Hello,
I've tested something with AI gunner pilot in the editor.
When you spawn, you always have NVG on head and when you jump into chopper, your NVG dispear from your head (you almost have it in your gear).

if you go outside the chopper, you'll see that your friend havent any NVg, but when you kill him, NVG will appear on his head when you will say "2 is down"

Picture will talk better than me, i know.. {F23348} {F23349}