Jeff Saylor writes:

If you are a pilot who uses both a headset and eyeglasses, what IFR
trainng device works and fits best for you? The generic foggles, like
Sporty's sells? The Jeppesen JeppShades Flip-Up hood? A particular
model of hood?

I've tried most of the above and some others. Here are my views on
several of them...

1) If you are using David Clark or compatible design headsets the
_Hoodlamb_ is excellent. I leave mine permanently attached to my
DC headset, always ready for use. It works great with glasses, goes
on and off easily, and is not a hassle. A few minor problems with this
otherwise excellent device

I have older DC headsets with full-width stirrups, which is
what this is designed to work. It works well. Newer DC headsets
have narrow stirrups, and the manufacturers of the hoodlamb
don't provide a narrower "shoe" for these headsets. It is more
difficult to adjust it.

As I grow older I've found the nearness of the device to my eyes
to be somewhat intrusive. This really shows up in that it is
I no longer get a "crisp" seperation between my eyeline and
the panel. It is easy to get the hoodlamb cocked a bit and
delete portions of the panel from view from one eye. It is
also difficult to adjust the field-of-view because it is molded
plastic.

Because it blocks your _downward_ vision it makes using checklists
and reading appoach plates in your lap or on a kneeboard an
exercise in head movement which is bad in instrument flight. Or,
makes that manuever uncomfortable.

All that being said, I'd still be using my hoodlamb, and miss it
and its convenience ..but I'm using headsets it won't fit on.


2) The Jepp Shades are a great idea for a compact hood. Unfortunately
they don't allow wearing glasses -- they are much too close to one's
face. Also, when "unhoooded" the "visor" doesn't rotate upward
enough to remove itself from your peripheral vision. I find that
annoying. It might work ok with "small" glasses.


3) Super Hood. This is what I picked up to use on my noise-cancelling
headset. I find it does a good job of being a hood.

Because it doesn't block downward vision, it doesn't interfere
with checklists, charts, approach plates, and other such items.

You can readily modify your field of view by cutting the hood
to include things which should be in your field of view. It
is also easy to _add_ obstructions to the hood to block things
(such as the corner of a window) you would prefer not to see.

Because the "lip" is farther from your eyes it creates a crisp
transition between the hood and the panel. It is also quite
easy to position the "holder" on your head to keep exactly what
you want in view.

The "hood" slips off easily for conversion to VFR flight. It
takes more effort to put back on than the hoodlamb. I've
managed to leave it in the airplane a few times when "throwing"
it into the backseat when transitioning to visual from an
approach. Out of sight, out of mind.

Because of the size of its "snoot", my safety pilot(s) have
commented that they have more work to do to look around it
to get a good view past me. That is unfortunate, and something
you might want to consider in a higher-traffic area. When I
loaned it to people I fly with, it didn't seem worse than normal
to me... but if the "energy" ran out of my traffic watch , the
reduction in vision, esp peripheral, would be not great.

I like this thing, but I miss the hoodlamb for its readiness,
and convenience.


4) Foggles. I use these from time to time on an emergency basis.
I've been thinking of buying a pair for my students to use, since they
are more convenient to carry continuously than a conventional hood.

They don't work well with glasses -- at least the larger size
glasses I use. A friend who uses smaller "reading" type glasses
for looking at instruments seems to have no problem using them.

I don't like the gap in the headset seal they create. And the
extra noise which results.


That has been my experience with a variety of hoods over the last
several years. Hope it helps.

Bolo
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| Josef Burger U of WI-Madison Computer Sciences | "No matter where you go,
| "Bolo" uwvax!bolo | There you are"
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