An airborne optronic equipment item comprises: at least one image sensor suitable for acquiring a plurality of images of a region flown over by a carrier of the equipment item; and a data processor configured or programmed to receive at least one acquired image and transmit it to a display device; wherein the data processor is also configured or programmed to: access a database of images of the region flown over; extract from the database information to synthesize a virtual image of the region which would be seen by an observer situated at a predefined observation point and looking, with a predefined field of view, along a predefined line of sight; synthesize the virtual image; and transmit it to a display device. A method for using such an equipment item is provided.