Night vision for civilian pilots

Flying your Bell Ranger in a ball cap is something of a fashion statement. But it lacks that iconic, ant-head panache that until recently only military pilots wearing restricted, government-use-only night vision-equipped helmets could pull off.

(Credit: Nivisys)

The NVAG-6 Night Vision Goggles change all that. They're the first night vision goggle certified by the FAA for civilian use, according to manufacturer Nivisys. Of course, looks are not what will sell this gear. It's the safety margin they can potentially add to low-light and nighttime flying (PDF).

"This is a historical moment for civil aviator night vision safety. Nivisys is now the first and only company certified for the production of night vision goggles under FAA TSO-C164," said Nivisys CEO Allen Harding.

The unit can be used with fixed and rotary winged aircraft, according to the company. You'll probably want one just to avoiding doing a "Bill Graham," but the company foresees wide use in many after-dark flight operations, such as offshore oil rigging, logging, power line and high-rise work, and search and rescue.

The NVAG-6 comprises a lightweight binocular made of anodized aluminum that can be mounted to a variety of helmets. The 25mm eye relief eyepieces are individually adjustable and even work for operators wearing prescription glasses or contacts. A flip-up base allows for fine tuning for fore/aft adjustments.

The goggles automatically turn off when the helmet mount is flipped up, which prevents tube damage in case of exposure to bright lights. They run on AAs, which are presumably not included.

[Electro_Fox]

Nice jab at Graham...

[Jack K1]

Bill Graham: I don't get it. Should passengers be wearing these things, too? Or is the author just an idiot?

[pitsoc]

why would the passengers be wearing one of these? have you ever flown? do YOU watch out the front windows while the pilot is flying? Just an FYI, if your not at the controls of any machine...you have no control (hence the word...controls...)of what happens to that machine! Perhaps the previous commenter is an ignorant fool who shouldn't have posted anything since its apparent he doesn't KNOW anything about what he's talking about.

[Jack K1]

Kennedy would probably be a better example.

[professionaladventurer]

To use NVG, one must remember you need to have a compatible instrument panel. I remember a trooper pilot during a SAR I was on had to land and pull some fuses so he could use his NVG's on the mission.

[wjsteele]

@Jack K1, Actually, Kennedy wouldn't have been a good example, becuase he died flying in bad weather. These will not help you in that situation, you would have to have an Enhanced Vision System like a FLIR or Forward.Vision EVS-100 to see through the weather. Night vision only amplifies visible light, so clouds/fog/smoke are just as opaque with night vision as they are in the day time.

[imrananwar]

Glad to hear technology is making its way into GA cockpits. I think the helmet adds additional value (though some users may not want to mess up their hair). Add to that seat belts with airbags and GA can become even safer.

Imran
http://imran.com/media/blog/