Night Vision Pen

[NightVisionPen]

I wanted to thank everyone who has been converting to the Night Vision Pen. I seem to be shipping quite a few up to the Whidbey Island area!

Also, I'm looking for a little feedback on lanyards. What length lanyard are you using? Do you use the Night Vision Pen for flight deck signals? Is your lanyard length sufficient to get comfortably get over the canopy rail for signaling?

Thanks!

 

[UMichfly]

Also, I'm looking for a little feedback on lanyards. What length lanyard are you using? Do you use the Night Vision Pen for flight deck signals? Is your lanyard length sufficient to get comfortably get over the canopy rail for signaling?

Thanks!

I'm using a 10 inch piece of 550 cord for the lanyard on mine and it's just hooked to the crossbar on my kneeboard. I didn't use it at all for signals to dudes on the flight deck because I wasn't sure if the brightness would be sufficient given how much trouble the deck guys seemed to have even with a super bright fingerlight. I don't think 10 inches would be enough lanyard to get over the canopy rail on a Hornet either. Caveat all of this with the fact that I've only got a couple of nights flying off the boat so once I get a little further past the "oh holy fvck it's dark up here why are we doing this shit at night!!!" , I might give it a try.

 

[insanebikerboy]

I've used it to signal the LSE while in the helo, so far it's worked fine wrt brightness.

 

[Banjo33]

I use a metal plunger type quick attach/detach attachment (walmart key chain section). I removed the rings and have attached the plunger to the pen with a piece of chain from an old set of dogtags and the other end of the plunger to my kneeboard with a bootlace. It's about a ten inch piece of string...but at the free end of the string I attached a mech pencil that I keep stashed in the pocket that holds the clipboard. Kind of a spare.

I write a ton in the training command and the ink has started to run a little low (used it nearly everyday since Christmas). I've tried a couple stores looking for replacement ink cartridges, but haven't had much luck locating them. I've not been to a dedicated office supply store yet either which I suspect will have what I'm looking for.

 

[NightVisionPen]

jboomer - dedicated office supply stores like Office Depot or Staples will have them. You can also order them online from those same companies. It is the black, medium point, model SPR4.

Thanks for the replies so far. Keep them coming. I want to hear about your lanyards!

 

[NightVisionPen]

This just in: HS-11 has completed the first squadron buy! Every pilot in HS-11 will soon be equipped with the Night Vision Pen. Of course, that pretty much wipes out my current inventory for the next few weeks until my new stock arrives though.

 

[fc2spyguy]

I have had the pen for over a month now, and definitely like it in the cockpit. The one thing that I have for feedback is a way to turn it off so the thumb switch doesn't turn it on. I store it in my kneeboard and it must have been brushed up against something because it didn't work last night and I'm assuming the light was on while it was in my kneeboard.

 

[NightVisionPen]

Night Vision Pen is now temporarily out of stock. MyGoFlight, a Night Vision Pen reseller, is still in stock. We expect to have more stock around mid-July. Sales really picked up the last couple of months, especially with HS-11 doing a squadron buy of 25 pens.

 

[phrogdriver]

Glad you're doing well with this.

 

[NightVisionPen]

Just wanted to throw in an update. The website is being slightly revamped and will be done in the next week or so. Stock was back in for a day, but all went out to backorders! There will be options to purchase spare batteries and a quickly detachable lanyard as well as an international shipping option as well. More Night Vision Pens should be arriving in the next week or two and the online order system will be up and running again.

The Indiana National Guard will be deploying with Night Vision Pens soon.

 

[NightVisionPen]

The new lanyards will be available this week when the website starts taking orders again. 24 inches in length with quick disconnects at both ends.

 

[NightVisionPen]

I also wanted to let everyone know that existing Night Vision Pen owners can purchase batteries and the lanyard as well. Just set the pen quantity to zero.

 

[cfam]

So I'm not too proud to admit that I was pretty skeptical about this pen when this thread started. That being said, when you had that try before you buy promotion, I picked one up. Now that I'm finally getting some decent use on it, I'm loving it. The size/heft took some getting used to, but it's pretty much been perfect for me ever since, especially with our seating arrangement. I can use it without having to turn the lights up/blind the guy next to me, which makes things a heck of a lot easier when we're on goggles.

I'll echo spyguy's suggestion about the button though. A couple of other guys in my squadron have the pen too, and we've all found that storing it in our kneeboards tends to inadvertently turn on the light, draining the batteries pretty quickly.

Also, is there any way to tighten down the clip? It's started to gradually wiggle loose as I've gotten more use out of the pen.

If you're still looking for pictures of it in action, let me know, and I'll be happy to send you some.

 

[NightVisionPen]

cfam, I'm glad it is working well for you. I truly feel this is the best accessory lighting option out there for night flying, even more so if you fly on goggles.

The accidental activation was a non factor during initial prototype testing, but those also used a smaller button which was harder to locate with gloves on. I have yet to have the problem myself, but it may be because of the particular way I store my pen on my Soft G kneeboard. I do not use the elastic pen sleeves. On the Soft G kneeboard there is a wide pocket that runs the length of the kneeboard. I put the pen in there with it clipped to the outside part of the pocket. The button is facing sideways in the pocket so it can't be hit by anything.

The clip is secured by two small hex screws. They should be held in place by red Loctite to prevent backing out and possible FOD. If the metal clip itself is getting lose from stress then that is a different issue. Either way you are welcome to return your pen for repair or replacement if you feel it gets to that point.

 

[NightVisionPen]

VAQ-140, currently on deployment, just placed a squadron order for 20 Night Vision Pens to outfit all of their aircrew!