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Sucks To Get Older - Where Did I Put My Glasses?


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Sad to say the time has come where I need glasses in the cockpit.

 

Looking for advice and conversation - What works for you folks?

 

I almost barfed when I went to pay the bill for my new driving glasses thus I want to get this right the 1st. time

 

My new driving glasses have sharpened up things afar and at the end of a 150ft, line this is all good.

 

Trouble is when wearing them I can't read those round things on the panel they're too fuzzy now, there are a couple I think one says TOT, or TQ - something like that. Been great though I didn't realize you could lift much heavier loads just by wearing glasses.

 

Perfect scenario is now this;

 

Prescription glasses on for the ride to the field (even though now I can't use my years old log-pad practice of looking at the spot on the ground just off front skid tube when lifting off /setting down)

Don't need much panel scanning anyway while in cruise.

 

Grab my external load

 

Listen for the engine to wind up to that magic auditory spot, check collective is near vertical

 

Hold'er steady while removing glasses (kinda tough sliding them in and out with my brain-bucket on)

 

Put on my other pair of Costco 1.5 reading glasses for closeup stuff (if I can find them) scan the panel fine-tuning as required.

 

All is good switch back to my prescription glasses move load - reverse above for load drop-off - go for fuel....

 

But seriously ......

 

What are you folks finding works best for you.

Bifocals ?

Trifocals?

Octahedral?

Some other format / configuration?

Maybe having a full-time co-jo yelling out the numbers.

 

 

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No, it does NOT suck to get older. When I think of the dumb things I did 'way back when and the things it takes me ALL night to do now, I'm very happy, thank you.

 

I almost talked myself into trifocals but, fortunately, I had a great optemistrist who was able to increase the depth of field for me on both ends of the bifocal that I was able to deal with everything - the map, the instruments, the distance, the overhead panel AND the longline load. If your eye guy can't do it for you, maybe try another.

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If you are at the stage of needing bifocals (or trifocals) and have never used them before - be very hesitant before you get "progressives".

 

They work for some people and everyone needs adjustment time, but for me they are a real problem. I find they reduce my peripheral vision too much, since the area of the lens that is in focus is reduced. I have been trying to adjust to a very expensive pair of progressives for two years and I always go back to my older non-progressive pair.

 

The advice about finding an optometrist with flying experience is very wise. And then describe the cockpit layout and whether you need to do long-lining. This is important for bifocal wearers since most bifocal glasses have the bottom part adjusted for close-up reading, which works fine for a lot of FW pilots (who don't have chin bubbles and steep approaches).

 

Good subject!

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Friend of mine recently tried the progressives....bloddy expensive and made him walk like he was drunk and have him a splitting headache. I think they could be fine for someone who sits at a desk all day. But imagine in the cockpit...if you're looking down at the end of your line and your head is tilted such that you are looking through the bottoms of your lenses...you will see nothing but blur! Tough call for sure.

 

Mark

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No, it does NOT suck to get older. When I think of the dumb things I did 'way back when and the things it takes me ALL night to do now, I'm very happy, thank you.

 

I almost talked myself into trifocals but, fortunately, I had a great optemistrist who was able to increase the depth of field for me on both ends of the bifocal that I was able to deal with everything - the map, the instruments, the distance, the overhead panel AND the longline load. If your eye guy can't do it for you, maybe try another.

 

Ah, This is the kind of feedback I was hoping for.

Any chance you can PM me with the name of your optometrist, I'd like to talk to him and see if he would be willing to engage my local guy into a conversation.

 

And you're right older is good, make new friends every day, and plan on hiding my own Easter Eggs in 2010 ....

Thanks for the note ..

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Friend of mine recently tried the progressives....bloddy expensive and made him walk like he was drunk and have him a splitting headache. I think they could be fine for someone who sits at a desk all day. But imagine in the cockpit...if you're looking down at the end of your line and your head is tilted such that you are looking through the bottoms of your lenses...you will see nothing but blur! Tough call for sure.

 

Mark

Looking at it literally from the other point of view of trying to find a plug or wire under the inst panel.... I have a pair of progessive work-station glasses that are ideal for looking from a keyboard distance to an instrument panel distance plus I have no trouble walking while wearing them. (chewing gum not with standing)

However, for what you are doing it might be worth looking at the same concept but with the reading range on the top and the bottom either no correction or a small amount if you require that for long-lining. It might sound a bit funny but I do know guys who put the reading part along the very top for looking at instruments and gauges on an overhead panel. I doubt that they would be very good for in cruise but during L-Ling might be a lot easier and safer than trying to switch out eyeglass pairs.

 

It might be worth a trip to an optician to see what can be created.

 

As far as gettng older goes...You will get to a point when the only thing active is your imagination B)

and, the other option really sucks

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Sad to say the time has come where I need glasses in the cockpit.

 

Looking for advice and conversation - What works for you folks?

 

I almost barfed when I went to pay the bill for my new driving glasses thus I want to get this right the 1st. time

 

My new driving glasses have sharpened up things afar and at the end of a 150ft, line this is all good.

 

Trouble is when wearing them I can't read those round things on the panel they're too fuzzy now, there are a couple I think one says TOT, or TQ - something like that. Been great though I didn't realize you could lift much heavier loads just by wearing glasses.

 

Perfect scenario is now this;

 

Prescription glasses on for the ride to the field (even though now I can't use my years old log-pad practice of looking at the spot on the ground just off front skid tube when lifting off /setting down)

Don't need much panel scanning anyway while in cruise.

 

Grab my external load

 

Listen for the engine to wind up to that magic auditory spot, check collective is near vertical

 

Hold'er steady while removing glasses (kinda tough sliding them in and out with my brain-bucket on)

 

Put on my other pair of Costco 1.5 reading glasses for closeup stuff (if I can find them) scan the panel fine-tuning as required.

 

All is good switch back to my prescription glasses move load - reverse above for load drop-off - go for fuel....

 

But seriously ......

 

What are you folks finding works best for you.

Bifocals ?

Trifocals?

Octahedral?

Some other format / configuration?

Maybe having a full-time co-jo yelling out the numbers.

 

Actually, you don't need glasses; that's why God made helicopters the way he did.

 

It works like this:

 

(1) Young guys are really sharp. i.e. trans oil press is 63, engine temp is 84, ITT is 765, etc.

(2) Middle age guys aren't so sharp. ie. what the h*ll, they're all in the green so there's no need to worry.

(3) Us old guys aren't sharp at all. ie. we can't see the d*mn gauges never mind what they say, so we just look for red lights. No red lights, then don't worry.

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I have heard all sorts of opinions on 'progressives'.....I think it really depends on your eyes and what prescription you need.

 

Because of the way progressives are made you do lose some peripheral vision and have to move your head side to side more during tight approaches and departures etc.

This is not only to check on objects around you but also to get a 'sense' of speed, which often comes from your peripheral.

I have moved to progressives but haven't found they affected my long-lining.......(it's just as bad as ever, He He He).

They do take a while to get used to after regular glasses. Then again getting glasses was a real bummer after years without them.

 

As another pilot said to me at that time, "don't whine about it as there's nothing you can do except get used to them or give-up flying !!!"

He had a point. It's just part of getting older.

 

If you get headaches from glasses, ask your optometrist about 'indexing'.......I don't know what it means, but it was a real problem for me when my first glasses were made. So they removed the indexing, or something-or-other...... I dunno, I'm not a Doctor !!

 

Good luck.

 

P.S. An A-star B3 has an audible BONG when you pull on that lever between the seats too hard !!

post-414-1255491791_thumb.jpg

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