Icarus Devices's smart view limiting device has been granted an airworthiness release by the U.S. Army for the UH-60 L/M Black Hawk helicopter. The Instrument Conditions Awareness Recognition and Understanding System (ICARUS) gives instructor pilots simulator-like capabilities while flying in the aircraft, replacing the traditional training hood.
View limiting devices (VLD) are utilized by pilots to train for IFR conditions including clouds, fog, haze, and dust. The ICARUS “smart” VLD changes opacity and allows instructors to dial in the visibility for dynamic scenario-based training. The device's polymer dispersed liquid crystal visor cutout is controlled by an app or manually on the power control unit by the instructor pilot, is tailored to each airframe, and weighs 2.5 ounces.
ICARUS was invented in 2014 and patented in 2016. It is already in use by dozens of civilian flight schools, law enforcement agencies, and helicopter air ambulance operators for initial and recurrent training, and in everything from a Cessna 172 to a Boeing CH-47 Chinook. Metro Aviation was the first large operator to adopt Icarus training for all company pilots in the 38 helicopter air ambulance programs it supports throughout the country.