Hey D.B. so, they had one police crash resulting in that now Police pilot will wear helmets, yet the two instances you mentioned on the N.sea they still don't?
Also, it's beginning to look like the S76 crash in Louisiana was caused by a bird strike, and would they have all survived if the pilots were wearing helmets and were not incapacitated immediately by the bird??? Well, I guess we will never know.....
The new helmets you can get now are not like the ones of old...I have worn the new lightweight ALPHA type for over 5 hours and didn't even know it was there after a while....We are also forgetting that the protection that they give against noise levels reaching the ears AND penetrating the skull (new research showing this can be harmful)....
You say in your post many N.sea pilots do not want them??? Have you done a survey lately???
Cannot believe in this day and age of health and safety N.Sea guys don't wear them...even if some guys do not wish too, it should be an option for those that DO want to protect themselves...as for the pax, they do not spend 5-800 hours a year sitting at the front of the aircraft and if they want to wear them too, let the oil companies supply them.......(personally as a pax I WANT to see the pilots protected as much as poss)!!!!!!!
Cheers
P.H.