page_title: Aviator sunglasses
section_title: Military type HGU-4/P aviator sunglasses
hierarchical_section_title: Aviator sunglasses / Military type HGU-4/P aviator sunglasses
caption_attribution_description: (March 10, 1989) Misison Specialist James Buchlie prepares for departure from Ellington Field to kennedy Space Center for Space Shuttle Discovery's STS-29 mission. Born on June 20, 1945, Buchli was a mission specialist on STS-51C, STS-61A, STS-29, and STS-48. Image #&#160;: s29-s-004
context_page_description: Aviator sunglasses are a style of sunglasses that were developed by a group of American firms. The original Bausch & Lomb design is now commercially marketed as Ray-Ban Aviators, although other manufacturers also produce aviator style sunglasses.
context_section_description: In 1958 American Optical created the Flight Goggle 58 according to the then new U.S. Air Force Type HGU-4/P aviator sunglasses standard.
  Type HGU-4/P sunglasses feature  semi-rectangluar lenses with less lens surface area and are lighter compared to the preceding Type G-2 sunglasses.
  The HGU-4/P design frame allowed the visor to reliably clear the aviator's spectacles when a flight helmet is worn, and covers the full field of vision. The frame additionally features bayonet temples designed to slip under a flight helmet or other headgear and were more compatible with oxygen masks. They are commercially known as "Original Pilot Sunglass", and were issued by the U.S. military since 1959 to pilots shortly after the HGU4/P was officially recommended by military optometrists in November 1958. The HGU-4/P design frame is also issued to military personnel that require various corrective clear or other type of lenses and allows corrected vision through the full field of vision. Besides the military type HGU-4/P aviator sunglasses were also issued to and used by NASA astronauts.
  By 1982, Randolph Engineering had become the prime contractor for military-style Type HGU-4/P aviation flight glasses for the United States Department of Defense. They are commercially known as "Randolph Aviator" sunglasses.
  HGU-4/P aviation flight glasses are still built to the guidelines of the MIL-S-25948 military specification, a document detailing the manufacturing specifications. One of the many specifications is that the neutral grey lenses used in Type HGU-4/P aviator sunglasses must transmit between 12% to 18% of incoming visible daylight whilst providing 'true' color and contrast distribution.
  The military HGU-4/P Aviator and the Modiﬁed HGU-4/P Apache spectacles intended for Apache attack helicopter aircrew are under regular review to determine their functionality.
caption: Test pilot and NASA astronaut James Buchli wearing HGU4/P sunglasses (1998)
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