FLIR Certification Sought
First there was enhanced vision, then synthetic vision and now there’s Forward Vision’s forward looking infrared (FLIR) system. As AVwebtold you last fall, Forward Vision, which is a subsidiary of Florida-based Aerocomp, introduced the system (for experimental aircraft only) at the 2004 AOPA Expo in Long Beach. Since then, the company has been looking at the long-term potential and is now working on a certified version. The experimental system, which includes a mounting pod, costs about $18,000 but certified models will likely cost about 40 percent more.
First there was enhanced vision, then synthetic vision and now there's Forward Vision's forward looking infrared (FLIR) system. As AVwebtold you last fall, Forward Vision, which is a subsidiary of Florida-based Aerocomp, introduced the system (for experimental aircraft only) at the 2004 AOPA Expo in Long Beach. Since then, the company has been looking at the long-term potential and is now working on a certified version. The experimental system, which includes a mounting pod, costs about $18,000 but certified models will likely cost about 40 percent more. FLIR gathers infrared light and presents it in a black and white image on a television or computer screen. Because most objects and terrain have different temperatures, they show up in contrast on the screen. The result is a remarkably clear picture of the world ahead through darkness, smoke, fog, rain and snow.
