Flying with sunnies. Which kind?

[flying dog]

Ok, here's the problem:

 

Recently I was talking to someone about flying and they said that you should NOT use polarised glasses when flying.

 

 

Why?

 

As far as I knew, it didn't matter.

 

 

[Thx1137]

The student flying book I have says that if you are landing towards a low sun then during flare you can lose 100% vision for a few seconds.

 

Non-polarised glasses are a CASA recommendation, not a requirement though. I do know of quite a few who use them though I purchased aviation sunglasses which have the recommended specifications. they weren't any dearer than a decent set of sunnies and I don't care for fashion statements :-)

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Flying Dog, polarising sunnies tend to mask things like power lines, some crystal/led displays are harder to read ect.

 

ozzie

 

 

[Guest drizzt1978]

I was told that, yes the LCD can be hard to read, and some new Aircraft can have polarized tint? Dont know it thats true at all?

 

 

[eastmeg2]

Besides making LCD's hard to read, they can create images when used under a helmet visor which has it's own non-uniform polarisation and I expect the same applies with windows on fully enclosed aircraft.

 

Also, especially if your flying an open cockpit aircraft, or even if you're not, go for plastic lenses as they won't shatter into your eyeball like a glass lense could upon impact with a rock, or the inside of your cockpit.

 

Cheers,

 

Glen

 

 

[Matt]

Another thing (non lens) to consider are the arms of the glasses. Many glasses have arms that don't sit flush against your head and create a gap which some/many headsets can't seal and thus reduce the noise reduction aspect (active and/or passive). This may also to create pressure on your skull as the headset clamping action pushes the arms of the glasses against your head potentially causing headaches and general discomfort.

 

My personal choice is the Oakly Crosshair (non-polarised) as the arms on these are shaped perfectly for use with headsets Oakley CROSSHAIR Sunglasses available online at Oakley.com

 

 

[Mazda]

Polarised glasses don't show the "glint" that might be another aircraft. They also make it hard to see some screens like GPS.

 

 

[djpacro]

I use Zurich. Variant for those with glasses such as myself - the sunglasses fit over normal specs. Removable temple pieces and optional headband to use with headset or helmet. Lifetime guarantee. I bought mine at Oshkosh in 1995. Broke two temple pieces which were replaced for cost of postage.

 

Lens was scratched etc by 2008 so was going to buy a new pair. Accidentally sat on it in a car and broke it. Took it back at Oshkosh and got a free replacement.

 

 

[pudestcon]

Ok, here's the problem:Recently I was talking to someone about flying and they said that you should NOT use polarised glasses when flying.

 

 

Why?

 

As far as I knew, it didn't matter.

I remember a thread about this sometime back so did a search. Found this http://www.recreationalflying.com/forum/general-discussion/7928-prescription-sunglasses.html

 

A lot of good stuff here.

 

Cheers,

 

Pud

 

 

[winsor68]

Agreed.

 

 

[pylon500]

As an aside to polarisation, Tint colour can also be important when choosing sun glasses.

 

Typically, common sunglasses tend towards greys, blues and green tints, all of which will just cut down on the amount of light as well as colour being observed.

 

ie, you loose vision and detail.

 

I'm no optometrist, but I find that brown tint lenses cut down light intensity, but tend to enhance colour definition.

 

Back in my Hang-Gliding days a pink coloured tint was all the rage as it was supposed to show dust in the air to signify the presence of a thermal.

 

This may have been true but I found they just made everything brighter and made your eyes feel weird for about ten minutes till you got used to them.

 

Then you felt weird again when you took them off!

 

I just use brown sunnies with a graduated tint and try to find ones with thin arms to fit into headsets.

 

Arthur.

 

 

[Smokey]

Below is a link to a FAA brochure on sunglasses which pretty well covers most of the issues.

 

 

Personally I prefer brown lenses for their tendency to enhance contrast and I frequently find that I'm wearing them comfortably long after others ditched their 'neutral' glasses in failing light. Some people don't like the colour but I think that's something you get used to fairly quickly, I certainly do when switching colours in shooting glasses.

 

 

The more extreme red 'clay pigeon' glasses Pylon mentioned or the yellow target shooting glasses, will take longer to acclimatise, not that I’m suggesting you wear them flying.

 

 

Specifically, I've been wearing Serengeti Aviators since well before I started flying, gone back to cheapies (brown, green and grey) on quite a few occasions both by choice & circumstance but gone back to the good ones every time.

 

 

Moral of the story, if you find some cheapies you like, don't try the good ones, it's hard to go back.

 

 

On the subject of polarisation, there may be a few who are not aware that Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD) work by polarising crystals under the influence of a voltage, by polarising 2 layers at 90 degrees you block any light from the backlight and by aligning them you allow (almost) all the light to pass. (If there's no powered backlight you're working off reflected ambient light.) Throw a pair of polarised sunglasses with random polarisation alignment into the mix and you could get full transmission to total blackout. Hence the recommendation against them with any LCD instruments.

 

 

With the imminent introduction of polarised TV's (for 3D), I would expect those manufacturers that aren't already using screens with polarised displays to take advantage of the cheapening technology to produce better daylight screens.

 

 

 

www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/pilotsafetybrochures/media/sunglasses.pdf

 

 

 

Mark

 

 

BTW Arthur, those red glasses will show up dust beautifully, if it’s red dust from a ‘blown’ clay pigeon.

 

 

 

[dazza 38]

When i use to work as a range officer/ firearms instructor at a indoor pistol club here on the gold coast.I started off wearing amber colour classes. Then i bought a pair of those pink tinted classes, the vision/contrast was a lot better. Under fluro lights.

