NVG and helicopters

[kiltboy 0]

Random question for any shp based helicopter pilots but feel free to answer if you have any experience to offer.

Geoff Hoon (UK defense minister) has been getting grilled over a lack of kit that the Brits have in Iraq.
I know most of the shortages that the land forces encountered, e.g. no body armour, boots, combats, morphine, nbc kit and ammo but this latest excuse is outwith my experience.

There was midair collision between two Sea king helicopters early on that may have been avoided had the pilots been issued NVG. The excuse from the MoD has been that the pilots did not require night vision goggles as they don't fly low to the ground and can pick up the ship at sea easily. Also the cockpit of a sea king would have to be changed to allow the pilots to use them.

So are ship based helicopter pilots normally issued NVG? I'm leaning towards the thought that the MoD is talking crap again but I'd like a little input from some experienced folks as well.

Cheers,
David

[wingnut 0]

Quote

The excuse from the MoD has been that the pilots did not require night vision goggles as they don't fly low to the ground and can pick up the ship at sea easily. Also the cockpit of a sea king would have to be changed to allow the pilots to use them.

if the cockpits hadn't been mod'd the pilots while using nvg's would be blinded wel not blinded but it would probly be just as bad)by the reflection of the normal lights on the windows to the cockpit....

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"i have no reader's digest version"

[Aviatrr 0]

NVG's will do more harm than good if the conditions are not right. Cockpit lighting can really play hell with a pilot wearing NVG's. The Sea King is an old design - 30 years old, at least....before NVG's were around...so they didn't design it with that in mind as they do current military helo's. Most carrier based helo pilots are NVG qualified, but there aren't all that many H-3's in the US military anymore, except in a VIP or SAR configuration. I'm pretty sure the SAR H-3 pilots are NVG qualified, but who knows what mods had to be made to allow their use.

Mike