Good sunnies to wear for flying?
PPRuNe Handmaiden
Some other factors to consider are steer clear of sunnies that affect your peripheral vision i.e. sunglasses with thick plastic arms.
Don't buy sunglasses that are tinted too dark (you want to be able to wear them in dim light as well to reduce glare).
Sunglasses with big thick arms or ones that jut out like some of the old Oakleys did just wont fit, or will be uncomfortable underneath a GA headset.
Serengeti's are great as the photo chromatic lens gets darker as the light intensity increases. But they are expensive ~$350. Sunglass Hut and Bright Eyes both stock Serengeti's last time I checked.
Don't buy sunglasses that are tinted too dark (you want to be able to wear them in dim light as well to reduce glare).
Sunglasses with big thick arms or ones that jut out like some of the old Oakleys did just wont fit, or will be uncomfortable underneath a GA headset.
Serengeti's are great as the photo chromatic lens gets darker as the light intensity increases. But they are expensive ~$350. Sunglass Hut and Bright Eyes both stock Serengeti's last time I checked.
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Thin side bands to fit under your headset, but also strong ones the number of time i've tried to wip off my sunnies and they snaped because i'm wearing my headset, don't go expensive you can get bloody good wrap arounds for 30-40 bucks I haven't had a problem with polorised I've heard its only a problem with tinted windows and newer instrument pannels they haven't been a problem for me.
Bugsmasherdriverandjediknite
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I use the ones supplied by the mines I visit. great glasses and I get them free. they are wrap arounds as well. whenever they get a scratch, I just get a new pair from the storeman. alway got a spare pair in the glovebox.
If you are a QF employee try a search in Qrewroom for details on the cheapest way to get Serengetti sunglasses. If you are not try this link
http://www.sunglassclearancewarehous...u/Welcome.html
http://www.sunglassclearancewarehous...u/Welcome.html
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Randolph Engineering ( Aviator, three sizes, get the smallest/middle size )do a pretty good pair of sunnies, the have tinted glass lenses ( not polarised ) the arms are flat blades so you can easily slide them under your headset and your headset does not push on your ears.
MAKO also do awesome rap around sunnies, unfortunately they are Polarised.
Try to keep away from Polarised sunnies, they make it hard to see LCD displays.
DO NOT buy Ray Bans Aviators, does not matter how nice a guy/gal you maybe, if any respectable pilots was to see you in public wearing them they would be obligated to beat you up
.
MAKO also do awesome rap around sunnies, unfortunately they are Polarised.
Try to keep away from Polarised sunnies, they make it hard to see LCD displays.
DO NOT buy Ray Bans Aviators, does not matter how nice a guy/gal you maybe, if any respectable pilots was to see you in public wearing them they would be obligated to beat you up
.
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if they are cheap style plastic lenses, use a product called Plexus on them. its a perspex/plastic polish and its brilliant stuff- not only for GA windows, but for cheapo sunnies and getting minor scratches out of CDs!!! its almost as useful as WD-40!
Hi, if you are keen on Serengetti's, once you have found out what model you like from within Oz, visit eyesave.com and compare the prices. They are based in the US and do Serengetti's for about half the price. I got Cascade's for $160 vrs >$300 in Oz.
Bugsmasherdriverandjediknite
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if they are cheap style plastic lenses, use a product called Plexus on them. its a perspex/plastic polish and its brilliant stuff- not only for GA windows, but for cheapo sunnies and getting minor scratches out of CDs!!! its almost as useful as WD-40!
the cheapest option for me is to just get another pair. The ones I get are pretty good quality, and quite scratch resistant........but I'm a real bully when it comes to glasses and can wreck the best of them pretty quick.
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Girls Sunnies
Got heaps of advice myself from a range of ppl leaning towards Ray-bans or Serengeti's... was advised by optometrist ppl to look for non-polarised, grey/green lenses (don't get too dark when overcast nor brighten things up unrealistically)
I ended up picking up a pair of Arnette's.. thin metal frame so easy fit with headset, and can get away with wearing them when not flying too... so can't complain too much, after seeing how some of the alternatives looked on me they would have been be strictly cockpit only (although I know that we don't really worry about those types of things, do we?!
