What happened to the Homeland Security mission?

[Flying Pig]

blackrain
On a side note do you have to take off and land with NVGs in a fixed wing scenario? Rotary I can see where you would

No.  In the fixed wing I fly my take offs and approaches under normal eyeball conditions.  I figure If I need NVGs to insure a take off or landing, I probably need to do some re-evaluating!  I have high intensity landlights so even if I cant get the runway lights on, I look like a crop duster on final anyway.  But they are great enroute.  Especially out across the desert.  Helicopters we do because we land off airport quite a bit where there is no lighting.  Hill tops, fields, etc.

Nightime flight.
ATC:  Are you familiar with the terrain in that area.

Pilot:  No, but I can see it.

ATC: Uh, Roger.

[peter rabbit]

From what I understand these Aircraft are in Nevada and Alabama.

Just to clarify, the East mission is based in Louisiana, not Alabama, and as far as I know they haven't asked for volunteers outside of Louisiana.

Id like to see CAP buy a FLIR, a mapping system and 5 sets of NVGs.

from CAPR 60-1 para 2-1 d. The use of night vision devices by the pilot flying CAP aircraft is prohibited.

That wouldn't prohibit the observer or scanner from using, but I have a question - does the extended use of NVG enhance the possibility of getting vertigo?

[RVT]

On a side note do you have to take off and land with NVGs in a fixed wing scenario? Rotary I can see where you would

I suppose NVG's have improved dramatically since I got out in 2001, but I remember them as having no depth perception ability at all.  Maybe not so much of an issue landing a helicopter but you can't land fixed wing that way.

[manfredvonrichthofen]

NVGs can help in helicopters, however I can't imagine they would be much help at all in a Cessna.

Now ground ops is another thing all together. NVGs can be a massive help, especially the PVS-14. It is a monocle that still allows one eye to be adjusted to the night. Yes, we have flashlights, but they are only so effective. You can only see what is right in your light beam, but with night vision, you can see whatever is in front of you, and in better detail than with a flashlight.

[Flying Pig]

peter rabbit
from CAPR 60-1 para 2-1 d. The use of night vision devices by the pilot flying CAP aircraft is prohibited.

Obviously that would have to be changed.

RVT
I suppose NVG's have improved dramatically since I got out in 2001, but I remember them as having no depth perception ability at all.  Maybe not so much of an issue landing a helicopter but you can't land fixed wing that way.

ANVIS 9 Gen 3's are the same ones the fighter pilots are flying with.  Those are the ones we have.  Depth perception is an issue with the old stuff.  We do off site, no light landings all the time in the helicopter.  One skids to rocks, etc.  You can most definitely land a plane with them. There just isnt any need to.  Turn on the runway lights and land like any normal night landing.  But they would be GOLD during a night time emergency.

NVGs can help in helicopters, however I can't imagine they would be much help at all in a Cessna.
Now ground ops is another thing all together. NVGs can be a massive help, especially the PVS-14. It is a monocle that still allows one eye to be adjusted to the night. Yes, we have flashlights, but they are only so effective. You can only see what is right in your light beam, but with night vision, you can see whatever is in front of you, and in better detail than with a flashlight.

I fly the Cessna with the all the time.  In fact, I dont fly at night without them anymore.  Why would I?
Of course I stay proficient without them, but operationally, they are on.
It even has NVG lighting in the cockpit.  Just a green filtered dome light.  Especially overdark unlit terrain, long x-ctrys over mountains, night ops, etc.  Again, in an emergency, I know exactly what that big dark spot is.  An NVG endorsement is not airfram specific.  You get one, you have it whether or not your flying helicopters or airplanes.  However, my initial training was in a helicopter.

[blackrain]

One thing I remember, at least in a ground environment with the equipment I was using, is wires don't show up very well.

[Flying Pig]

The NVGs are designed to identify the wires at the very moment you pass over them

[ThorntonOL]

Nevada? Badger ops.

[md]

To reply to the OP, there do seem to be lots of HLS missions going on quietly right now in at least a few wings. Sounds like they added the ribbon to cover things like photo missions that don't fit any of the traditional SAR/DR/CD models (and the ribbon is new - Feb 2010 update of 39-3).

[RVT]

To reply to the OP, there do seem to be lots of HLS missions going on quietly right now in at least a few wings. Sounds like they added the ribbon to cover things like photo missions that don't fit any of the traditional SAR/DR/CD models (and the ribbon is new - Feb 2010 update of 39-3).

Since that original post I have since discovered that my squadron is is about 70% HS, with the remainder of the flying being CD for those cleared for it and ES training for those who are not.  In the time I've been here there has been only one DR mission and one SAR mission where they found the target before our airplane got there despite a reaction time of less than one hour to get it airborne.

Reason I thought the HS mission was gone is its ALL funded flying so we are either heavily engaged in it or doing nothing, and I came back to CAP during a dry spell.

[SARDOC]

One thing I remember, at least in a ground environment with the equipment I was using, is wires don't show up very well.

Yeah...they don't show up well when in the air either...utility poles and Towers usually help as clues though.

[SARDOC]

from CAPR 60-1 para 2-1 d. The use of night vision devices by the pilot flying CAP aircraft is prohibited.

That wouldn't prohibit the observer or scanner from using, but I have a question - does the extended use of NVG enhance the possibility of getting vertigo?

I would think that the instrumentation in our aircraft would probably be enough to blind anyone wearing NVG's  The G1000 is not NVG compatible.  Even if you could significantly reduce the Illumination from the instrumentation to allow the NVG's to function without Whitening Out, Yes NVG's can cause severe vertigo.