Aviation Performance Solutions Launches Spatial Disorientation Training Program at NBAA-BACE 2026

Nevada, USA – Aviation Performance Solutions (APS), a US-based Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) provider, has introduced an integrated Spatial Disorientation Awareness and Training program at the 2026 National Business Aviation Association Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Las Vegas. Announced on 19 October 2026, the program combines virtual reality, instructor-led instruction and in-aircraft demonstrations to help professional pilots recognise misleading sensory information and maintain aircraft control during spatial disorientation events.

• The program incorporates four training components: instructor-led academic instruction, repeatable virtual reality scenarios, controlled in-aircraft physiological demonstrations and structured debriefing. Training follows APS's four-stage approach: Experience, Recognize, Reject and Recover.
• APS intends to incorporate the program into its existing FAA Part 141 pilot school certificate as an Appendix K Special Operations Course. The provider is working with the Federal Aviation Administration on the approval process, with the proposed course remaining subject to regulatory review and approval.
• The training approach aligns with FAA Information for Operators (InFO) 26003, issued on 22 January 2026, which recommends theoretical and practical spatial disorientation training for Part 91, Part 91 Subpart K and Part 135 operators. The guidance encourages the integration of ground instruction, simulation and controlled in-flight exercises into pilot training programs.
• APS is presenting the program at Booth 3319 during NBAA-BACE from 20–22 October 2026. Attendees can experience guided VR demonstrations and meet Norm "DQ" Dequier, the company's Vice President of Flight Operations and lead spatial disorientation training instructor. Dequier is a former Royal Canadian Air Force instructor with more than 30 years of professional flying experience.
• The VR component includes black-hole night approaches, narrow- and wide-runway visual illusions, and flight in cloud and heavy snow. Controlled aircraft demonstrations cover the leans and graveyard spiral, allowing pilots to experience physiological and motion cues that cannot be fully reproduced in fixed-seat virtual reality environments.

Statements

• “Spatial disorientation remains dangerous because false sensory information can feel entirely convincing. We developed this program to help pilots recognize that conflict and practice transferring trust to the flight information and disciplined responses that protect aircraft control,” said Paul “BJ” Ransbury, CEO of Aviation Performance Solutions.

About Aviation Performance Solutions
Aviation Performance Solutions (APS) is the global leader in Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT), with specialized expertise in Jet UPRT for professional pilots. Focused on reducing Loss of Control In-flight (LOC-I), the leading cause of aviation fatalities, APS delivers a comprehensive training approach that blends academics, on-aircraft instruction, advanced simulation, and virtual reality. APS’s UPRT methodology has been validated through independently verified research showing significant improvements in pilots’ upset recognition, recovery performance, and resilience to startle and surprise in real-world training environments. Trusted by airlines, business aviation operators, military organizations, and corporate flight departments worldwide, APS helps pilots build the skills and confidence needed to prevent and recover from in-flight upsets. APS’s brand promise reflects the high standard behind every training program: Every Pilot Trained – In Control – All The Time.

Source: Aviation Performance Solutions