If NVG's became the norm then we stand to lose the ability to operate without.
I've never experienced NVG's having come from a generation that preceded their arrival in the UK military. I did however spend much of my anti-submarine career flogging around the oggin in the pitch black at 200' and below and to and from very poorly lit (like near zero) decks on moving vessels. The key was always training and recency - plus a good deal of respect for this unforgiving environment thrown in.
I already see CV's that detail night flying with and without NVG's. What do we do when we see a candidate with nothing under the 'non-NVG night' column? I suggest it is a skill we do not wish to lose, for whatever reason. If NVG's are not available we may become prisoners of the dark.
I'm all for NVG's because they provide an excellent degree of safety but I am apprehensive about losing the basic night flying skills.
G.