)
I ended up picking up a pair of Arnette's.. thin metal frame so easy fit with headset, and can get away with wearing them when not flying too... so can't complain too much, after seeing how some of the alternatives looked on me they would have been be strictly cockpit only (although I know that we don't really worry about those types of things, do we?!
)
At present I'm using Maui Jim hingeless titanium arms/frames. A few reasons why:
* The arms are flexible, flat and very slender, thus there is next to no noise able to penetrate the gel earseal where the arms of the sunnies sit against yer scone.
* Again because they have very flat and flexible arms, you don't get that annoying "my head's been in a vice" feeling after wearing them with your headset for a number of hours on end.
* The lenses fit the shape of my head well and there are no large open areas for stray light to enter my eyes.
* They are exceedingly light. You can be wearing them for hours and forget that you are wearing them. This is a double edged sword - see below.
* I have had no issues with heated/treated windscreens.
They do however, have a couple of drawbacks:
* When you look at some GPS's directly, they can occaisionally appear black/blank. Tilt/move your head ever so slightly - problem gone. I believe that this is more to do with there being a band of polarised material in the lens (which is quite easy to see when looking at the lenses from the front, they appear to have a horizontal band running across them).
* They can be blown off your head by a sudden gust of wind if you have them pushed up on top of said scone while not using them.
I have recently had my Maui's in getting a warranty repair for a cracked lens (they are covered by a very generous warranty - they were actually replaced FOC despite being over 12 months old), and had reverted temporarily back to an old pair of glass lensed Ray Bans that I used to wear before the Mauis. Talk about heavy sunnies!
Sunnies are like shoes in many ways. Each person needs different sizes/shapes etc etc. Choose what is best for you by begging/borrowing/stealing other peoples and "test driving" them in flight. You'll soon work out what works for you.
* The arms are flexible, flat and very slender, thus there is next to no noise able to penetrate the gel earseal where the arms of the sunnies sit against yer scone.
* Again because they have very flat and flexible arms, you don't get that annoying "my head's been in a vice" feeling after wearing them with your headset for a number of hours on end.
* The lenses fit the shape of my head well and there are no large open areas for stray light to enter my eyes.
* They are exceedingly light. You can be wearing them for hours and forget that you are wearing them. This is a double edged sword - see below.
* I have had no issues with heated/treated windscreens.
They do however, have a couple of drawbacks:
* When you look at some GPS's directly, they can occaisionally appear black/blank. Tilt/move your head ever so slightly - problem gone. I believe that this is more to do with there being a band of polarised material in the lens (which is quite easy to see when looking at the lenses from the front, they appear to have a horizontal band running across them).
* They can be blown off your head by a sudden gust of wind if you have them pushed up on top of said scone while not using them.
I have recently had my Maui's in getting a warranty repair for a cracked lens (they are covered by a very generous warranty - they were actually replaced FOC despite being over 12 months old), and had reverted temporarily back to an old pair of glass lensed Ray Bans that I used to wear before the Mauis. Talk about heavy sunnies!
Sunnies are like shoes in many ways. Each person needs different sizes/shapes etc etc. Choose what is best for you by begging/borrowing/stealing other peoples and "test driving" them in flight. You'll soon work out what works for you.
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I like the bugs to think that it is just a larger cousin drivng the thing they smash into, so the last thing they see is me wearing a nice, big and fecking ugly pair that I got from Paris Hilton last time she was in getting her brain topped up (took a total of 20 IQ points to fill it, too!) 
NO, I jest (really!) - I use a pair of grey, polarised Bolle's with nice flat arms that have not the slightest effect on the ANR (or passive) of my Bose X. I have not had any trouble with the polarised lens - indeed I think depth and color perception is greatly improved. Granted you can get blocking of the image from any LCD, but only if you rotate your head 90 degrees in the coronal plane, and not even Linda Blair could do that..
I know a CFI who has a neat solution to the problem of the arms in the earpeice - just sits them on the bridge of the nose as usual, then rests the arms ON TOP of the ear cuffs. Looks a bit funny, but you can't beat experience, and he owns that.
