The U.S. Army has expanded the ICARUS Devices Airworthiness Release fleetwide to include every UH-60L and UH/HH-60M Blackhawk Helicopter, the company said.
The ICARUS Device is a smart, view-limiting device made of a PDLC film that the pilot wears in front of their eyes, either clamped onto a headset or clipped into a flight helmet. [Courtesy: ICARUS]
Key Takeaways:
Many aviation accidents are attributed to pilots' lack of proficiency or experience in actual Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC), leading to dangerous "startle factor" and spatial disorientation.
The ICARUS Device is an innovative, instructor-controlled view-limiting system that uses a smart PDLC film to realistically and gradually simulate changing visibility conditions, addressing the limitations of traditional training hoods.
This device effectively trains pilots to manage the "startle effect" and spatial disorientation from unexpected IMC, leading to improved safety and adoption by civilian flight schools and the U.S. Army for Blackhawk helicopter training.
With this phrase, my instrument instructor took me into the clouds for the first time. We were on an IFR flight plan on a Marginal VFR (MVFR) day. He warned me that going in and out of the clouds, with that frequent change from light to dark and back again would induce spatial disorientation. He was correct.
CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT
Sign up to keep reading
Create a free account to continue. Already a member? Sign in below.
Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
