Heads Up Helmet

abcnews.com ^ | april-19-2003 | Karen Chase, ABCNEWS

[green team 1999]

Heads Up Helmet

A new helmet-mounted display system might help U.S. combat pilots master the tricky job of monitoring their plane's vast number of gauges while keeping their heads up and looking out for flying threats. (Senior Airman Greg L. Davis/U.S. Air Force) April 18 —
Helping Fighter Jocks Keep Their Heads Up

Today's combat planes have scores of microchips, radar systems, and wireless information networks to keep pilots informed about what's going on with their jets and the threats around them.

But trying to manage all of that information — while flying and fighting against enemies at hundreds of miles an hour — can be a dizzying task for even seasoned combat vets.

So, Vision Systems International in San Jose, Calif., has developed what could be the newest secret weapon for U.S. pilots heading into the wild blue yonder over Iraq.

It's a special helmet that projects all the key flight and radar information onto the inside of the pilot's visor. That makes important data — speed, altitude, directions to the enemy, weapons status — all easily accessible to the pilot, without having to look down into the cockpit at various gauges and display screens.

"The pilot can essentially be looking outside the cockpit where his attention should be focused — at potential targets — and still be able to get all the information he needs to conduct the mission," says Ken Stansell with Vision Systems International.

Vision Systems says the display systems are designed to be mounted on current U.S. military helmets and work with the cockpit information systems of America's top fighters, the F-16s and F-18s.

The company is also preparing versions for the F-22 and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, combat planes that won't be ready for the military until 2004 and 2008 respectively.

But by keeping pilots' heads up and out on the skies, combat pilots say such systems will help give them a leg up over the enemy.

— Karen Chase, ABCNEWS

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