 

 

[dazza 38]

I was told that, yes the LCD can be hard to read, and some new Aircraft can have polarized tint? Dont know it thats true at all?

IN my experience, thats correct mate, i used to wear, bolle polarized sunnys, didnt have a problem until we got a/c with dynon display and garmin gps's etc.I found in difficult to read the screens (not all the time but some times).I have gone back to my rayban aviators. :big_grin:

 

 

[turboplanner]

When i use to work as a range officer/ firearms instructor at a indoor pistol club here on the gold coast.I started off wearing amber colour classes. Then i bought a pair of those pink tinted classes, the vision/contrast was a lot better. Under fluro lights.

No wonder the snakes have been getting away. I'll get a pair of pink ones for my summer relocation program.

 

 

[Guest Escadrille]

Has anyone any experience with laser surgery(Lasik I think is called) at my last aviation medical the DAME said he thought it could be of great benefit and you can then buy off the shelf glasses,like Raybans etc.

 

I believe it costs around 2500 an eye. However the technology is relatively new and noone seems to know if there are any significant long term (read negative) affects.

 

I like the idea but the cost is significant in $ terms and could be devastating if it goes pear shaped!

 

 

 

[flying dog]

I have some Randolph Engereering (Airforce) sunnies.

 

They are way cool and NOT polarised. I was only asking.

 

The other good thing with them is their "arms" are STRAIGHT so putting them on/off is easier than the ones which hang down behind your ears.

 

 

[sseeker]

I fly with my Ray Ban RB3194 non-polarized, so far they're an excellent set of sunnies. It's a blackish greenish tint (excellent description I know :P) so far so good, only disadvantage is I'm not used to wearing sunnies yet so I take them off to do the preflight (so I can see in the darkness) and forget to put them back on! :hittinghead:

 

 

[Modest Pilot]

I recently latched on to a pair of "COTTON ON" sunglasses from the KIDS

 

FOUNDATION. They dish them out to burns survivors. They are light, with good optics, on the large side with good wrap around for side glare. They are rated at 400 eg: max UV protection; grey/brown and graduated lighter toward the bottom of the frames so are good for in cockpit viewing. After using tens of glasses; many bought at great expense; for me they are the best I've found in over 25,000 hours of flying. Best of all they cost 10 bucks a pair. I bought 4 pairs!

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

I purchased grey prescription lens for flying with a quite high percentage of grey (cant remeber exactly how much) and while lookimg outside the cockpit is now fine I find problems with the panel (Too dark). If I was doing it again I might look into glasses where the % of grey at the top was graduated more than the bottom 1/3.

 

I had glasses like that some years ago so pressume they are still available if needed. Being as they are a single prescription I paid $25 after health benefits took care of the rest at Spec Savers... I pressume at OPSM the same things would be $1000 discounted to $499... what a bargain ....not!!

 

In fact I speculate that OPSM unless it changes its business model is not long for this world.... though I said that about Telstra and it hasnt happened yet. The difference between the 2 is Telstra still has heaps of infrastructure that no one else has. OPSM on the otherhand has absolutely zip that no one else has...

 

Andy

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Call me traditional.............Your traditional!! ....I've been flying with Rayban Aviators since the eighties, they're designed for flyers, and still do the job perfectly for me, after all these years. I like the springy behind the ears thingos, they do a great job of cutting the glare and the sky looks, well.. pretty natural.... I give them a solid ten :thumb_up:

 

Prior to that, the real cool skydivers wore the smoked jocky goggles Vs the clear ones, as they would cut out all the cloud glare at high altitude, and would make the clouds look so three dimensional..........................................................................................

 

 

[Tomo]

I wear the ones in my Avatar, they are non polarized wire frame, with very thin arms, I even pull the rubber off them so they are basically just a piece of wire only, great for headsets and the like. And comfortable.

 

I've heard people say not to use glass lenses and wire frames... but plastic lenses don't last a day with me! they fall on the ground and get scratched, whereas glass... they haven't a scratch on em yet, and I drop them all the time (on concrete!).

 

And plastic frames tend to be thicker... and will brake if sat on, wire ones you just re-bend to shape!! Wire you can bend to shape around your head to, to get best fit, and comfort :thumb_up:

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

My Bans' are always glass lenses and perscription. Most glass lenses these days are industrially toughened for safety, and as you say Tomo, don't scratch like plastic which is real annoying. Glass lenses have got to be a bit expensive lately though, but a better deal long term.

 

 

[Guest skyspud]

Polarized do work against LCD displays. They also make it impossible to judge depth of water. I worked flying on Fraser Is for several years and the boss forbade from wearing polarized sunnies. Could also be an issue if taxiing on airstrips or taxi ways full of holes filled with water.

 

I wear RYDERS at work and i've tried all types. Ryders come with amber and dark tint interchangable lenses. I prefer the amber as they give perfect clarity and definition, remove all glare and reduce eye strain. Important if you're flying all day. Also I find vision better at last light than with no sunnies at all. If you scratch a lense you can simply replace the lenses for about $40 dollars. I've only scratched one in 3 years.

 

If I can make to Dalby fly in 7.2.10 I'll bring them along for whoever might like a look.

 

skyspud

 

Go fast and take chances

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Yes Skyspud, there is something in the amber 'smoked' lens colour. AsI said earlier they work really good at high altitude above 10'000 ' where there is a great deal of glare, they just eliminate it , and as you say don't tire out the eyes over a period of several hours exposure........................................................................................................