Do light-adaptive lenses work in the cockpit?

[Joe Zuffoletto]

I have a pair of light-adaptive, polarized lenses on order from the optician. He told me they won't work in the car because the windshield and other glass block the UV rays needed to activate the darkening mechanism in the lenses. He didn't know if the same was true for a small airplane with plastic windows. Does anyone have any experience with this? It doesn't matter one way or the other - I still have my sunglasses - but I won't be able to find out for myself for a few weeks because of my work schedule and I'm curious to know. Thanks!

[1964-M20E]

I use them and they do work in the cockpit and in the car. They may not get as dark as they would on the beach but they do work and I'm happy with them.

[timpercarpio]

I thought polarized sunglasses were a problem using an iPad.

[danb35]

Polarized lenses are an issue when using the iPad in portrait mode, but the Transitions and other light-adaptive lenses aren't polarized.  Most of the "glass" in airplanes doesn't block UV, though I recall recently seeing some ads for a new material that does.

[Hank]

My transition lenses darken a little in the cockpit. But I fly with prescription, polarized sunglasses. I can read all installed instruments including G430W, GTX327, etc. They also work fine with sectionals, en routes and approach plates. I've done limited in-flight testing with my Samsung Galaxy 7", mostly due to either poor weather or plane being in the shop. Carb OH takes a while . . . Once she was put back together, the weather went in the crapper. Don't recall any trouble reading the Samsung. [Hint--it wasn't made by Apple.]

[Joe Zuffoletto]

Thanks, everyone, for your responses.

 

Right now I'm flying with prescription, polarized sunglasses and I can see the PFD and MFD of the G1000 just fine, although they're a little dim. I just tilt my glasses up a bit if something's hard to read. I could also turn up the brightness on the G1000 but I don't want to cook the displays.

 

Don't use the iPad much but I do carry it in the cockpit for looking at STARs and DPs. Can't read the iPad in portrait mode so I just tilt my glasses up.

[N33GG]

I have been wearing them for over 30 years in cockpits, and they work great for me.  Tried for a while to carry a second pair of sunglasses, and it just didn't work. 

[Piloto]

I have transition prescribed lenses and they work very well with the G530 and the G560. My plane has gray tinted windows that attenuate part of the sunlight so my glasses don't get as dark as when you are out in the sun. I tried regular sunglasses but it makes the Garmin display looks dim. I found that tinted windows enhance the displays contrast in daylight.

José

[mikerocosm]

The old Photo-Gray and the newer Transitions lenses are activated by the UV part of the spectrum, which is massively filtered out by glass -- so they don't work very well at all in cars -- but Plexiglass cockpit windows and windshirlds pass UV mostly right on through, so they work just fine. The polarizing part is another issue, more complex, and depends . . . comments above reflect more knowledge than I have.

 

Mike