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Night Vision Goggles for Helicopter Pilots is written by Captain Mike Becker, one of Australia's most
experienced helicopter instructors. With over 16,000 helicopter flight hours and recipient of the "Captain John
Ashton Award for Flight Standards and Aviation Safety" by the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators of
London, Mike's experience provides invaluable insights and real hands-on knowledge.
Mike Becker has been operating a helicopter flight school since 1995. As Chief Pilot and Head of Training
Operations, Mike has managed and operated a fleet of over 20 helicopters while employing a team of more
than 30 instructors to deliver over 10,000 turbine training hours per year. This book captures his experience
as Chief Pilot and Chief Flight Instructor and the breadth of knowledge of the team of flight instructors who,
over the years, have contributed to the continual improvement of this book.
This experience is evident in this practical, hands-on guide to NVG civilian operations. It is written by a
helicopter pilot for a helicopter pilot and demystifies the world of NVGs.
The information and teaching material in Night Vision Goggles for Helicopter Pilots covers the issues of
sourcing and using NVGs, understanding how they work and operate, dealing with unique hazards and risks,
flight planning for NVG operations, crew resource management considerations, helicopter emergencies, and
establishing safe and regulatory-compliant operational systems. New terms like Omnibus, Gen III, ANVIS 9,
microchannel plate, lumen, photocathode, infrared, chicken-wire, and more are clearly explained and
simplified.
Although a technical theory book, it is written in plain English with easy-to-understand explanations
supported by many photographs, illustrations and diagrams.
This book is a ground-breaking world-first comprehensive text. It is a must for the new and current NVG
helicopter aviator, bringing you out of the dark and into the light in terms of the depth of knowledge required
for civilian NVG operations.
About the author
Mike Becker is one of Australia's most experienced helicopter instructors, with over 16,000 hours of rotary-wing flight experience. His career has taken him from the mountains in New Zealand to the outback of Australia and the jungles of Papua New Guinea. He has also worked in the United States, Italy and Borneo.He has flown a range of helicopter types - the Robinson R22, Robinson R44, Bell 47, Hughes 269, Hughes 500, Bell 206, Bell 427, Bell 212, EC120, Dragon Fly, Brantley B2B, Enstrom EF28, Sikorsky S62A, Hiller H12ET, Aerospatial AS350, Agusta 109E Power, Agusta 109S Grand, and the Agusta 119 Koala.He is experienced in a comprehensive range of helicopter operations, including high altitude, remote area operations, mustering, firefighting, tourism, sling load operations, specialised long-line operations, search and rescue, and Night Vision Goggles operations.Mike is a Grade One Flight Instructor and Flight Examiner who holds an Australian Air Transport Pilots Licence (Helicopter) and an Australian Commercial Pilots Licence (Fixed Wing).Mike is the Chief Pilot and Head of Training for his own business Becker Helicopters, in Australia. He, and his wife Jan, established Becker Helicopters in 1997 with one Bell 47 and have grown the company through a love of helicopters, hard work, and determination.Mike is the recipient of many awards, including the "Captain John Ashton Award for Flight Standards and Aviation Safety" by the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators of London, which was awarded in recognition of over 18,000 accident-free flight training hours at Becker Helicopters. Mike has also authored "Mike Becker's Helicopter Handbook", first published in 1986, and a range of theory books and instructional videos.
