Definition
A physiological condition caused by negative G-force (acceleration directed from feet to head), in which blood is forced upward into the head and eyes. The pilot's vision takes on a reddish tint, and prolonged exposure can cause loss of consciousness, burst blood vessels, or stroke.
Plain English
When an aircraft pushes the pilot's body downward sharply (such as during an outside loop or a sudden push-over), blood rushes to the head. The eyes see everything as red, and serious injury can follow if it continues.
Context Anchor
Encountered in aerobatic flying, upset-recovery discussions, and human-factors training when the aircraft is pushed sharply nose-down or flown in a way that creates negative g.
Derivation
From 'red' + 'out,' built on the same pattern as 'blackout.' Where blackout describes vision fading to black under positive G, redout describes vision tinted red under negative G. The word itself tells you what the pilot sees.
Why Pilots Care
Signals excessive negative Gs that can impair vision and lead to disorientation or loss of aircraft control if not corrected.
Grounding Statement
In a sudden nose-down push, the seat straps pull on you, blood moves toward your head, and your vision may redden.
Intuition Check
Redout does not mean a red warning light or an instrument problem. It means the pilot’s own vision is being affected by negative g.
Example Sentence 1
During the outside loop, the instructor warned the student to keep the maneuver brief to avoid redout.
Example Sentence 2
Aerobatic training teaches pilots to recognize the first signs of redout before vision is fully affected.