NVG and Night Operations Training
The overall aim of the pilot training course is to provide the knowledge and experience in relation to military or civil NVG operations, their associated equipment, cockpit lighting and compatibility issues. The course content is tailored to the customer’s requirements. Flight crews are given practical exposure to improve their awareness of the safety hazards associated with NVG operations.
Course Subjects
As an overview, the course will include at least the following subjects:
- Aeromedical factors relating to the use of NVGs to include how to protect night vision, how the eyes adapt to operate at night, self-imposed stresses that affect night vision, effects of lighting (internal and external) on night vision, cues utilized to estimate distance and depth perception at night, and visual illusions.
- NVG performance and scene interpretation.
- Normal, abnormal, and emergency operations of NVGs.
- NVG operations flight planning to include night terrain interpretation and factors affecting terrain interpretation.
Training Using NVG's
The training to using NVGs may be performed in an aircraft or simulator suitable for the purpose, and should include at least the following subjects:
- Preparation and use of internal and external aircraft lighting systems for NVG operations.
- Pre-flight preparation of NVGs for NVG operations. Proper piloting techniques (during normal, abnormal, and emergency aircraft operations) when using NVGs during the takeoff, climb, en-route, descent, and landing phases of flight that includes unaided flight and aided flight.
- Normal, abnormal, and emergency operations of the NVG during flight.
- Inadvertent IMC and aircraft recovery procedures, including unusual attitude recovery procedures.
Phase One
This phase is intended to provide flight crews with a detailed grounding in the associated academics and some practical training in NVG handling and preparation.
Phase Two
This phase builds on the newly acquired knowledge and experience and re-inforces it with actual NVG flight experience under the supervision of a NVG qualified instructor pilot on a Bell 206 or, on the customer’s own NVG compatible helicopter.
Phase Three
This phase includes flight instruction in-country on the customer’s own aircraft, to further consolidate the tactical relevance of the training.