Sunglasses for Pilots: Beyond the Image

For most people sunglasses fulfill one, or both, of tworeduce the ability of pilots to "see-and-avoid" other
purposes: as a fashion statement to look "cool", and toaircraft.
help cope with bright sunlight. The choices available arePhoto chromic lenses automatically darken when
seemingly endless, and can range from polarized toexposed 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 a60 seconds, while lightening may take several minutes.
fashion statement. Sunglasses help safeguard a pilot'sWhile most photo chromic lenses can get as dark as
most important sensory asset in flight - vision. A qualityregular sunglasses, direct sunlight or warm
pair of sunglasses is essential in the cockpittemperatures above 70 degrees Fahrenheit can
environment to optimize visual performance. They helpseriously limit their ability to darken, and reduced
reduce the effects of harsh sunlight, decrease eyeultraviolet light exposure in a cockpit can further limit
fatigue, and protect ocular tissue from exposure totheir effectiveness. Further, the faded state of photo
harmful solar radiation. Additionally, they protect thechromic lenses may not be clear enough to be useful
pilot's eyes from impact with objects such as flyingwhen flying in clouds or at night.
debris from a bird strike, sudden decompression or anThe 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, butmost popular because they are easy to put on or
the three most common tints are gray, gray-green, andremove while wearing headsets or a helmet. Smaller
brown, any of which would be an excellent choice forlenses may not be practical because they allow too
the aviator. Gray is recommended the most because itmuch visible light and ultraviolet radiation to pass
distorts color the least. Many pilots, however, reportaround the edges of the lenses. Finally, use of a strap
that gray-green and brown tints enhance vividnessis recommended to prevent the sunglasses from being
and minimize scattered blue and violet light, thusaccidentally dislodged.
enhancing contrast in hazy conditions.In summary, while sunglasses may add to the
For a pilot, sunglass lenses should screen out onlymystique 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 lightassociated with bright sunlight and the effects from
are not recommended for pilots due to the possibilityexposure to solar radiation. Since sunglasses are such
of reduced visual acuity which could result in difficultyan important asset, careful consideration should be
seeing the flight instruments, written checklists and dataused 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 notissue 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 fromand 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 flightexacting standards of the military. So when NASA
instruments that incorporate anti-glare filters like theAstronauts lift off the launch pad and head for outer
new glass cockpit environments. These polarizedspace, Randolph is right there with them. When
lenses may also interfere with visibility through anAmerica's Top Gun Pilots step into the cockpit of a
aircraft windscreen by enhancing striations in laminatedsleek jet fighter or the magnificent Stealth Bomber,
glass and mask the sparkle of light reflected off ofRandolph is the priceless pair of sunglasses that helps
another aircraft's fuselage or wings, which in turn canthose pilots safely navigate the skies.