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Regretfully, FlightLiteracy (formerly FlightLearnings) will be turning out the lights after fifteen years. Google, in its infinite wisdom, has chosen to remove FlightLiteracy from its search results (the claim is that the content on this site is spam). We appealed their decision to shut us down, to no avail.

Unfortunately, since Google has a monopoly over internet search, this means that traffic levels on the site will drop to a level that makes maintaining it uneconomic. As time progresses, we will no longer be able to maintain the server space and will remove the site from the internet. Thanks to all who have supported us over the years.

To fight back against the monopolistic practices of companies like Google, we recommend using a competing search engine such as Brave (you get the added benefit of not being spied on by Big Tech) and advocating for anti-trust legislation from your representatives.

Helicopter Night Operations

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Pilots rely more on vision than on any other sense to orient themselves in flight. The following visual factors contribute to flying performance: good depth perception for safe landings, good visual acuity to identify terrain features and obstacles in the flightpath, and good color vision. Although vision is the most accurate and reliable sense, visual cues can be misleading, contributing to incidents occurring within the flight environment. Pilots should be aware of and know how to compensate effectively for the following:

  • Physical deficiency or self-imposed stress, such as smoking, which limits night-vision capability
  • Visual cue deficiencies
  • Limitations in visual acuity, dark adaptation, and color and depth perception

For example, at night, the unaided eye has degraded visual acuity. For more information on night operations, reference Chapter 17, Aeromedical Factors, of the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25, as revised).

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This section is based on the FAA Helicopter Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-21B 2019.

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