See In The Dark With Infrared Technology

Patrick Farrell asked himself, "If I don't do it, who's going to do it?" He had just heard that a good friend of his had flown into trees just short of the runway while on a night approach. His friend was a really good pilot, but he had dropped low on approach. Farrell decided to do something about it.

Farrell knew that Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) technology had been used for years by the military and police. He decided to develop a system for civilian pilots to use. This generation of infrared technology "sees" waves in the seven to 14 micron range and converts them to an image on a small screen inside the aircraft.

What good is that?

Well, unlike visible light, IR waves travel through fog, dust, smoke, darkness, rain and snow. This can help a pilot literally see in the dark, using the heat that radiates from our surroundings.

It's easy to understand, for example, that a white stripe on the runway may not absorb as much heat as surrounding blacktop on a summer day. But what is truly incredible about this system is that it is sensitive enough to see runway markings even in the winter after snow has fallen and been plowed. A demonstration video showed that even tire tracks in the snow can be seen. Yet, the sensor is robust enough to not burn out in the sun, a problem experienced by units that can often cost four times as much.

Farrell's FLIR can help pilots taxi and fly more safely in the dark. It can show aircraft, deer, or other obstacles on the runway and it can help prevent disorientation on a dark night or over water. It even can help him/her pick out other aircraft in the air while flying. One additional benefit for Farrell is that the FLIR system has eliminated the blind spot inherent in taxiing his taildragger.

Farrell was in the process of building an Aerocomp kit aircraft at the time, and he banded together with Ron Lueck and Steve Young of AeroComp, Inc. to form Forward Vision. Now his aircraft is complete and he uses it while flying -- with his IR pod attached under the wing.

Farrell is pursuing certification for the system, but for now he'll be happy selling one every week. He can ramp up production very quickly as demand increases. He says, "We'd like to get into some OEM aircraft. If this was just a piece of equipment that went into the panel, it would be a done deal."

Installing the system really isn't that difficult. The sensor and pod together weigh only 3.6 pounds. Its shape is very aerodynamic so it has no noticeable speed penalty. A small display mounted inside the cockpit displays the image.

They've been shipping the system since last fall to experimental aircraft owners. Several people are pursuing (337) field approval for installation on their certified aircraft. Discussions have taken place with shops wishing to pursue Supplemental Type Certificates, and even some production aircraft companies are interested.

The company received an export license just a few days ago, and is working with some overseas customers. Security is built into the system to prevent it from falling into the hands of the bad guys. If stolen from an aircraft, the system becomes inoperative. It is shipped in an inoperative state as well, so it can only be installed and activated by authorized personnel.

You can have your very own system for about $18,680, although there is a special going on right now where it can be had for $17,680. Farrell cautioned that pilots should not use the system to fly into a situation that they wouldn't otherwise fly into, without it. However, if you get into a poor visibility situation, this could save your life.

FMI: www.forward-vision.net