VirtualHUD
The Next Generation of Situational Awareness...
When the airline I once flew for had the opportunity to equip their Boeing 737 aircraft with glass panels, the FAA stepped in to require that each pilot obtain a new 737 type rating. This new type rating, on the same old planes we were flying, would cost the company an enormous amount of money. A compromise was negotiated. Instead of a new type rating for each pilot we would have glass panel images of round "steam dials" and a "differences" training program. The FAA was happy with this arrangement because "situational awareness" would be maintained. From this event arose a standing joke..."Someday we will have holograms...of round dials!" Eventually, we were hand flying Cat IIIA approaches using a "stick figure" HUD with a flight path symbol.
Technology moves forward in spite of the way we sometimes insist on looking backwards. Electronic displays of ADF needles or VOR/ILS needles for example show that we are of a mindset that wants to "do as we have done." In this age of synthetic vision do we really want an electronic HSI with its needles pointing "over yonder" to a VOR station? From that instrument we are left to imagine what we could clearly see on a synthetic 3D system with moving map. What if we were to misinterpret? We would have a loss of situational awareness. I'd rather run low on fuel and have to divert versus running out of situational awareness. A hologram of an ADF needle, while impressive, is not my idea of progress. Synthetic vision coupled with forward-looking infrared vision, now that's real progress! But where do you have to look to see it? Down in the panel, of course. What if you could just look straight ahead and see it in your field of vision directly before your eyes?
William Steele, founder and inventor, has thought of this and has invented a revolutionary Heads Up Display unlike any other. His company, VirtualHUD, has patented a number of devices which will bring HUD technology to general aviation aircraft and at an affordable cost. The problem is not having enough data to provide accurate flight. The problem is how to display that data in an intuitive and easy manner so that you don't need a week of ground school to operate the system. So, where should that display be? In front of our eyes. How do we get it there? William Steele knows. While pondering over these things and playing with a laser pointer one day, he directed the beam at a ceiling fan. The beam was reflected right back. Eureka! The answer was almost too obvious.
The VirtualHUD uses a projector to send any video/data output display to the coated back side of an airplane's propeller. A white reflective paint strip is all it takes to get the image displayed right where it should be, in front of your eyes. Synthetic 3D Highway In The Sky (HITS) can be coupled with Forward Vision's EVS-100 (www.Forward-Vision.net) and both are displayed simultaneously. Landing lights are not needed, but you do need a propeller up front. Singles and Ford Tri-motors work well but this is not for the basic twin or a pusher. The synthetic vision display and the EVS-100 display are still there in the panel, but you do not have to look down or over to the side to see them. If anything ever happened to preclude the projection of the display it would still be available.
The Virtual HUD comes in a NightVU version and a more powerful daylight visible version called ForwardVU. It is 100 times brighter than the night version but can be used in either daylight or darkness. This new technology is compatible with any GPS system supporting the standard (Garmin, Avidyne, Lowrance, Honeywell, MGL, etc.) and can display TCAS (ZAON) information as well. Informed sources have indicated that there will be a newer version presented at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009 event. For more information: www.virtualhud.com
By Richard Hawley