Good to see so much world wide common sense towards the use of a lid in helicopters. Until recently I was working for an offshore operator, and having come from an aerial work environment, continued to wear my sph5.
The response from within the company was extraordinary. After a number of conversations with managment in which my desire to wear head protection was repeatedly questioned I was finally threatened with disciplinary action/dismisal (one to one and behind closed doors of course) if I failed to comply with the company policy (which was now being quickly constructed in an office somewhere else) which apparently forbid pilots to wear head protection whilst working for them.
My feelings went something like, liferafts, lifejackets, underwater escape training and passenger evacuation training are all made some what redundant if you've knocked yourself out during a forced landing/crash. My brief research suggested that even in a relatively survivable crash, statistically this was likely to happen. I pointed out that for my money you may as well throw the life rafts etc in to the stormy ogin and take the extra payload.However, this was seen as a flippant remark and thrown out immediatley.
I was amazed by the attitudes I encountered and saddened by the lack of support I recieved. I now work somewhere else as free thinking individual, because my life is more important than my pay cheque.
Look after you head, it's constantly looking after you. It doesn't take much to break it, even one as thick as mine. Take care and safe flying.
