This is probably my third favorite picture in a series of pictures from the Downtown Kansas City Air Show I’m going to post in the next few days or weeks (don’t worry, I’ll sprinkle them in between more California stuff). This is what one might call the business end of an Apache Helicopter. You might call it this because of what this device is used for. It is on the front of the helicopter, and from what I’ve learned, it is essential to the operation of the machine. If you’ll notice, you can see me a couple of times in this picture, including in the upper-middle portion of the frame. This is the pilot’s night vision sensor, which is pretty essential if he wants to fly at night – without crashing that is. A bit further down is another reflection of me, this time in what could be called the business end of the business end of the helicopter, the laser rangefinder and target designator device. These devices track targets during the daytime. The large thing to the left of my reflection is the gunner’s night vision sensor, which, strangely, is much larger and therefore probably much better, than the pilot’s night vision sensor.
Anyway, that’s an interesting bit of technology on the front of these helicopters. I also enjoyed seeing myself in the picture. Stay tuned for more awesomeness from the Air Show!
| Exif information | |
| Model | Canon EOS 20D |
| Original date | 2009:08:23 11:15 AM |
| Exposure time | 1/200 sec |
| Focal length | 18mm |
| F-Stop | f/8 |
| ISO speed | ISO-100 |
| Exposure Bias | 0 |
To explain to you the meaning behind the better gunner's night vision:
ReplyDeletePilot's job: Keep us from dying by staying far from the ground.
Gunner's job: Keep us from dying by shooting things that move.
Now then, which is easier to spot? The ground, or some little bugger that is shooting at you or aiming a rocket at you?
Eh? Eh? EH?!