When Near-sighted isn't Nearly Enough

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is embarked upon a project to find solutions to one of the helicopter pilot's worst nightmares - loss of vision (or brown-out) as he hits the in ground effect hover. Project Sandblaster's trials have now been fully funded to the tune of (initially) US$16.6M and the project has a target completion date of 08 September 2008. The objective is to find a solution to degraded visual environments (DVE), whether they be caused by salt-spray, snow, dust or sand. The mounting accident toll in the desert is the prime mover behind the program. Over the last 34 years, 21 MH53 and 10 HH-60G brownout accidents have been caused by own main-rotor stirred dust. The focus is (as it must be) on visualization sensors that will allow pilots to retain spatial orientation and reject vertigo, but with no aids on the ground to assist. The contract sprang up in September 2006 as the problem became a significant one for operations in Iraq. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp, a United Technologies subsidiary, is running with it.