Hi Rotorfun, I'd recommend always wearing a visor of any colour down at all times, for the obvious reasons that you'd have seen in the videos & posts.
I've not had a bird come through the screen, although I've speared one on the pitot tube at low speed, had a couple of screen hits and also a couple of blade/mast strikes all 'at speed'. However I know some that have had the cockpit incursion and their visors definitely prevented a wholly different outcome. (If only I could tell the tale I was told of wrestling an injured seagull in a Gazelle as well as it was told to me. Main take-away was that they could still see, thanks to their visor, in order to fight and fly
)
The clear/yellow visor debate will probably go on as long as the helmet/no helmet debate. Personally I used to prefer the clear visor until one was fitted post a service and I found it gave much clearer definition especially on overcast days, aswell as making the world a brighter place while you pretend to be a Rebel Alliance X-Wing pilot
