The pilot should remember that a person cannot feel control  pressures with a tight grip on the controls. Relaxing and  learning to control with the eyes and the brain instead of  muscles usually takes considerable conscious effort. The pilot must believe that the flight instruments show the  aircraft’s pitch attitude and direction regardless of what the  natural senses tell. The vestibular sense (motion sensing by  the inner ear) can confuse the pilot. Because of inertia, the  sensory areas of the inner ear cannot detect slight changes  in aircraft attitude nor can they accurately sense attitude  changes which occur at a uniform rate over a period of time.  On the other hand, false sensations are often generated,  leading the pilot to believe the pitch attitude or direction  attitude of the aircraft has changed when, in fact, it has not.  These false sensations result in the pilot experiencing spatial  disorientation. Attitude is defined as “The position of an aircraft as  determined by the relationship of its axes and a reference,  usually the earth’s horizon.” For WSC, the pitch and the roll  are the relevant attitudes. Most aircraft are generally, by design, inherently stable  platforms and, except in turbulent air, maintain approximately  straight-and-level fl ight if properly trimmed and left alone.  They are designed to maintain a state of equilibrium in  pitch, roll, and yaw. The pilot must be aware, however, that  a change about one axis affects the other axes. The WSC  aircraft is stable in the yaw and pitch axes, but less stable in  the roll axis. The yaw and pitch axes of the WSC are easy  to control, but the roll axis is the challenge for WSC aircraft  control in IMC. The key to emergency aircraft attitude and  directional control, therefore, is to: The primary instrument for roll control is the attitude  indicator if so equipped.  [Figures 13-9  and  13-10] For aircraft not equipped with an attitude indicator, a  magnetic compass  [Figure 13-11]  or a GPS  [Figure 13-12] are the instruments that can be used for roll control. The  compass stays stationary and the WSC aircraft rotates around  the compass dial. A pilot is flying wings level if the compass  heading is not changing. If the compass is changing direction,  the aircraft is banked into a turn. Similarly, the GPS provides  ground track. If flying wings level, the GPS ground track is  steady. If the GPS ground track is changing, the aircraft is  in a bank and turning. Turns are perhaps the most potentially dangerous maneuver  for the untrained instrument pilot for two reasons: As an example, a 180° turn would be the most likely turn to  exit a cloud and return to where there is visibility with the  surface. The direction the turn started should be noted in order  to determine the direction needed to exit the IMC conditions.  For example, if heading North when flying into the cloud,  turn 180° and head South to exit the cloud. •  The inability of the pilot to cope with the instability  resulting from the turn. •  The normal tendency of the pilot to overcontrol,  leading to steep banks. •  Fly at the normal trim speed. To climb, increase  throttle; to descend, decrease throttle. To fl y level,  fly at the throttle setting that provides level fl ight.  The vertical speed indicator or altimeter provides  information regarding pitch attitude. •  Resist the tendency to overcontrol the aircraft. Fly  with fingertip control. No attitude changes should be  made unless the flight instruments indicate a defi nite  need for a change. •  Make all attitude changes smooth and small, yet with  positive pressure.   Turns  Attitude Control Figure 13-11. Analog magnetic compass. 13-18