Sunglasses!!

[How's it Hanging]

Saw an article many years back where they "scientifically tested" various sunglasses for use by pilots.
They recommended the 'Carrera ultrasight' lens. I have had a couple of pairs since, one with brown tinted lens, the other green/grey. Both were excellent although I prefer the green/grey.
They come with a lightweight but strong plastic frame that you can wear all day and not become annoying. I have never seen a scratch on either lens, and others that try them comment how good they are.
You can also get certain models that have slim arms so they fit nicely under your headsets, as well as being able to bend them to fit.
My next pair will definately be Carreras for flying. Oakleys are pretty good for out and about.

[Highbypass]

Definately SERENGETI. I have had a pair for 12 months now. Used them during dark, gloomy IFR flying equaly as well as above OVC, glarey white stuff. Also, flying in and out of cloud as well as dark and light patches of cloud the instrument panel is still very clearly visible. Great for distinguishing different cloud layers and other traffic. Walking into darkish buildings from a very glarey day outside, you forget you are waring them!!! Get wrap-arounds as they stop harmfull light entering the side, although they do have a coating on the inside of the lens to absorb this. They also change tint depending on the light at the time.

They retail at around A$300 but if you go into the shop in uniform, they will give you a discount to about A$250. But you might have to go to an airport store rather than your usual suburban store.

Roger that?.......................H. <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

[Dale Harris]

Nearly always worn RayBans, keep losing them though. Good glasses, and as someone earlier pointed out, I don't seem to notice the side light problem. Also, as for the headset hassle, I usually wear them with the arms sitting on top of the ear cups. Don't notice any extra light from above, but not much sun comes in the top of a Chieftain cockpit I suppose. Sure stops the noise problem but!.

[Luca_brasi]

For my 18th Birthday my friends gave me a gift voucher for Sunglass Hut (i live in Australia) and with that (plus some other money) i purchased a pair of Ray Ban Aviator Sunnies. In my experience i have had no problems with them so far except that i need prescription glasses for shortsightedness. So its either wear normal glasses or contacts with glasses. I was wondering is it possible to get the gold tinted lens in my Ray Bans replaced with presciption lens and if so how much would it cost, how much can i get back off a private medical membership and how much can i get back off tax???? Any and all responses greatly appreciated as i find it very annoying in my current situation.

[Human Factor]

Have worn Ray-Bans (grey lens) for years for general purpose knocking around (driving, chilling out with a beer, etc).

However, for flying, the best I have found are Randolphs with brown lenses. They pierce glare and haze like nothing else and you can still see the instruments (often helpful)!! Plus, the straight arms are v comfy under an ANR headset. <img src="cool.gif" border="0"> <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

[Eff Oh]

Just got a pair of OAKLEY "EYEJACKET" glasses. Got them on holiday in Florida, in the Sunglasses Hut. They cost me $90 and I LOVE them! They are fantastic and wrap round, so let in very little light. Wouldn't swap them for anything! I think polarised lenses can make some parts of the EFIS screens vanish! <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

Eff Oh <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[OceanFlyer]

Wrap-around (essential in aeroplanes with bubble canopies) Oakley's are the business, no glare, not polarised, very light, don't fall off and excellent for skiing. Good warranty and spares availability for when you sit on them/drive over them/tread on them etc

[FL245]

I have wore Ray Ban's for a few years, but just purchased a pair of Serengetti drivers...whow best glasses I have ever had, fantastic !!

[ 02 January 2002: Message edited by: FL245 ]</p>

[nice line-up]

Big Kahuna, as well as looking extremely cool <img src="cool.gif" border="0"> , Oakley has some of the best lenses and many to choose from. I have a pair of A-wires (not A-"frames", rho <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> ), and they are great. Everywhere. On the Oakley website there is a sunglasses test, from PrivatePilot 2002, and Oakley is named the best in both polarised and normal sunglasses category.
This is the winner:

<img src="cool.gif" border="0">
Off course we all know where the coolest "sunglasses" are! They are attached to a fighterpilot's helmet...

[HOMER SIMPSONS LOVECHILD]

Jeez!,five pages of replies and nobody has mentioned the CAA/JAA/BALP/IFALPA etc approved scientific "Sunglass aquisition method"
Enter terminal sunnie shop in full uniform and preferibly in view of Swedish ladies beach volleyball team in lounge.Try on a few pairs while gazing in mirror.Convince yourself you look the mutts nuts.Justify huge expense with some of the bollox from earlier replies to this post.
Don't worry about those headaches,wavy lines on the screen,catteracts etc-You're a steely eyed jet jocky/ sky god fer chrissakes!!

