RkyMtnHI Posted March 1, 2013 Posted March 1, 2013 We showed you these a year or so ago when the AF stopped by in their Huey but thought some of the new folks might like to see them. This is a four tube goggles that the USAF SAR units are using.. pretty cool stuff. Much larger field of view. The photo looking thru the googles is is only on the right side of the set looking thru the two tubes. This was at our monthly safety meeting at KBJC. There are more photos on our fb page, link below. https://www.facebook...Heliops?fref=ts dp Quote
Flying Pig Posted March 1, 2013 Posted March 1, 2013 (edited) Man....... Im trying to wrap my mind around flying around with 4 tubes hanging from my forehead! 2 is enough to keep my Chiropractor happy Edited March 1, 2013 by Flying Pig 1 Quote
SBuzzkill Posted March 1, 2013 Posted March 1, 2013 If it's that easy why not 8 tubes? Or 16 double stacked? Quote
superstallion6113 Posted March 1, 2013 Posted March 1, 2013 I hated wearing my AN/AVS 9 goggles in the military for 8 hrs in the back of a 53. My neck ached! Hopefully these are lighter. Quote
Flying Pig Posted March 1, 2013 Posted March 1, 2013 (edited) We have small plates that mount to the bottom of the battery pack. I have a couple oz. on mine. It helps, but weight on your neck is just more weight on your neck. I have NVGs on about 4.5 hrs a shift.... so it adds up. Edited March 1, 2013 by Flying Pig Quote
SBuzzkill Posted March 1, 2013 Posted March 1, 2013 I use a weight bag. No idea how much it weighs but it velcos beneath my battery pack. It makes so much of a difference that I hate when I forget to put it in the cockpit. Quote
JDHelicopterPilot Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 I use a weight bag. No idea how much it weighs but it velcos beneath my battery pack. It makes so much of a difference that I hate when I forget to put it in the cockpit. I do the same. It does add weight to the neck but by evening out the weight on your neck makes a big difference even though you are adding to it. Quote
RkyMtnHI Posted March 2, 2013 Author Posted March 2, 2013 These were actually pretty light, They are smaller and seem to be made of more polycarbonate than the first ones we saw last year. The first gen we saw were mostly aluminum and the tubes seemed larger in diameter. When i get home i'll look up a photo of that first set. dp Quote
Wally Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 Lighter and shorter would be high on my list of improvements. The Astar is roomy compared to some aircraft, I'm still bumping A-pillars and/or leaning inboard to look out the side... Quote
superstallion6113 Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 (edited) Did you not use a weight bag? I did not. Not sure about other branches, but the only weight offset I had was the 4 AA battery pack mounted on the back of my helmet. It helped, but, after 8 or 9 hours of wearing it, the extra weight all together is what made my neck sore. Edited March 2, 2013 by superstallion6113 Quote
SBuzzkill Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 (edited) Yeah man, that will kill your neck. This is what I use: http://www.wings-avi...ghts-p-973.html It velcos below the battery pack and counter-balances the NVGs. As for the new NVGs, on the old ones when you adjust them it looks like one circle. If those 4 tube ones don't adjust like that I'm curious whether or not your eyes would be straining to bring the cicles together. Edited March 2, 2013 by SBuzzkill 1 Quote
Velocity173 Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 I did not. Not sure about other branches, but the only weight offset I had was the 4 AA battery pack mounted on the back of my helmet. It helped, but, after 8 or 9 hours of wearing it, the extra weight all together is what made my neck sore. I had several former crew chiefs as flight students in the Army. A few of them didn't use weight bags and complained about pain and one couldn't get a good OSAP. I told them to try weight bags just once. No more forehead hotspots and the one guy could see over the panel now without tilting his head back. Once you have HUD attached, a weight bag becomes almost a go / no go item. Quote
RkyMtnHI Posted March 2, 2013 Author Posted March 2, 2013 When you get the tubes adjusted the right distance from your eyes, the two tubes almost become one with the center space disappearing. I have photos of that as well, but they're on my computer at home, i'll get them up asap. The pilots say that, although there is much more field of view in the quads, they don't adjust as easy so take some getting used to. The one's last year were reported to be even more difficult with depth perception.. it must have been improved in these as it didn't come up at the presentation. Quote
SBuzzkill Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 Yeah I could definitely see adjusting those being a pain. Quote
C of G Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 Everyone I know with experience in these doesn't care for them. Said low level work was very difficult. "Hovering in a bubble" was the term used. Quote
zVo Posted March 4, 2013 Posted March 4, 2013 My neck started hurting reading about the "next gen" NVGs. Have any of you heard about the possibility of using fusion goggles (and the advantages/disadvantages) in the cockpit? Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.