Point Lighting Corporation has developed heliport lighting products and systems that are compatible with Night Vision Goggles (NVG) for civilian and military use. Incandescent lighting can be seen by NVG due to the heat signature and the full spectrum emissions of incandescent light. LED lights do not produce significant heat and emit colored light at a single wavelength typically outside the range of NVG reception.

Typical Aviator Night Vision Imaging Systems (ANVIS) use so-called "Generation 3" technology which is the current military standard sensing infrared (IR) light in the 600 to 900 nanometer (nm) wavelength range. It is used by military and commercial pilots. Point Lighting IR LEDs emit at 850 nm which is outside the unaided human visual range. Therefore, we have developed certain products intended for use under unaided VFR with NVG compatibility and others are for tactical use with NVG only. The latter will not be visible to unaided eyes. The background information at the link below is partially adapted from the Aviation Research Report B2004/0152 Night Vision Goggles in Civil Helicopter Operations by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

PointUSA® LED Heliport Lights with Optional NVG Compatibility

The LED lights shown at our HELIPORT LIGHTING link are visible under normal VFR operations. With the addition of option -NC NVG Compatibility, infrared (IR) LED's are incorporated in the array to allow the lights to be also seen using NVG. Select array type -xP or type -xH for use with option -NC NVG Compatibility. Both types of LED's operate at the same time and no special switching is required

PointUSA® LED Obstruction Lights with NVG Compatibility

The POL-21003 is available in a double head version where one head is visible red and the other head is infrared (IR). Both heads may be operated together making the obstruction marking visible both with and without NVG. Or the heads may be switched separately for military applications. Only the IR head is switched to operate under tactical "lights out" conditions and the visible red LED head can be switched ON for normal VFR conditions.

PointUSA® LED HELIPORT LIGHTS FOR MILITARY USE

Point Lighting Corporation has various solutions for dual use heliports that must operate some of the time for "lights out" NVG-only night flying.

These may be custom LED lights where the IR and visible LED's reside in the same light, but may be remotely switched between the two modes. Contact Point Lighting for this solution.

Dual use lights may also be incandescent light source with special lenses and switchable between IR and visible light. IR only lights are also available in either LED or incandescent.