NO, I jest (really!) - I use a pair of grey, polarised Bolle's with nice flat arms that have not the slightest effect on the ANR (or passive) of my Bose X. I have not had any trouble with the polarised lens - indeed I think depth and color perception is greatly improved. Granted you can get blocking of the image from any LCD, but only if you rotate your head 90 degrees in the coronal plane, and not even Linda Blair could do that..
I know a CFI who has a neat solution to the problem of the arms in the earpeice - just sits them on the bridge of the nose as usual, then rests the arms ON TOP of the ear cuffs. Looks a bit funny, but you can't beat experience, and he owns that.
Last edited by PilotHTR; 13th Jan 2007 at 06:54.
Bugsmasherdriverandjediknite
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I know a CFI who has a neat solution to the problem of the arms in the earpeice - just sits them on the bridge of the nose as usual, then rests the arms ON TOP of the ear cuffs. Looks a bit funny, but you can't beat experience, and he owns that.
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I was suggesting that he is a very experienced pilot, not that he has the method patented!!!
Yep - I do it as well to ease the pressure behinhd the ears from time to time, especially on long trips.
CHeers
Yep - I do it as well to ease the pressure behinhd the ears from time to time, especially on long trips.
CHeers
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Serengeti's are available on EBAY, brand new for about 1/3 of what you would pay in a shop.
http://search.ebay.com.au/search/sea...ses&category0=
http://search.ebay.com.au/search/sea...ses&category0=
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Given the 'thread drift' apparent here, one would think the whole polarised lens issue with regards aviation was a recent thing related solely to glass cockpits... NOT SO.
As a student back in the late 70's (when polarised lenses were all the rage -waaaaay before the advent of a glass cockpit) we were advised not to accept a polarised lens for aviation use!!!
They CAN and DO create an optical illusion late in the flare (when your eye is looking more towards the bottom of the lens) that is at the very least disconcerting! I don't intend to detract from the fact of the problems asscociated with a polarised lens and a glass cockpit, but to be clear, stress there is more to it than just that.
Simply, polarised lenses and aviation are not a good mix.
As a student back in the late 70's (when polarised lenses were all the rage -waaaaay before the advent of a glass cockpit) we were advised not to accept a polarised lens for aviation use!!!
They CAN and DO create an optical illusion late in the flare (when your eye is looking more towards the bottom of the lens) that is at the very least disconcerting! I don't intend to detract from the fact of the problems asscociated with a polarised lens and a glass cockpit, but to be clear, stress there is more to it than just that.
Simply, polarised lenses and aviation are not a good mix.
Someone asked about prescriptions?
These are the ones I am using at present (no I do not need a prescription for eyesight I might add), you'll see they are available in prescription as well. Click Here
Kiwiblue wrote:
Much has changed, especially in the design of optical lenses (which might account for the distortion of the viewed image you spoke about in 1970's sunglasses).
Any float or floating hull driver might also disagree with you about that statement when operating around the water. I certainly have no issues with my pair in that regard.
Have a good'n!
Rgds,
OpsN
These are the ones I am using at present (no I do not need a prescription for eyesight I might add), you'll see they are available in prescription as well. Click Here
Kiwiblue wrote:
Simply, polarised lenses and aviation are not a good mix.
Any float or floating hull driver might also disagree with you about that statement when operating around the water. I certainly have no issues with my pair in that regard.
Have a good'n!
Rgds,
OpsN
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I'm with Kiwiblue. Just LUV my Serengeti's. Pax hate them, the landing is always very ordinary if you try to land with them. I always take them off when that funny voice goes "Five Hundred". They do take some looking after though. One major design fault is that when the arms close over, they rest on the lense and not on the frame, this tends to eventually leave significant marks on the lense itself. Best to have one of those glass cords like your nanna has if you arent good at keeping them in the case.
Nunc est bibendum
Don't underestimate the issue of wearing sunnies with a head set. Even a light weight head set such as we use in QF can cause big head aches when worn in concert with sunnies (or normal glasses) that have thick arms on them.