Israeli defense electronics company Elbit Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ESLT; TASE: ESLT) has performed a series of successful demonstration flights using the BrightNite system, a solution that enables utility helicopters to successfully perform poor visibility missions in over 90% of nights.
The goal of the flights was to demonstrate the systems’ performance in conditions such as moonless and pitch dark nights, in which flights are rarely executed. Dozens of pilots from a variety of Air Forces around the globe participated in the demo flights, which took place in Israel. Installed onboard an Airbus Twin-Star helicopter for the demo, the BrightNite system provided the pilots with night-piloting capabilities similar and even exceeding to those of attack helicopters.
In the sorties that took place during the demonstration flights, the feedback was extremely positive and the pilots emphasized the contribution of the system to flight. Here are some pilot's quotes: “A breakthrough system that changes flight philosophy…it opens a whole new flight arena… flying with the system was amazing, it was an expierance far above my expectations… the system literally opens any night to flight.. a crucial system for helicopters in night operations…the system is like magic”.
Lightweight, compact and cost-effective, BrightNite is a multi-spectral end to end panoramic piloting solution that delivers the essential data directly to both eyes of the pilot, enabling intuitive flight in a head-up, eyes-out orientation in pitch dark and other poor visibility conditions.
According to the US Army Aviation, there is a problem with spatial disorientation while operating in degraded visual environments. Historically, 20% of all major mishaps have been attributed directly to spatial disorientation or loss of situational awareness in poor visibility, but the issue remains far from solution.
Elbit Systems’ BrightNite overcomes these visibility limitations and greatly improves situational awareness, mission effectiveness and above all - flight safety in poor visibility. The system processes real-time panorama video, enhanced by a 3D conformal mission symbology concept and transmits high-resolution video to the Helmet-Mounted Display (HMD). BrightNite utilizes unified location-based information culled from a wide FOV to display crystal clear images, in zero visibility and zero latency, enabling helicopters to successfully execute missions in more than 90% of the nights.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on May 4, 2016
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