Speaker: Mike Atwood, President Aviation Specialties Unlimited Moderator: Joy Finnegan, Editor-in-Chief, Rotor & Wing for Aviation Today Night vision goggle use has seen and is continuing to see rapid growth. With any dynamic situation there seems to be confusion among the helicopter operators and crews about the differences in classification between Class A, Class B and Class C night vision goggles.

Three STAR Flight EC145s spent several hours in the early morning hours of Wednesday, September 8 responding to distress calls and successfully rescuing 13 people from flood waters, caused by Tropical Storm Hermine, throughout the region around Austin, Texas. The rescue operation was the largest to date for the unit's EC145s.

Aviation Specialties Unlimited, (ASU) announced from the showroom floor at the Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC) that they will be initiating and sponsoring the inaugural Night Vision Awards to recognize individuals and companies for proven leadership in Night Vision Operations beginning in 2011 at Heli-Expo in Orlando.

Aviation Specialties Unlimited, Inc. (ASU) is pleased to announce that it has completed another Bell 222 Night Vision Lighting Modification for California Shock Trauma Air Rescue (CALSTAR). This completion was performed at CALSTAR's facility in McClellan, CA. ASU has been a turn-key provider for the California based airborne EMS operator since early 2002. With this completion, ASU has modified 7 aircraft in the CALSTAR fleet, along with pilot & crew training, and F4949 night vision equipment sales, service & support.

ASU has completed their second night vision modification for a Sikorsky S-76C++ aircraft owned and operated by PHI, Inc, headquartered in Lafayette, LA. The aircraft is a new aircraft that has been specifically designed to serve the oil and gas industry offshore. The aircraft is equipped with cardiac monitors with 12-lead EKG capability, transport ventilators and intravenous pumps, and a dedicated Lifeport medical interior with two patient capability. The aircraft is the second PHI aircraft to be certified and equipped with night vision goggles for use in the Gulf of Mexico.