Helmet fire, I understand where you are coming from regarding the white light prior to hover in that just turning on a bright light while you are still on goggles and closing them down completely is a receipe for disaster.
We are able to gradually increase the amount of white light we use, starting with the hover lights on the sponsons which shine straight down and then introducing the forward facing flood lights and then the 2 steerable landing lights. In this way the transition from gogs to white light can be varied according to conditions and light levels.
I understood that the coating on the microchannel plates in the later generation tubes was what prevented high levels of incoming photons from releasing excessive electrons from the plates and thus damaging the tubes - do you have other information to the contrary?
Trimpot - when I mentioned inhospitable conditions it was with specific reference to NVG ops in inhospitable conditions - I am well aware that lots of other people fly in cruddy weather.
2nd2none - good plug mate!!!!