Sunglasses for In-Flight Visibility

[Jeff]

I bought some Eagle Eyes brand sunglasses and am thoroughly impressed with how much better I can see other aircraft while in flight. Check out the website:

 

http://www.eagleeyes.com/

 

 

Jeff

[coanda]

one problem, when wearing polarized lenses you can only see digital displays at certain angles. try to look at a calculator. turn the calculator left and right and you will see the display go entirely black. many glass cockpit and other gps equipment are lcd/ digital displays.

[Wally]

To the digital display issue, add that some canopys will show distracting color patterns, some related to stresses in the material.

That said, I prefer a medium brown (the "Eagle Eyes" look a bit green) polarized lens to all others. The advantages so offset the occasional issue that it's worth it to me.

Edited December 19, 2006 by Wally

[Gomer Pylot]

I don't wear polarized lenses at all. In the S76C+, you can't see anything at all. All the gauges and instruments disappear. Any LCD becomes invisible with polarized lenses, and they only reduce glare coming from one angle, which isn't where the light comes into my cockpits. I used to wear whatever brown lenses I had, but I bought some Serengetis last year which have the gradient lenses, and I love them. The light coming in through the windshield and windows is reduced, but I can still see the instruments even with the sun close to the horizon. With standard lenses the inside goes dark with the sun low, but not with the gradient lenses. They're a little pricy, but I think worth it.

[Linc]

I use neutral density (non-polarized) ND-15 sunglasses. (It's an Army thing.)

[Jeff]

I've been wearing them for a little over a year now and have had no problem seeing through windshields and only a very slight problem with LCD's. Of course, I don't fly the S76, so I don't know about that problem. To answer another comment, they are a bit amber in color, not green. Also, being that they are sunglasses, they seem to brighten everything up more instead of darken things.

 

I'm not a salesman for the company, but I like them and thought I'd pass on the info. On cloudy days especially, other aircraft are much easier to see than without them.

 

Jeff

[Heloplt]

I haven't worn these glasses so I can't speak for them, but I agree with the polarized lenses problem in the cockpit. Put them on and the Sandel becomes a black spot in the panel. My partner swears by them (polarized lenses), but that is because he is a fishing captain when he is off duty and he uses them while fishing (but he does not wear them while flying). These glasses may be great, but I'd recommend trying out a set of polarized lenses in your aircraft before putting cash down on any polarized sunglasses. <All this, as usual, is IMHO>

Edited December 20, 2006 by Heloplt

[500E]

Bought a set of prescription glasses tri focal they threw in polarization free without mentioning it, could not see LCD B.K. GPS or LCD radio readout Multi pound screw up for optician.

Usually have light brown Photochromic lenses they seem to suit me.

[Gomer Pylot]

For darker cloudy and foggy days, I wear yellow lenses, as in shooting glasses. They help a lot in increasing contrast and letting me see other aircraft, and especially platforms and the water. I like to have something over my eyes just in case a seagull decides to try mating with the aircraft. They also help with night driving.

[Heloplt]

For darker cloudy and foggy days, I wear yellow lenses, as in shooting glasses. They help a lot in increasing contrast and letting me see other aircraft, and especially platforms and the water. I like to have something over my eyes just in case a seagull decides to try mating with the aircraft. They also help with night driving.

 

 

And they look cool too (High CDI factor).

 

Good call on the protective eyewear though for those bird-vs-aircraft moments.