Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Total 8900
Physiological - Other
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related; Aircraft
I am an EMS helicopter pilot and see a Major problem with the NVG lighting mods that are being installed.  First was an EC135; then the BK117 that we use at my base and finally while attending the Bell Helicopter Training Academy for the BH407GX. Someone has sold the idea that NVG's are the be all end all for safety (my opinion is they are a tool not a fix; but that is a different topic). So all EMS helicopters are coming out with either field mods or factory installations for the NVG lighting. Problem is that after the filters are placed over the instruments and radios you can't (or at least have a difficult time) see them during the daytime because of the dark green filter. Since most flight time is during the day; now there is a greater period of time where are inside trying to see through the filters. One pilot said he couldn't see or set frequencies with the filter so he cut them off. My experience is that some radios and gauges can't be seen easily during the day and the G1000 in the BH407 became pretty much useless because of the filter.
Reporter believes that daylight visibility of instruments should not be compromised to allow NVG use at night and that there must be a better solution to the problem of NVG compatibility with aircraft instrument illumination.
EMS helicopter pilot reports that filters installed over lighted instruments and displays in his aircraft to prevent interference with NVG's make daylight visibility very poor.