Night Operations and NVG - Aeromed Africa · Night Operations and NVG March 15, 2012 8 Mishap...
Transcript of Night Operations and NVG - Aeromed Africa · Night Operations and NVG March 15, 2012 8 Mishap...
Federal AviationAdministration
Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations
and NVG:
Presented to: AeroMed Africa 2012
By: Stephen Barbini, Rotorcraft Directorate, ASW-111
Date: March 15, 2012
The Need and Challenges of
Introducing These Operations
2Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
2
Objectives
• After this presentation, the audience will:
– Understand the benefits of using NVGs during night
flight
– Understand the scope and constraints of NVG
usage
• “Can’t get something for nothing”
– Understand how to mitigate the risks of an NVG
operation
3Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
3
Benefits of NVG Use
• Primary goal of NVG use:
– Enhanced visual flight at night by improving
nighttime visual awareness
4Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
4
Benefits of NVG Use
• Improved visual awareness:
– Terrain avoidance
– Obstacle avoidance
– Improved visual
navigation
– See air traffic
5Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
5
Constraints of NVG Use
• Aircraft design
- Incompatible lights
- Structural limits to NVG
scan
- Windscreen transmission
• No operational credit
- Assumes visual flight
rules
6Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
6
Constraints of NVG Use (continued)
• System design characteristics
- Reduced aided field-of-view (40o vs. ~170o)
- Weight of NVGs
- Monochromatic image
- Tube limitations
• Environmental conditions
- Significant water vapor (clouds, fog, haze) or solids
(rain, snow, sand, smoke, etc) decrease
performance
- Light & infrared energy must be present
7Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
7
Constraints of NVG Use (continued)
• Physiological conditions
- Increased pilot workload
- Decreased pilot task performance
- Neck strain: 1.5 lbs (goggles & hardware) + helmet
- Impaired depth perception and distance estimation
- Decreased visual acuity: approx 20/30-40 with
goggles
- Increased propensity to spatial disorientation
8Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
8
Mishap Avoidance
• Preflight planning – weather, mission,
etc.
• Onboard crew coordination– Cockpit and cabin
• External coordination with others– Police, Fire, ground EMS, ATC, news media
• Utilize correct NVGs
– Class A versus Class B
9Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
9
Mishap Avoidance (continued)
1
2
3
Allowable Energy Spectrum
Visible Energy Spectrum Filtered By
the NVG and Allowed in Cockpit
Energy Spectrum Not
Filtered and available to NVG
Bad
Good
Class B NVG Intensifies
GoodNVG
Cockpit
Class A NVG intensifies NVG Filters this energy
Class A Allowable Spectrum
Class B Allowable Spectrum
Class A NVG Intensifies
Class B Allowable Spectrum
NVG
NVG
Cockpit
Cockpit
NVG Filters this energy
NVG Filters this energy
USE NVGs THAT ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE COCKPIT
10Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
10
Mishap Avoidance (continued)
Class A NVGs Class B NVGs
Effects of Cockpit Lighting on Different NVGs
11Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
11
Mishap Avoidance (continued)
• Channelized attention
– Narrowed focus of attention can occur more readily
under goggles due to fatigue, increased need to
concentrate, reliance on focal vision
• Complacency
• Inappropriate instrument scan
• Spatial disorientation, visual illusions and
misperceptions
12Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
12
Mishap Avoidance (continued)
• Training / Currency – initial and recurrent
• Maintain night proficiency– “NO WAY”! It’s dark out there.”
– Be prepared to transition to unaided flight
• Maintain NVGs per manufacturer’s recommendations– Refer to ICAs
• Maintain lighting– Degradation of filter material or lights
13Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
13
Mishap Avoidance: Maintenance
& Pilot Preflight/Acceptance• “Simple” changes to a cockpit can destroy the NVG
compatibility of an NVIS cockpit…
– Replacement of analog clock with digital clock
– Addition of post lights or map lights
– Flight/NAV Instruments with OFF flags
– Addition of “MILSPEC” equipment (e.g., tactical radios)
– Some equipment needs additional modifications/configuration
to be NVIS compatible (e.g., comm / nav)
• An evaluation is required after any replacement of
light-emitting equipment
14Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
14
Mishap Avoidance: Maintenance
& Pilot Preflight/Acceptance
15Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
15
Mishap Avoidance: Maintenance
& Pilot Preflight/Acceptance
16Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
16
Mishap Avoidance: Maintenance
& Pilot Preflight/Acceptance
17Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
17
Mishap Avoidance: Maintenance
& Pilot Preflight/Acceptance
18Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
18
Mishap Avoidance: Maintenance
& Pilot Preflight/Acceptance
19Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
19
Mishap Avoidance: Maintenance
& Pilot Preflight/Acceptance
Green-Yellow Bands Must be Legible
20Federal AviationAdministration
Night Operations and NVGMarch 15, 2012
20
Questions???