTIFYING LEFT AND RIGHT.
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HEN instructed to turn left the student would try to turn right or, when told that the right wing was low, used right rudder to correct this. Mike wanted to know what was wrong and how to overcome the problem. In fact, this is not an especially rare situation. I have often come across similar situations in the past. One case, in particular, is worth commenting on. Sometime ago a German couple wanted to convert their German pilot licences to Australian. After the paperwork and briefing were completed, it was decided the husband would fly first and his wife would observe from the back seat of the Cessna. As we commenced our take-off, the aircraft, as usual started to yaw to the left and when the pilot did not act to correct this, I pattered “more right rudder”. His response was to apply some left rudder. Again I repeated “more right rudder” again no response. At this stage, his wife, from the back seat leaned forward and told me to tell him to use left rudder. In spite of this being against all my natural inclinations, I told him “more left rudder” and he immediately applied right rudder and the take-off and climb out proceeded fairly normally after that. During the post-flight briefing I suspected this man had a form of dyslexia. Because of my medical background, I knew what this meant and also the implications for people suffering the disorder. The word ‘Dyslexia’ is derived from the Greek, meaning ‘difficulty with words’. Dyslexia
is a very broad term and can be mild or severe. It manifests itself in many forms, one of which is difficulty with spatial orientation and confusion determining left or right. The cause of dyslexia is not known, despite intensive research, but we do know it seems to be related to the short term memory and the information processing part of the brain. We do know it is not related to IQ levels, nor to any other idiopathic cause. There is no known cure but strategies can be developed to enable affected people to cope. Nowhere is this more evident than in some of the very famous people who have been reported as having dyslexia. Thomas Edison, Leonardo da Vinci, Richard Branson, Alexander Bell, Winston Churchill, Henry Ford, Pablo Picasso, Michael Faraday, Walt Disney and Steve Jobs are just some of those people. I wonder sometimes if I have a mild form because, when I am upside down performing a loop, I cannot decide which way to move the control column to keep the wings level. People with a left/right interpretation problem, can develop strategies to overcome or even mask their difficulty. For example; they might tie a piece of string around their right hand. Some will always have their watch on one wrist or the other and know it represents left or right. One common strategy is to hold their left hand out with the thumb extended. This forms the letter ‘L’. Some sufferers even tattoo a big L or R on their hands. I know one air traffic controller who wears a red sock on
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his left foot and a green sock on his right foot, so he can sort out port and starboard. Generally, pilots with dyslexia can learn to cope. But if they are recognised as not coping during their training, they should be encouraged to visit a psychologist for proper investigation. Because the condition can be diagnosed in later life and can be quite serious, consideration should be given to suspending their training until an assessment is made. People with the condition can be embarrassed and become distressed by their confusion. When offering counsel about referral to a psychologist, it would be prudent to have due consideration for their feelings. In the case of Mike Tuohy, I advised him to try not mentioning the words left and right, but simply to indicate with his hand which direction to turn. Because the confusion is with words, it may be useful to not to say, e.g., “pick up the right wing” but to say instead “keep the wings level”. Another confusion can become apparent if the instructor uses the terms ‘port’ or ‘starboard’. These words are archaic and should not be used in the modern world, especially if their use becomes confusing for the student. If the dyslexic pilots out there have any specific strategies which help them cope with their disorder, please let us know so it can be used to perhaps help others. Names held in confidence, of course. David welcomes your own aviation anecdotes. Email them to editor@sportpilot.net.au