T4401

On this flight the IP is supposed to help you set up your NVGs for the first time. Go ahead and get a pair before the flight but wait to set them up because you are going to be messing with them in the brief or afterwards. NOLF Harold shall not be utilized for SNA events V4001 or V4002. RWOP pp. 7-13 (couldn't find any mention of this in 3710.8R--maybe it was in an older version?) Hospital Route shall not be utilized on V4001 or V4002. RWOP 3-9
 * Do not forget to read course rules for Santa Rosa aided night ops RWOP 7-30. I got a ready room down because I forgot to read it. (splitting is a little different than during the day)
 * To walk for flight, 20/40 is required for HLL and 20/30 is required for LLL (per maintenance manual). Otherwise, goggles are down for flight.
 * Remind the IP that he needs to demo an auto on this flight (only power recovery straight in or 90s are authorized).

=NVD Preflight, Adjustment and assessment proceedures FTI 8-19,20 = First make sure everything is in the case and that nothing is damaged, you are signing for it so check it. Repeat for the other eye.
 * Check to make sure there are no scratches, dust or fingerprints on the lenses. Clean them with one piece of cleaning paper found between the case and the foam padding.
 * The tubes should not be loose and adjustment screws should move easily. If you know your starting settings put them in now.
 * Put both batteries in the case, but leave half the case open to test the low power light; put the case on the back of your helmet. Put the mount on the front and turn the switch to one side. The red battery low light should come on.
 * Put on your helmet and don the NVGs before you go into the dark room make your initial adjustments. There should be approximately two fingers distance between your face and the lenses. The tubes should be level and you should be able to see the entire silver ring on both sides.
 * Go in the dark room, adjust the Hoffman box to your height. Adjust the diopters/objective lenses "out, in, out" Focus one eyepiece; objective lens first, then the diopter, at a time without closing the other eye. (try using a hand to cover it)
 * With one eye closed or one tube covered, turn the objective lens (outer ring) while viewing one of the coarser grids of the NVG visual acuity chart.
 * Turn the diopter focus adjustment (inner ring) counter clockwise until the image is blurred. Pause for one or two seconds to allow the eye muscles to relax, then turn the diopter adjustment clockwise until the image just comes into sharp focus STOP.
 * Then, refocus the objective lens one final time, again, one eye at a time. (without closing it)

=ANV-20/20 (Hoffman Box)= as Introduced in the NVD lab
 * FTI 8-36

=Goggle/De-goggle procedures FTI 8-39= Preflight and setup goggle before flying. In the training command you will be goggled from chocks to chocks. Other options could be briefed airborne or at OLF/LZ. This is mission dependent and based on when EENT is. Airborne consists of two step: goggles are donned in the stowed position well before they are needed. One pilot will then don his at a prebriefed time or point, while the other flies, then the first pilot takes the controls while the other pilot does the same.

De-goggleing is the same...but you take the goggles off.

We don't preflight goggled (cold go) as we could damage them.

As a rule, Pilot and CoPilot are almost always in the same configuration: both goggled or both off. OpNav lets the IP do what ever he feels is safer.

=NVG Failures= Batteries fail, which is why your NVGs came with two sets. If they fail, switch to an instrument scan, call Goggle failure and swap the controls. Then figure out your batteries. Might not be a bad idea to bring a third backup set of batteries. Don't keep them in the same pocket as your open bag of Skittles.
 * Battery failures

Tubes fail, which is why three sets of NVGs are brought on all flights. If yours fail, switch to an instrument scan, call “Goggle failure” and swap the controls. Attempt to trouble shoot, and if unable degoggle and the flying pilot will land at an appropriate airfield. Get out, go to the rear seat and get your backup goggles. In either case, if you are unable to restore your aided vision, the flight shall be terminated and the aircraft shall return to NDZ unaided. Flights shall not be conducted with one pilot aided and the other unaided. RWOP 3-10
 * NVD tube failure

=NVG Maneuvers (Low work)8-46= Maneuvers are the same (though all takeoffs will be on the ITO profile, nose no lower than 5°) but a failure to scan will result in sloppy air work. You have to move your head to see your velocity, your abeam point, your height in a taxi etc.

=NVG Scan Pattern 8-46= See above

You normally see 190° now you see 40° and can't judge velocity as well. Seems like it might be a good idea to move your head around once in a while. If you are cheating and only looking around with your eyes expect your instructor to turn out all the lights.

=NVG Crew Coordination (pilot and co-pilot duties)=
 * One pilot navigates, one pilot flies.
 * If something comes up (a caution light, traffic, a maladjusted switch) one pilot deals with it, one pilot flies.
 * If one pilot's NVG's malfunction he deals with it while: one pilot flies.
 * One pilot copies clearances and tunes frequencies, one pilot flies.

One pilot flies. also, the non-flying pilot calls altitudes and distances as well as noting (3)rates of climbs during pattern work.

=RWOP NVG Procedures p 3-9= Normal interior lighting is not compatible with NVGs. White or red light will bloom out your NVGs.
 * While flying the TH-57 continue to follow the RWOP regarding the use of Anti-Collision, Spot and position lights at night. (RWOP 3-3/3-4)
 * Pos lights flashing bright on startup/shutdown.
 * Outside the line at NDZ, smacks off, position lights steady bright, spot/landing light on.
 * Smacks go on crossing the hold-short, and come back off crossing the hold-short again.
 * Can turn the pos lights to steady dim at NOLFs only, if it makes sense to do so. Have to stay steady bright at non-Navy OLFs/airfields.
 * Spot/landing light on when lower than 200' AGL.
 * RadAlt set to 300' for enroute portion of NVG flights.
 * Santa Rosa has an entire section on aided night ops
 * Recall that for night ops at NDZ you take off and land to a 1/3rd of the runway in use, not to a spot.

=SLAP = Solar, Lunar Almanac Planning

Before your flight allow at least an hour (because someone is always on the computer when you need it) to get this chart. Available on either of the flight planning computers open the program and enter in the date and times you expect to fly (best to have someone who has done this before show you how). There is 1 chart you will want as required in the RWOP. (18 wants you to have 2)


 * Lunar Angles (LEAA): Look in the middle of this chart note that the RWOP says you SHOULD plan to launch no earlier than EENT. The chart on the right side shows you the relative direction of the moon (the direction it is coming from), when you are planning routes try and avoid routes that spend the whole time flying into the moon.

=NVG Brief (from PCL)=
 * NVG briefing guide


 * IP briefs 1st one


 * Just as the sun creates shadows so does the moon. A low moon can provide more depth perception but also obscure obstacles or enemies in shadows.

The NVGs take an average of the illumination in front of them and adjust the gain off of that. A bright light source off your twelve o'clock makes it much harder to see the same objects which might be easily visible under the same light source at 6 o'clock.

Red lights are brighter than white. So that tower which seems really close to you might be farther off than the one right next to you. Look under the goggles to double check.

Different terrain reflects light differently. White Pensacola sand is much brighter than dark Alabama pine forests.

Lighting phenomenon Illumination can come from several sources. Each of these sources will be more or less prevalent based on the date, geographic location, time, etc. Proper planning ensures mission success.
 * Helicopter Spotlight
 * IR Strobes
 * Cultural Lighting
 * Atmospheric lighting
 * Stars
 * Moon