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.