Night Vision Goggle Training

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GomezM

Filing Flight Plan
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GomezM
Hello, I'm a Major in the US Air Force. I am currently conducting a study on Night Vision Goggle training for my Master's degree with Embry-Riddle University.

I'm requesting the assistance of any pilot with a Private Pilot license or higher even I you have never trained to fly with NVGs.

The survey is completly anonymous and takes about 5 minutes to complete. You can complete the survey here:

http://edu.surveygizmo.com/s3/1224129/Night-Vision-Goggles-Training-Requirements

Thank you for your help.
 
I'm curious how anyone without night vision experience could possibly answer those questions with anything but a wild guess. How could you know what they are useful for and what kind of training is needed unless you already have time with them?
 
I started the survey but it only allowed to pick what levels of disagreement I had with the question so I didn't complete it. Maybe it was my phone. Also, I agree with above. If you haven't had any experience using NVGs it's a complete guess as to how valuable they'd be in a civil application. Civilian fixed wing guys arent flying at terrain flight so the only benefit would be flying over unpopulated areas and avoiding IIMC. Somehow I don't see VFR GA pilots investing in a helmet and $10,000 NVGs in the near future. They'd be better off to invest in good planning and IIMC training.
 
Completed. I'm not a helo guy, so I couldn't really comment towards that end. We don't really have "currency" requirements or checkrides associated with just wearing them at night, but when it comes to things like NVG strafe or low level, there are strict currency requirements that are much more restrictive than any of the options you listed. That being said, I answered under the premise that I would be wearing them for pretty basic admin flight stuff (as listed in the question) wrt my currency answers. Hope that helps!
 
I'm a private pilot, and I've had extensive NVG experience outside of flying, does that count?
 
Filled out

I have limited NVG experience on the ground, never used it in the cockpit. For the 5 currency questions I selected "neutral" as I don't consider myself experienced enough with NVGs to give you an answer.
 
Completed.
As an AF Officer, I presume you are a flight officer and trained in NVG operations.

I was part of the initial cadre, testing NVG operations with B-1 aircraft in the early 1990s. Part of the NVG preflight included a dark focusing lane at life support prior to walking to the aircraft. The internal and instrument lighting had to be filtered or adapted to NVG compatible lighting. Also a study of % natural night illumination.

Ground lighting in metropolitan areas were too bright for early generation NVGs.
Also it was very easy to flight into light IMC conditions while still maintaining ground contact, and then look around the NVG and find yourself in IMC.
 
Done. I was "lucky" enough to be flying helos when the first generation NVGs began to be deployed, and their total lack of depth perception made trying to do any ground reference work nearly impossible. Luckily most of our "customers" were more than happy to light up the area so the goggles were only employed when doing interdiction patrols. The newer models made dramatic improvements in resolution and became pretty dang useful.
 
Yeah we still use the Hoffman 20/20 lane prior to walking (or "stepping" for you AF bubbas)
 
About all I know about NVG is that the National Guard unit periodically brings their Blackhawks over at night to make low passes on our runway because our neighborhood is dark (and even on the off chance our runway lights come on they're pretty feeble). We usually walk out and wave at them as they go by in the darkness.
 
Sac Arrow said:
I'm a private pilot, and I've had extensive NVG experience outside of flying, does that count?
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Same with me --- and my answers were based on that (vs aviation) experience with NVGs { experience could be extrapolated}
 
35 AoA said:
Yeah we still use the Hoffman 20/20 lane prior to walking (or "stepping" for you AF bubbas)
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Interesting. Didn't know you guys did that. Army, we just walked outside, found a high contrast object (hanger) 100-200 ft away and focused. They told us in flight school some places have an indoor focusing area but I never saw one.
 
Thank you everybody for your interest in this subject. The study is looking mainly at two main points. First, whether NVG trained pilots think that the current FAA training and currency guideliness are appropiate and to determine if there is a measurable difference of opinion in the subject between NVG trained pilots and Non-NVG trained pilots.

I understand that non-NVG trained pilots would be answering the questions without first hand knowledge on NVG use in flight but that is actually the point. Those pilots will answer the questions based on their current perception of NVG technology. That perception may come from what they have read, studied, seen in movies, or extrapolating ground NVG use to the cockpit. So, yes please fill out the survey completely if you can. There are no right answers. Just provide you opinion.

For military trained pilots, realize I have placed some limits on the questions. So I'm mainly interested on NVG use during normal phases of flight. I'm not looking at NVG use during combat maneuvers. This is so I can draw a parallel scenario to VFR rated pilots flying with NVGs.
 
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cheap weenie said:
I'm curious how anyone without night vision experience could possibly answer those questions with anything but a wild guess. How could you know what they are useful for and what kind of training is needed unless you already have time with them?
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One of the things I'm trying to determine is if there is a difference of opinion about the subject between NVG-trained and non-NVG trained pilots. Non-NVG trained pilots do have a perception on NVG technology based on what they've read, seen (media), studied, etc. Also some people may have used NVGs for other tasks besides flying and could have formed an opinion by extrapolating their experience to the cockpit.
 

McFLy, I haven't tested the survey on the phone but it is built so you can give a full range of agree-disagree answers. I should work find on a computer.

I agree that there is a long way to go for NVGs to be practical and econo
mical to the VFR pilot. The FAA also requires a radar altimeter on the aircraft (if using NVGs for takeoff/landings) which makes the cost much higher.

I've limited the scope of the study to the suitability of the training requirements and I'm ignoring the affordability/practicality factors.
 
GomezM said:

McFLy, I haven't tested the survey on the phone but it is built so you can give a full range of agree-disagree answers. I should work find on a computer.

I agree that there is a long way to go for NVGs to be practical and econo
mical to the VFR pilot. The FAA also requires a radar altimeter on the aircraft (if using NVGs for takeoff/landings) which makes the cost much higher.

I've limited the scope of the study to the suitability of the training requirements and I'm ignoring the affordability/practicality factors.
Click to expand...

OK. I'll have access to a computer tomorrow if it's still up. Right now on my iPhone it only lets me select disagree answers.

As far as training and currency for Part 91 NVG ops? Yes it is pretty basic and you won't be proficient by complying with the Part 61 currency. Realize though that most Part 135 companies Op Specs exceed Part 61 requirements. The company I work for in HEMS has double the requirements outlined in Part 61. Even then that doesn't make for a very proficient pilot. Our optempo allows me to be current and proficient because I'm flying multiple times a week. Our 2 calendar month currency can easily be knocked out on the first night of a 7 night hitch.
 
Velocity173 said:
OK. I'll have access to a computer tomorrow if it's still up. Right now on my iPhone it only lets me select disagree answers.
Click to expand...

Mine was doing the same, just swipe to the left and right over those questions and the answers will scroll horizontally.

Regarding NVG currency, I believe they are easier to fly than night unaided, and certainly easier than the FLIR system we have if there is decent illum, obviously a different story with no illum and no lights. Our currency is 1 hour every 60 days. Some have been known to just 'log' the 1 hour every 60 and only put the goggles on during the yearly eval, and still do pretty good with them at flight profiles tougher than a typical civil pilot is going to be in. Therefore I think have a much more lenient opinion on NVG currency.
 
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