The lowly aircraft sun visor isn’t really a safety accessory until you have to land on runway 27 an hour before sunset on a summer evening. The accident record is peppered with pilots who lost control because they lost sight of the runway at a critical moment due to sun glare. Into this narrow breach of need several companies have stepped up, offering improved visors and shades.
And they aren’t entirely about safety, but also comfort. Squinting into a low sun or being broiled through a canopy or windshield for several hours gives a bright new dimension to the definition of misery. Fortunately, a range of products are designed to address this annoyance and the market is somewhat more competitive than it was the last time we visited this topic.