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

For various Optician in the family reasons I have been able to try them all for flying. Just about every OAKLEY ever made plus all the various Ray Ban Aviator lenses and numerous Randolphs. I even once tried the RAF issue ones (sudder) never again...

Anyhows.

Without doubt the very best technical sunglasses for flying are Serengettis with the graduated brown lenses in the Aviator frames in black.

I could wax lyrical about just how good they are in every respect.

One small problem is that you look like a 70's porn star called Hans when wearing them and they look like they cost £2.50.

Which is why I mostly wear a pair of framless Police specs which are ice cool. But the fact remains, technically nothing beats the Serengetti.

WWW

[low n' slow]

Hi!
Someone recomended wrap-around type glasses.
I had a pair wrap-around type glasses for the same reason, to prevent light from getting in at the sides. However, I fould that judging distance became a problem.

I now use a pair of pilot style Ray-Bans. If I forget them and have to borrow someone elses (of another make) I often find myself not using them because of the poor visability they produce. Go with the old and tested ray-bans.

regards/lns

[G SXTY]

Luca Brasi

I’m also the proud owner of a pair RayBan aviators, and am about as short-sighted as a 2 day old baby mole. I bought them from Lenscrafters in Las Vegas with polarised brown lenses for about US$190, and they’re the dog’s danglies.

Contrast is superb, and picking out traffic is much much easier than before. They’re comfortable even when flying into direct sunlight, but still allow me to see the instruments clearly. I take the point about polarising lenses and EFIS / heated windscreen, but as I’ve yet to drive a C152 with either, they suit me just fine. <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

[mad_jock]

I haven't spotted it in the previous posts but one of the JAR ATPL theroy questions is about types of sunglasses.

And polarised are illegal under JAR rules.

MJ

[777AV8R]

SERENGETI...In fact, for those of us who have to 'tweak' the correction a bit from being at the game a few years....I have had a couple pairs of custom SERENGETI corrected lens sets made! I have flown with this type of lens for over 12 years and haven't found anything to replace them with. The tinting takes out the excess UV coloring. Next time try this experiment when flying in dirty weather (and not close too the ground)....notice the contrast, depth and distance you get without a good set of Serengeti tint lenses....then, put the lenses on and look at the difference. It very noticable, in fact, the extra distance and definition you can get through this lens color is enough to make a sucessful CAT II / III landing because of the better acuity. The drawback is price, but like a good headset, its all part of the tools of the trade.

Happy New Year, gang. Lets make it the best year for safety!

[sydney]

Found the following article about sunglasses for pilots the other day. Serengettis are not recommended for pilots unless you are flying an open cockpit aircraft.

Sorry about the length.

