In aviation training, a view-limiting device simulates instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) by restricting a pilot's field of view only to the flight instruments. They are worn by pilots who are working toward an instrument rating, which allows a pilot to fly under instrument flight rules in conditions that do not permit visual flight. They are also used by instrument-rated pilots while practicing instrument flight to maintain competency.[1][2]
Examples include foggles and the IFR hood. Foggles are glasses that have been frosted on the top half of the lenses to simulate foggy conditions.
Use in training
editView-limiting devices are widely used in instrument flight training to simulate the loss of outside visual references while still allowing a flight instructor to monitor the environment. In addition to traditional airplane instrument training, they are used in scenario-based helicopter training that recreates inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), including VFR into IMC scenarios. Safety campaigns and training syllabi recommend combining view-limiting devices with structured exercises and simulator sessions to teach pilots how quickly spatial disorientation can develop and to reinforce early avoidance and transition-to-instruments procedures.[3][4] The U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) has promoted inadvertent-IMC awareness training and related safety resources for helicopter pilots, including the “56 Seconds to Live” campaign and guidance on simulator-based training.[5][6][7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ↑ "Sec. 61.57: Recent flight experience: Pilot in command". Federal Aviation Regulations. Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved 2010-03-30.
- ↑ "Introduction". Instrument Flying Handbook. Federal Aviation Administration. 2007. p. viii. Archived from the original on 2008-04-22. Retrieved 2010-03-30.
- ↑ "Preventing VFR Flight Into IMC". Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute. Retrieved October 2, 2025.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "Avoiding VFR-into-IMC Accidents" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. August 2022. Retrieved October 2, 2025.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "'Fifty-Six Seconds To Live'". AIN. February 11, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Learning Center Course: 56-Seconds to Live". FAA Safety Team. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Helicopter Simulator Resources are Like Lost Treasures – Just Waiting to be Discovered". U.S. Helicopter Safety Team. 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
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