A system and method for training a pilot to operate an aircraft in sudden-onset reduced-visibility conditions is disclosed. The system includes electrooptic material having an optical transmittance that varies with an electrical signal applied to the material and a power supply to provide the electrical signal to the material. The electrooptic material is disposed to restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft when the electrooptic material is in a low-optical-transmittance state. The system further includes a flight-safety sensor that sets the output of the power supply to correspond to an optical transmittance state of the electrooptic material that does not substantially restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft when flight conditions are deemed unsafe. The method includes reducing the optical transmittance of the material to restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft in a manner unexpected to the pilot at the time of the transmittance reduction.