| For most people sunglasses fulfill one, or both, of two | | | | reduce the ability of pilots to "see-and-avoid" other |
| purposes: as a fashion statement to look "cool", and to | | | | aircraft. |
| help cope with bright sunlight. The choices available are | | | | Photo chromic lenses automatically darken when |
| seemingly endless, and can range from polarized to | | | | exposed to ultraviolet light and become lighter in dim |
| photo chromic to colorful tints and shades. | | | | light. The majority of the darkening takes place within |
| But for pilots sunglasses are much more than a | | | | 60 seconds, while lightening may take several minutes. |
| fashion statement. Sunglasses help safeguard a pilot's | | | | While most photo chromic lenses can get as dark as |
| most important sensory asset in flight - vision. A quality | | | | regular sunglasses, direct sunlight or warm |
| pair of sunglasses is essential in the cockpit | | | | temperatures above 70 degrees Fahrenheit can |
| environment to optimize visual performance. They help | | | | seriously limit their ability to darken, and reduced |
| reduce the effects of harsh sunlight, decrease eye | | | | ultraviolet light exposure in a cockpit can further limit |
| fatigue, and protect ocular tissue from exposure to | | | | their effectiveness. Further, the faded state of photo |
| harmful solar radiation. Additionally, they protect the | | | | chromic lenses may not be clear enough to be useful |
| pilot's eyes from impact with objects such as flying | | | | when flying in clouds or at night. |
| debris from a bird strike, sudden decompression or an | | | | The selection of frames is more a matter of personal |
| aerobatic maneuver. | | | | preference; however, bayonet style temples are the |
| The choice of tints for sunglasses is almost infinite, but | | | | most popular because they are easy to put on or |
| the three most common tints are gray, gray-green, and | | | | remove while wearing headsets or a helmet. Smaller |
| brown, any of which would be an excellent choice for | | | | lenses may not be practical because they allow too |
| the aviator. Gray is recommended the most because it | | | | much visible light and ultraviolet radiation to pass |
| distorts color the least. Many pilots, however, report | | | | around the edges of the lenses. Finally, use of a strap |
| that gray-green and brown tints enhance vividness | | | | is recommended to prevent the sunglasses from being |
| and minimize scattered blue and violet light, thus | | | | accidentally dislodged. |
| enhancing contrast in hazy conditions. | | | | In summary, while sunglasses may add to the |
| For a pilot, sunglass lenses should screen out only | | | | mystique of a pilot, sunglasses are the most important |
| 70-85% of visible light and not appreciably distort color. | | | | method to protect the pilot's eyes from glare |
| Any tints that block out more than 85% of visible light | | | | associated with bright sunlight and the effects from |
| are not recommended for pilots due to the possibility | | | | exposure to solar radiation. Since sunglasses are such |
| of reduced visual acuity which could result in difficulty | | | | an important asset, careful consideration should be |
| seeing the flight instruments, written checklists and data | | | | used when selecting an appropriate pair for flying. |
| inside the cockpit. | | | | Since 1982, Randolph Engineering has been standard |
| While polarized lenses are very popular, they are not | | | | issue for U.S. military pilots. Not only are their |
| recommended for use in the aviation environment. | | | | sunglasses made in the USA, but quality of materials |
| While they are useful for blocking reflected light from | | | | and the precision of manufacturing the Randolph |
| horizontal surfaces such as water or snow, | | | | Aviator, their flagship product, actually surpass the |
| polarization can reduce or eliminate the visibility of flight | | | | exacting standards of the military. So when NASA |
| instruments that incorporate anti-glare filters like the | | | | Astronauts lift off the launch pad and head for outer |
| new glass cockpit environments. These polarized | | | | space, Randolph is right there with them. When |
| lenses may also interfere with visibility through an | | | | America's Top Gun Pilots step into the cockpit of a |
| aircraft windscreen by enhancing striations in laminated | | | | sleek jet fighter or the magnificent Stealth Bomber, |
| glass and mask the sparkle of light reflected off of | | | | Randolph is the priceless pair of sunglasses that helps |
| another aircraft's fuselage or wings, which in turn can | | | | those pilots safely navigate the skies. |