How linear visual aids restore nighttime depth perception
At night, everyone loses their depth perception, so from a distance,
with point source visual aid lights, one cannot tell which light is beside or in front of another.
therefore, point source visual aids, provide a minimum of flight information to pilots flying towards them.
Linear visual aids restore pilots' nighttime depth perception. from a distance, they provide lit angles which the brain interprets and then provides dimension to the helipad.
dimension, allows pilots to gauge KEY VECTORS like;
distance;
closing speed;
height;
ANGLE OF APPROACH;
landing Height above the ground
and other key vectors,
all are important for improving nighttime helipad safety.
to illustrate; bElow are Identical photographs. all that has changed is THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DARKENED TO MAKE THE HELIPADS more DIFFICULT TO SEE. the darkened photos represent helipads at night and are representative of everyone's loss of depth perception at night.
NOTE: what is Important for any good visibility, is having good contrast between what one is trying to see and its background.
As the pictures below try to illustrate, when one loses contrast AND
DEPTH PERCEPTION,
everthing becomes more difficult to see OR UNDERSTAND, especially from a distance.
Below are Identical Pictures,
But The Left One Has Been Darkened.
The picture below is taken standing next to a fully compliant FAA / ICAO helipad, with all its point source lights lit.
Despite standing right next to the helipad, it is difficult to make out the lit helicopter landing pattern.
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Fully Compliant FAA / ICAO Helipad Lighting;
which is difficult to see or understand even when the picture is taken right next to the helipad!
Below are pictures from the video of The Downtown Manhattan Helipad, by The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), of the joint FAA and PANYNJ Helipad Linear Visual Aid Research; January 1999.
This research was detailed and published by the FAA at The FAA Heliport Vertiport Lighting Conference Proceedings, Nov 1999 (DOT/FAA/ ND 99/1)
Note: This helipad meets all FAA regulations, yet, at night, standing close to the helipad, the pattern of lights is still confusing. From a distance, these point source visual aids would be even more confusing and their pattern even more difficult to make out.
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With more ambient light on the subject and BETTER CONTRAST, it is easier to see the light pattern and tell what they mean. Especially when the concrete pad and its painted markings BECOME visible.
Even here, standing next to the helipad with much more ambient light, the point sources are still somewhat confusing.
This confusion disappears with linear sources.
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The Same Fully Compliant FAA / ICAO Helipad Lighting with more ambient light. The point source lights are still somewhat confusing, however, their pattern can be more easily made out because of the concrete and its painted markings.
Below is the same identical PANYNJ helipad, however, even though the picture here remains very dark. This very early linear LEDline®, although being much less bright compared to today's, clearly demonstrates that; here is no doubt, hesitation, or confusion when viewing linear visual aids at night. That because of their linearity, linear visual aids provide for immediate recognition of the helipad’s dimension.
Since there is no confusion, the linear visual aids provide for a better nighttime definition of any helipad. Even when viewed at very low angles, they still provide viewers with dimension.
As the video below demonstrates, linear visual aids at any viewing angle, height or distance, provide dimension to a helipad, improving helipad safety.
As further evidence; below are a series of blue point source lights from the same helipad, which, when viewed from a distance, are difficult to see exactly what they represent. Indeed, it is clear that these blue point source lamps, provide NO depth perception for viewers.
Another Example: Look at the difference between the blue point sources and the linear outline of the helipad from a distance at low angles. There is no comparison. The linear sources at night, define the area they surround and give it dimension, effectively restoring one's depth perception at night.
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VIdeo: PANYNJ and FAA Linear Visual Aids Research, at the Downtown Manhattan Helipad
LEDline® safety and guidance at the Golden jubilee Hospital, 2012 Clydebank Glasgow, UK
The picture below is by Peter Simpson of
PSNK Aeronautical Services
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Video of LEDline® safety guidance lighting at the Golden Jubilee Hospital Helipad, Glasgow, Clydebank, UK
Add more light so the river and the pontoon can be seen and it becomes clear that they are standard FAA blue taxiway edge lights, designed to show where the PANYNJ helipad parking area is located.
Again, here is the same picture, but with more ambient light. The blue lights are standard taxiway edge lights running at step 5 the brightest they can go. Despite this, the linear lights are still better! Both of these pictures were taken from the enclosed video.
All pictures are from the PANYNJ / FAA Video linear visual aids demonstration, illustrating that from whatever height or angle, the linear visual aids are far better at outlining the helipad and providing dimension to helipad area for approaching pilots.
Looking at the pictures below, the comparisons are clear, the blue taxiway point source lights are much more difficult to see and comprehend compared to the absolutely clear linear sources, from whatever angle or distance.
LEDline® safety and guidance lighting at a USA helipad, used for both private and hospital access.
Video of the LEDline® safety and guidance lighting, USA Helipad
USA helipad Copyright Bruce Lomesky
Notice: The lit aiming circle and touchdown area provides pilots with a clear dimensional landing area. In addition, the linear lamps provide the necessary height cues so that pilots can touch down more gently. This is especially important for hospital helipads receiving severely injured or ill patients.
LEDline® Safety Guidance lighting at the Leongatha Hospital Helipad, australia
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LEDline® Safety Guidance Lighting at
Leongatha Hospital:
Pictures
Copyright Peter Simpson of PSNK Aeronautical Services
LEDline® Safety and Guidance Lighting at Kilmore Hospital Helipad, Australia:
Copyright Peter Simpson PSNK Aeronautical Services
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