Stitchbitch
LJ I’m not quite sure which helmets you’re referring to as not providing cranial protection?
I think you misunderstood my post. Yes, of course the bonedome gives you cranial protection, but the only protection that a helmet offers in the
average light aircraft accident is facial protection. If you need a bonedome to protect your head from fatal bumps then you are likely not restrained properly! If you think about it, we don’t need or use helmets in cars because the car’s bodyshell gives us that protection as long as we are suitably restrained. A light aircraft is broadly similar, even with a bubble canopy then normally the fin keeps the head away from the ground
if the people are strapped in properly. Also, let’s face it the average survivable light aircraft accident is either a mis-judged forced landing, normal landing or take off - i.e an accident with plenty of ‘run out’ where the aircraft comes gently to a stop. For a tent-peg and hard-stop then a helmet is very unlikely to save you. In fact, rather than bother with helmets in light aircraft it makes more sense to invest in air bags - which several manufacturers are now starting to offer.
ASRAAMTOO
Yes, I am well aware of that accident and it was the failure of the straps and the fact that the poor pilot was thrown very many feet that killed him. If he was wearing a helmet it is very doubtful he would have survived anyway given the significant force with which he was thrown from the aircraft. So fitting decent 3/5/7 point harnesses is the way ahead for light aircraft (of which a Yak 52 is at the top end anway) and helmets are really not needed. As seen by the amazing Svetlana Kapanina flying her aircraft below (very lightweight headset and a decent harness). I suspect the Red Bull people do it more because it looks cool...