Sunglasses for soaring

On Sep 14, 10:13 am, wrote:
I have heard from time-to-time that Sun Tiger sunglasses work well for
soaring.
Opinions either pro or con are welcomed.


I have flown with them for about 20 years. I like them. I had
prescription lenses made to fit my frames and sent them to Sun Tiger
to be tinted. Even if you don't need prescription lenses that still
lets you choose your own frames and get ones that fit. The color (or
colour) shift is significant but I have not found it to be a safety
concern.

I heard BGA took exception to them because of problems with crop
recognition but in Arizona cotton looks like cotton, and rocks still
look like rocks. When you first wear them you'll be amazed how bright
young green vegetation looks.

Check the archives. They have been discussed before.

Andy

I am quite happy with my Serengetis because of the following features:

- automatic adjustment (darkening) to light intensity, also useful for
tunnel driving

- increased contrast, this enables you to spot distant moving objects
earlier, and also to see more cloud details

Due to the different other technologies applied in the glasses, the
sunglasses are very relaxing to your eyes.


wrote:
I have heard from time-to-time that Sun Tiger sunglasses work well for
soaring. Since I fly within 30 miles of the 1/10th busiest airport in
the world, anything that will increase my chances of seeing another
aircraft is something I want to take advantage of. It also turns out
that Sun Tigers are local, and not particularly expensive.
Opinions either pro or con are welcomed.
Thanks,
Jim

I guess this is a stupid question, but why are non
polarized lenses better for soaring?

Brent Mayes

They are not better, Brent. In fact, polarized ones are better because
they allow you to see haze domes and other gliders with greater
definition and contrast. See this thread for a few caveats about older
canopies, etc. But all in all, polarized is the way to go, IMNSHO.



Larry

"zero one"

USA









"Brent Mayes" wrote in
message :

I guess this is a stupid question, but why are non
polarized lenses better for soaring?

Brent Mayes

Brent Mayes wrote:
I guess this is a stupid question, but why are non
polarized lenses better for soaring?


Getting involved in this fight on this news group is about as productive
as debating the merits of a 2-33 but, for the record, many organizations
actively discourage the use of polarized sunglasses for flight operations.

From the FAA:

"The use of polarized sunglasses should be discouraged, since they can
reduce or effectively eliminate the visibility of instruments that
incorporate anti-glare filters or can interfere with visibility through
an aircraft windscreen due to striations in some laminated materials."

From: Flight Safety Foundation

www.flightsafety.org/hf/hf_jul-aug90.pdf

From NASA

http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/callback_issues/cb_205.htm

In the old days (at least decade ago) I know that U.S. Navy issue
sunglasses specs specified non-polarized lenses. I have no idea if that
has been updated or if the USAF had different ideas.


--

Peter D. Brown
http://home.gci.net/~pdb/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akmtnsoaring/

Pete Brown wrote:
Brent Mayes wrote:
I guess this is a stupid question, but why are non
polarized lenses better for soaring?


Getting involved in this fight on this news group is about as productive
as debating the merits of a 2-33 but, for the record, many organizations
actively discourage the use of polarized sunglasses for flight operations.

From the FAA:

"The use of polarized sunglasses should be discouraged, since they can
reduce or effectively eliminate the visibility of instruments that
incorporate anti-glare filters or can interfere with visibility through
an aircraft windscreen due to striations in some laminated materials."

I guess it depends upon the glider. I have never had any problem with
polarized glasses -- the instruments are clear (302, Dittel radio, B50)
as long as you keep your head upright, and there has never been any
effect on visibility through the canopy. The polarized glasses sure
make it a lot easier to see clouds, though.

The only time I have noticed a problem is in my car, where I can't read
the display on the radio without tilting my head to the right.




From: Flight Safety Foundation

www.flightsafety.org/hf/hf_jul-aug90.pdf

From NASA

http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/callback_issues/cb_205.htm

In the old days (at least decade ago) I know that U.S. Navy issue
sunglasses specs specified non-polarized lenses. I have no idea if that
has been updated or if the USAF had different ideas.

Greg Arnold wrote:
"The use of polarized sunglasses should be discouraged, since they can
reduce or effectively eliminate the visibility of instruments that
incorporate anti-glare filters or can interfere with visibility through
an aircraft windscreen due to striations in some laminated materials."

I guess it depends upon the glider. I have never had any problem with
polarized glasses -- the instruments are clear (302, Dittel radio, B50)
as long as you keep your head upright, and there has never been any
effect on visibility through the canopy. The polarized glasses sure
make it a lot easier to see clouds, though.

The only time I have noticed a problem is in my car, where I can't read
the display on the radio without tilting my head to the right.

I also use polarized sunglasses, not because of any particular preference
but just because the ones I got with my regular glasses happened to be
that way. I have also noticed no real problems. Sometimes I have to tilt
my head to get a clearer look at the GPS, but I don't do that very often
anyway. Another poster's comment about it masking the flashes off of other
aircraft's wings is has given me some pause though. In any case they don't
seem to be terribly beneficial either, although the added sky contrast is
nice.

Where they're really handy is driving. There's a lot of glare coming off
of horizontal surfacaes there, whether it's your hood, other people's
hoods, or the road, and the polarization stops all of that. They do make
funny colors and shades come off my car GPS but it's still readable.

--
Michael Ash
Rogue Amoeba Software

"Michael Ash" wrote in message
:

snip

I also use polarized sunglasses, not because of any particular preference
but just because the ones I got with my regular glasses happened to be
that way. I have also noticed no real problems. Sometimes I have to tilt
my head to get a clearer look at the GPS, but I don't do that very often
anyway. Another poster's comment about it masking the flashes off of other
aircraft's wings is has given me some pause though.









Actually, I think the result is just the opposite...



How often are a distant gliders wings "horizontal"?... almost never!



And the increase in contrast between the glider and the sky or clouds
while circling or on the run are substantial.





Larry

"zero one"

And how often are the other aircraft (that are much
heavier, much faster, probably have their pilots eyes
glued to their panels, and much likely to hit you than
another glider, especially one at a distance) flying
with 'their' wings level...

Almost always!

Paul


Actually, I think the result is just the opposite...



How often are a distant gliders wings 'horizontal'?...
almost never!



And the increase in contrast between the glider and
the sky or clouds
while circling or on the run are substantial.





Larry

'zero one'

Pete Brown wrote:


Getting involved in this fight on this news group is about as productive
as debating the merits of a 2-33 but, for the record, many organizations
actively discourage the use of polarized sunglasses for flight operations.

From the FAA:

"The use of polarized sunglasses should be discouraged, since they can
reduce or effectively eliminate the visibility of instruments that
incorporate anti-glare filters or can interfere with visibility through
an aircraft windscreen due to striations in some laminated materials."

Hmm. Didn't look to me like anyone was fighting.

In any case I have noticed the artifacts that polarized lenses produce on my
PDA but it is enough to simply lean my head little if necessary to make them
go away.
It doesn't interfere enough to be a big deal.

Up to this point I have been so absolutely pleased with the Revos that it
seemed unnecessary to seek further.
This discussion has encouraged me to go out and try some of the other names
I've read here.
Thanks all for the input.

--
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