Patent attributes
A visual aid for landing helicopters includes a plurality of weighted bases and a plurality of lights designed such that they can identify a helicopter landing zone during nighttime or during the bright sunlight. The components of the visual aid are designed to provide rapid identification of the landing zone, whether the pilot of the helicopter is flying with his unaided eye or with typical night vision goggles. The weighted bases have a large surface area and are coated with a highly visible fluorescent paint. The lights are designed to emit light having wavelengths, intensities and beam patterns which will not overwhelm night vision goggles but which will be acceptably visible to pilots flying without night vision goggles. The lights and weighted bases are color-coded such that they identify both the perimeter of the landing zone and the wind direction within the landing zone.
