KNIEVEL77, Optional safety equipment and whether we should or shouldn’t wear it is always a subject of much debate and the answer lies in what you can afford and your view of risk management. The military (and remember they operate to budgets and look to save the pennies where ever they can – helmets, nomex suits and gloves are not cheap) recognise that they have a huge monetary investment (aside from any humane aspects) in their aircrew and see safety equipment as cheap insurance. Ask yourself why do motor cycling racers dress up in the leathers, helmets, special foot wear, specially made gloves etc To look cool? I think you know the answer. Would you wear thongs and no helmet riding a motor bike? Many people do. In our off shore operation we had a requirement that we had to wear lifejackets. No one in the operation (some 250,000 hours of operation I guess) ever had to use their life jacket in anger so would that make an argument for getting rid of them? Once again I think you know the answer.
As said earlier, it’s your personal approach to risk management and as Clint Eastwood said “Do you feel lucky today punk?” Accident in point. Two crew were flying a Bell 412 in Alaska (no pax) in the cruise at 10,000 feet when a massive vibration set in. During the auto they were flung about the cockpit so forcibly (straps tight) that their heads were being bashed against the door pillar, their heads went through and smashed the overhead windows, the overhead electrical panels fell open. Approaching the ground both engines failed and they lost the tail rotor drive – why? – both engines had been torn from their mounts and taken out the tail drive shaft. They survived with barely a scratch, thanks to their helmets. And the cause? A pitch link to one of the main blades let go.
Sometimes its just the roll of the dice as to whether the accident happens to you or some one else. Whenever you climb into the cockpit, just ask yourself “How lucky do I feel today?”