BOISE, Idaho - Aviation Specialties Unlimited, (ASU) announced today that they received a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the CASA 212 from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The C212 is used for transportation and surveillance. With the new STC, ASU will modify the cockpit and cabin of a C212 for supplemental lighting night vision conformity for Evergreen Helicopters.

After receiving full authorization on 17 December 2010 from Irish Defense Forces to conduct night operations using Night Vision, Irish Defense Forces Air Corps based at Casement Aerodome, Baldonnel Co. Dublin Ireland recently transported a sick patient at night in poor weather conditions thanks to the Night Vision Goggles and Training conducted by Aviation Specialties Unlimited, (ASU).

Safety Alert for Operators is issued for operators of aircraft equipped with a Night Vision Imaging System (NVIS) of potential deficiencies in the configuration and condition of installed NVIS equipment .

A helicopter using night vision goggles and a high-powered search light has found a five-year-old girl missing near Tauranga overnight. The girl went missing at Pyes Pa, 16km south of the city, about 6:20pm as the family visited neighbours, said a spokeswoman for the Baytrust Rescue Helicopter. A full blown police search was in progress by night fall, with search and rescue teams being brought in from Tauranga to help police officers and local volunteers, she said. The helicopter, using night vision goggles and its 20-million candle power Night Sun, found the girl in a clearing about 800m from where she was last seen, after a 30 minute search.

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.