Avionics News December 2014 - 23

light experimental, light sport and Part 23 aircraft.
These are just a sampling of the available
options, and others exist.

Infrared sensors generally are not capable of seeing
through all obstructions in all conditions or light; and
their limitations become keenly acute when you get
down to the last 200 feet. Yes, the Federal Aviation
Head-on headed into cockpits
Administration gives another 100 feet of descent to
Head-worn HUD-like systems are already available,
some operators of some aircraft with some systems. Yet
providing the user with the same out-at-infinity
operators with the right equipment and approvals won't
display of data, graphics of terrain and a field of view
allow themselves to use the extra 100 feet.
that moves the background appropriately as the pilot's
Today, the inaccuracies of their synthetic worlds hold
head moves. Adding traffic to the display gives the
back the various SVS technologies from providing a
pilot a full-view for hazard avoidance, and there's
solution to let the pilot safely descend the final 200 feet
more to come.
seeing nothing but the projected image on a head-up
During October's National Business Aviation
system.
Association Convention and Exhibition in Orlando,
But just as technology brought major advances to
Elbit Systems served notice that it plans to continue
those simple gun sights, and just as technology brought
to advance its head-up and
ever-more-compact hardware with
enhanced-vision product lines
which head-up display imagery
and capabilities.
originates, technological advances
THE ARRAYS OF OPTIONS
Among the more-discussed
are even now working on advances
AVAILABLE TO INSTALL
items was Elbit's newly
that hold the potential to improve
A HEAD-UP DISPLAY OR
introduced Skylens wearable
synthetic-imagery data to a level
HEAD-UP GUIDANCE
HUD. A product the company
of accuracy suitable for landings
SYSTEM ARE AS BROAD
terms "revolutionary," Skylens
in-the-blind.
AND VARIED AS EVER -
packs all the benefits of a
The United States Geological
ALBEIT STILL LARGELY
cockpit-mounted head-up
Survey, working with numerous
RESTRICTED TO THE
system into a lightweight,
state and federal partners,
BUSINESS-TURBINE
easily-installed device that is as
launched the 3D Elevation
CLASS OF AIRCRAFT.
intuitive as a pair of sunglasses.
Program aimed at charting all
A self-contained package
50 states with airborne lasers
linked to the appropriate inputs,
(lidar) or radar (ifsar). These
Skylens combines the processor, projector and
relatively new technologies deliver astonishingly
screen hardware into a unit designed to be worn by
precise measurements of terrain, buildings and roads,
the pilot flying - yes, it's interchangeable between
waterways, coastline, even vegetation, right down to
the pilots.
individual plants.
Elbit's ClearVision EVS provides a level of detail
This is such data that computers use to convert
and resolution beyond typical, and allows takeoff
graphic images captured by cameras into images on a
and landings in visibility conditions lower than
display - but with an accuracy level that matches realstandard. ClearVision represents Elbit's continued
time in all areas but one.
progress in merging unique enhanced and synthetic
The resulting maps still can't show what's not in the
benefits into the Combined Vision Systems for
database. The continued progress in infrared sensors'
projection on the Elbit's ClearVision HUD.
capabilities holds out the prospect of systems capable of
seeing above-ambient heat signatures through the range
Seeing ahead ... years ahead
of obstructions pilots regularly encounter, even when
Thanks to these useful technologies working
they can't see through the muck to provide much detail.
in concert, pilots of these systems benefit from a
As HUD technology continues its march, we won't
view of the world ahead, arrayed with depictions of
be surprised to eventually see HUD-type technology
airspeed, vertical speed, attitude and altitude. But
make the downsize breakthrough that leads to more use
limitations remain.
by pilots of today's huge Part 23 fleet. q

avionics news

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2014

Avionics News December 2014

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