Skidbiter
I'm afraid I'd have to say I couldn't disagree more with the opinion about why wear a helmet.
I put my first helmet on in 1997 when I was working on our rescue helicopter and when I decided to make the jump from the back seat to the front seat took my "work" helmet with me and have not done a single hour in the R22 without it since. (Just got up my 500th hour last wednesday)
There's enough room for most people in the robbo to get your skidlid in. I guess maybe if your were real tall you might have a problem, but then you probably wouldn't really fit in helmet or not.
As far as whether it looks good or instils confidence - I have adopted the attitude - I don't care what it looks like. If it stops me getting a head injury in a heavy landing or crash then its worth it. Even a minor closed head injury can render you unable to fly ever again or worse.
Given the stats that show the high incidence of accidents in training I would venture to suggest that that is exactly the time to be wearing it.
A helmetted head might flap around and injure the other occupant (but not a head injury if he's wearing his helmet too) but an unhelmetted head is just as bad. My Gentex is not that heavy - I reckon the biggest part of the weight by far is still the head inside it.
If your employer said "no lid no job" - well you have to weigh that risk up, but if they say "your choice" and you don't - mmm
don't expect any worker's compensation, disability insurance etc if you get a head injury. Your insurer will run a mile.