Abstract: A system and method for improving safety when operating an aircraft in reduced or modified visibility conditions is disclosed. The system includes optical material having an electrically controllable optical state, one or more sensors to monitor flight parameters (aircraft, pilot, or environmental), and a processing circuit capable of collecting the sensor data and using it to generate electrical signals to establish the optical state of the material. The method includes using a sensor to monitor fight parameters and using the sensor information to modify a sequence of electrical signals that are used to control an optical state of an optical material having an electrically controllable optical state.

Abstract: A system and method for improving safety when operating an aircraft in reduced or modified visibility conditions is disclosed. A flight helmet having a visor with an electrically controlled optical state is configured to automatically move the visor up out of the pilot's line of sight on receipt of a signal from a safety sensor. This sensor-based automated moving of the visor helps alleviate danger in circumstances where the visor is improperly hindering the pilot. The helmet can be used, for example, in reduced-visibility training sessions and thereby improve the safety of such sessions. And the helmet can be used with enhanced or synthetic vision systems as a failsafe if the systems are hindering rather than helping the pilot.

Abstract: A system and method for training a pilot to operate an aircraft in sudden-onset reduced-visibility conditions is disclosed. The system includes electrooptic material having an optical transmittance that varies with an electrical signal applied to the material and a power supply to provide the electrical signal to the material. The electrooptic material is disposed to restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft when the electrooptic material is in a low-optical-transmittance state. The system further includes a flight-safety sensor that sets the output of the power supply to correspond to an optical transmittance state of the electrooptic material that does not substantially restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft when flight conditions are deemed unsafe. The method includes reducing the optical transmittance of the material to restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft in a manner unexpected to the pilot at the time of the transmittance reduction.

Abstract: A system and method for improving safety when operating an aircraft in reduced or modified visibility conditions is disclosed. A flight helmet having a visor with an electrically controlled optical state is configured to automatically move the visor up out of the pilot's line of sight on receipt of a signal from a safety sensor. This sensor-based automated moving of the visor helps alleviate danger in circumstances where the visor is improperly hindering the pilot. The helmet can be used, for example, in reduced-visibility training sessions and thereby improve the safety of such sessions. And the helmet can be used with enhanced or synthetic vision systems as a failsafe if the systems are hindering rather than helping the pilot.

Abstract: A system and method for training a pilot to operate an aircraft in sudden-onset reduced-visibility conditions is disclosed. The system includes electrooptic material having an optical transmittance that varies with an electrical signal applied to the material and a power supply to provide the electrical signal to the material. The electrooptic material is disposed to restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft when the electrooptic material is in a low-optical-transmittance state. The system further includes a flight-safety sensor that sets the output of the power supply to correspond to an optical transmittance state of the electrooptic material that does not substantially restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft when flight conditions are deemed unsafe. The method includes reducing the optical transmittance of the material to restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft in a manner unexpected to the pilot at the time of the transmittance reduction.