"Sunglasses for Pilots
There are many types of sunglasses available, but no single type is ideal for every pilot. Needs change based on age, light sensitivity, ambient lighting conditions and type of flying. Some sunglasses are not right for any pilot at any time. Valid reasons for wearing sunglasses in the aviation environment include improved night vision adaptation, enhanced contrast in the visual field, reduced glare, decreased UV exposure and avoidance of eye fatigue. Though style and appearance may be a consideration, the safety conscious pilot should focus on the proper selection of lens features rather than frame styles with cheap lenses.
Visual acuity varies with the light available and the sensitivity of an individual to various degrees of brightness. The pupil controls the amount of light reaching the retina. Older individual's eyes do not transmit as much light through the eye as younger people do. Therefore, many older individuals need more light for optimum acuity. They may want to use sunglasses that transmit more light. On high glare days, such as over snow or sand, the pupils contract to protect the eye from the glare. Sunglasses will reduce glare and allow the pupil to let more light on to the retina, thus enhancing vision.
Glare can also be caused by indirect blue wavelength light and UV light. UV light increases by 4% for every 1,000 feet of altitude and contributes to the blue color of the sky. Some researchers feel this can cause a haziness on the retina decreasing visual acuity even when indirectly viewed. Fortunately, most windscreens eliminate much of this wavelength. Near sunrise and sunset, the atmosphere filters out this wavelength giving the sky its characteristic red-orange color. Yellow lenses, often called "blue blockers" will block out this wavelength also and may improve vision on a hazy day. They may present decreased perception of some cockpit displays, however.
Tinted lenses distort colors to some extent. The yellow shaded "blue blockers" will alter color perception if tinted enough to block out 30% of the light. Thus, these lenses should be used only by aviators on bright, hazy days and avoided in low light situations. Green and gray lenses have the least distorting effect on color vision. Brown distorts colors slightly more, but can block some of the blue light blurring in haze.
Darkness or degree of light reduction is calculated in percentage and listed by numbers. A #1 lens blocks only 20% of the incoming light and has little value for aviators. The exception may be the #1 Yellow lenses for hazy or smog filled days. The #2 lens blocks 70% of light and are useful for most aviation situations. It provides a balance of glare protection, luminescence reduction and UV protection without significantly reducing visual acuity. The light reduction of #3 (85%) may be useful for those pilots particularly sensitive to bright light while others may find the #3 lens reduces visual acuity. The #4 lens blocks out 95% of incoming light and significantly reduces visual acuity because the macula, where sharpest vision is found on the retina, requires light to activate the cones of the retina. Aviators wearing these lenses in flight will not meet FAA minimum distant visual acuity standards.
Mirrored glasses use metal particles to reflect images. They scratch easily and can cause distortion or blind spots. While popular for Hollywood movie pilots, professional pilots should leave them to actors, policemen and other imitators.
Photochromatic lenses increase darkness when exposed to UV light. Because aircraft windscreens block most UV light, the lenses will not darken substantially inside an airplane or car. The military prohibits its pilots from using these sunglasses for good reason. Pilots flying open cockpit airplanes are the only ones who may benefit from this feature.
Gradient lenses usually have a darker tint on the upper portion of the lens and a gradually lightening color near the bottom. This may be useful when trying to view instruments on a very bright day. The lighter tinting below allows more light from the relatively dark instrument panel to reach the retina and improve visual acuity while blocking out the glare from the outside view.
UV protection is desirable for lenses worn outdoors, although it is not as important for glasses worn inside the aircraft since this wavelength is already blocked by the windscreen. Glass and polycarbonate block nearly all of the UV-B light. Soft plastic lenses may block visible light but not block any UV wavelengths. The hazard for cataract formation in the individual using soft plastic lenses is increased because the pupil dilates in response to decreased visible light. The dilated pupil allows more UV light to enter and penetrate the lens increasing the risk of cataracts.
Scratch resistant coating may increase the life of polycarbonate lenses and plastic lenses. Ironically, polycarbonate will withstand direct hammer strikes without breaking, but scratches relatively easily. Glass will shatter, but is more resistant to scratching. Polycarbonate lenses are thinner and lighter than glass lenses.
Polarized lenses should not be worn by pilots in the cockpit. Glare from flat surfaces is blocked by polarized lenses which are oriented in parallel lines like closely spaced prison bars. Light parallel to the lines is transmitted while non-parallel light (glare) is blocked. Unfortunately, if the windscreen is polarized and the lenses are not precisely oriented the same as the windscreen, all light may be blocked. Changing bank angle and head position could create blind spots. For those who are boating and need glare protection from light reflected off the water, polarized lenses are excellent choices.

What we recommend: On bright days, consider using a neutral tint (green or gray) glass or polycarbonate lens that blocks 70% of the incoming light, possibly with a gradient that lightens on the lower portion of the lens. On a hazy or smog filled day, consider a yellow or brown lens that blocks 20% of the light, but avoid using it if color perception (IFR flight), as opposed to visual acquisition (VFR flight), is important. The military has found that some fighter pilots prefer the "high contrast" yellow visors for their helmets to enhance target acquisition, while others prefer not to wear yellow visors. At dusk or in lighting that is comfortable without sunglasses, remove them to increase visual acuity. Don't use polarized or photochoromatic lenses in the cockpit. Don't waste your money on soft plastic lenses or mirrored lenses. Scratch resistant coating may increase the life of polycarbonate lenses."

[Luca_brasi]

Ohh crap, my friends got me a pair of those Ray Ban mirrored lenses glasses and ive just had them sent away to put my prescription lenses put in.

Apart from being easily scratched is there any other reason why they arent good for flying?? Ive used them (with contacts lenses) and i havent had any problems