Hi:
My name is Shu Gee and I was a pilot for 25 years and an aerospace engineer for another 25 years - and now at 85, I came across the attachment among my souvenirs. So I thought I might share one of my many flying events with you.
It was in Feb of 1968, a time when I was working for NASA, that the Bendix Corporation was advertising their new Heads-Up display to allow for zero visibility landings. Their Microvision System consisted of six radar beacons to outline the runway, two were placed at the runway threshold, two at the far end of the runway, and two at mid runway. The airborne electronics receiver was connected to a hooded helmet in in their DC-3 airplane. So with all forward vision blacked out , the runway beacons appeared as six lights when on final approach.
I had the opportunity to fly the airplane, and made five unassisted takeoffs and landings and flying a rectangular traffic pattern completely on instruments; however I did receive one cue from the copilot as to when to turn final where the beacons came into view.
By making five takeoffs and landing with pilots and engineers as witnesses aboard, it was a demonstration that their system was functional - actually, it was a "piece of cake". I had previously made many instrument approaches and landings in poor visibility conditions, so I was elated to have made these zero-zero landings.
Hope you enjoyed my short story.
Shu