Wouldn't a Snow Globe prevent pilots from getting disoriented?

Question

Several times in aviation history a passenger aircraft has crashed just because the pilots were disoriented. They simply just did not understand what was the position of the aircraft that moment.

Wouldn't a Snow Globe prevent this?

There are 'earth' and 'snow'. Their position inside the glass bubble would give better clue of the position of the aircraft than current mechanisms.

One could also design a specified version for aircrafts. Maybe just bubble of glass filled with pebbles.

I think it would work brilliant as artificial horizon.

Has there ever been an experiment with 'snow bubble' as artificial horizon?

are you suggesting to install an artifical horizon/attitude indicator? — Federico, May 21 '17 at 11:54
You'd be better asking in Physics.SE why it won't work. See here and here amongst others. — Simon, May 21 '17 at 12:27
This is a question that is very commonly asked by well-meaning newcomers to aviation. I think the downvotes are a little harsh. — Ben, May 21 '17 at 12:57
@Ben Agreed. This community can be stupid sometimes. How many newcomers have been scared away? +1 just to do my bit to rebalance the Universe. — Simon, May 21 '17 at 13:06
@Ben I can understand the downvotes as this reads a bit as a joke. The OP claims some level of knowledge of "current mechanisms" which he or she had determined would be inferior to a snow globe in the cockpit. — J W, May 21 '17 at 13:06
Somewhat related (but not a duplicate by my estimation): Would mechanical indicators have helped in the Air France 447 incident? — J W, May 21 '17 at 13:24

score 10 · Answer 1 · answered May 21 '17 at 12:04

This doesn't work. A plane can be in arbitrary orientations while the the forces felt by everybody in the plane are directed straight at the floor. A famous example is Bob Hoover pouring tea while rolling a plane. If Bob Hoover's tea can't tell that it's being poured upwards, nor can your snowglobe. Indeed, this is precisely why pilots become disoriented.

Wouldn't a Snow Globe prevent pilots from getting disoriented?

1 Answers1