European helmets

[Mak]

With overexpensive UK Alpha Eagle helmets and American helmets that take 6+ months to deliver I though European manufacturers might be a good compromise. Can anyone suggest contacts/shops to get hold of these?

Thanks

M

[SNS3Guppy]

What type of helmet are you looking for, and for what purpose? How much do you want to spend?

[Mak]

Hi SNS3Guppy. I mean to use it in aerobatics. Below the £1k would be best but have some flexibility.

[eharding]

The only other European helmet manufacturer I know of are CGF (now MSA?) Gallet - I think HSL used to stock them, but no sign of it on the website now.

[hugh flung_dung]

Look around for an ex-RAF Mk4 helmet. You can buy an adapter but I replaced the dynamic microphones (on both the boom and oxy-mask) with electrets and put variable resistors in the earcups - quite easy to do and means it works with GA radios without any external gizzmos, plus can easily be reverted for mil types.
Whichever type you opt for remember to have a quick disconnect near the helmet if you wear a parachute!

HFD

[Pitts2112]

Have you tried Flightsuits in California? Something must have changed if they're taking 6 months to deliver.

'Course, with the way this weather's been going, it'll be 6 months before the country is dry enough to taxi on. Think about some scuba gear in the meantime!

[TheOddOne]

'Course, with the way this weather's been going, it'll be 6 months before the country is dry enough to taxi on.

There was an Extra cavorting in fine style yesterday whilst we were doing air exercises North of Aylesbury, might have been an a/c with lots of 'I's in the reg...

You CAN have days like this in January, absolutely beautiful, unlimited viz and no cloud, you just need to be in a position to take advantage of them.

I know a certain experienced aerobatic instructor who made adaptations to some cycling helmets very successfully, light, keep you conscious if you bash your head on the canopy, the headset fits round them OK. Less than £100 a pair, I believe.

TheOddOne

[SNS3Guppy]

If you're looking for a soft helmet to keep your headset in place, then you certainly don't need to wait six months. Numerous cloth and leather flying helmts are available, the primary use of which is to retain your headset (David Clark type) on your head during maneuvers. Cloth or leather helmets are fairly inexpensive, and you won't be waiting when you order. Try Chief's at http://www.chiefaircraft.com/airsec/Aircraft/Headsets/FlightHelmets.html.

For leather, you might try Perrone Leather at http://perroneapparel.com/store/helmets.htm

You can also get the David Clark conversion hard helmet that works with a headset. Try http://www.chiefaircraft.com/cgi-bin/air/hazel.cgi/hzpi/u/HzSt020362yZ1JL5Ah/hazel.cgi?action=serve&item=/Aircraft/Headsets/CrashHelmet.html

If you're looking for a protective type helmet, then you should be able to get one immediately from a number of suppliers. Six months...no. However, they're going to cost.

I use the HGU-55/P type helmet, which is a lightweight Gentex model. Because of the high potential for the use of that helmet, I elected to go with Kevlar instead of the traditional fiberglass. The cost was higher, but it also vastly increases protetion from penetration through the helmet shell. I also elected to go with a leather interior using temperature sensitive foam, which makes for a much more comfortable helmet...an important consideration when you're wearing it for many hours each day. I also went with earcups with the oregon aero foam hush kit and leather earseals. You can get the typical helmets with the standard "elephant ear" interior which cost less, but the earcups provide better audio in my opinion.

How much you're willing to spend on the helmet makes a big difference. Mine was eight hundred or so, but I got a good deal because it came in bright yellow as an extra on a run made for a boat racing team...it was a clearance item. You can find the clearance items at Flight Suits Unlimited at http://www.flightsuits.com/clear_helmets.html. You can get the helmet in a few days, if you want.

If you just want a hard helmet, you can get a motorcycle helmet, though don't depend on it for much comfort or protection, or necessarilly a proper fit and field of vision for flying.

You can also get used helmets and have them refurbished, if you like.

If you want a less expensive rebuilt military type helmet, you could try Government Sales at http://www.aviationhelmets.com/helmet5.htm. Again, you're not going to need to wait six months.

Unless you're going with a close-fitting helicopter helmet like the HGU-84, I'd stay away from helicopter helmets. They tend to be heavier, loser fitting, and not compatible with fixed wing use. The SPH type helicopter helmets tend to be a little cooler on your head, but they're not as snug, and if you're flying something with a narrow canopy, they tend to be wider and bulkier.

[Pitts2112]

Guppy's advice is pretty comprehensive and, had I the cash at the time, I'd have gone for the options he mentions on the -55, especially the ear cups. The one downfall of the -55 is that it has very little noise attenuation, to the point where I fly with earplugs now.

I would only add a caution on the idea of buying a second hand helmet. You never know what's happened to the helmet and if it's been dropped it may be useless, but you'll never know that just by looking at the surface.

[eharding]

Guppy,

I bought a custom-fit HGU55 from Flightsuits 3 years ago, and even back then there was a 6 week delay getting an export licence to the UK - Lord knows why - and my understanding Flightsuits had effectively withdrawn from the export business, leaving local dealers to deal with the export bollocks.

Agree re: the Oregon Aero kit - better than the stock Gentex liners and earcups. The only benefit of having a custom fit Gentex is having the edge-roll fit the face - liners and ear-cups need some time to adjust and get comfortable with, and you can do that yourself for free.

The DC helmets are better than nothing, but outrageously expensive for what they are. They move around to an extent in even moderately robust aeros to prove a bit of a liability. I suspect the nape protection device on the DCs might just ensure you break your neck in an accident - I note Gentex go out of their way to *remove* the coverage of the helmet in that area. Perhaps DC thought the target market were Cub drivers, for whom being hit in the back of the head by faster traffic, birds, large insects and buildings conveyed by continental drift are a major concern.

Edited;

Pitts 2112 :Pitts plus an HGU55 = http://www.cep-usa.com - or you can go deaf for free...

[SNS3Guppy]

I don't use any sound protection in the helmet; it's just not necessary. It provides more sound attenuation than a regular headset; almost too much in my opinion.

The HGU-55/P might have some delay due to it being a current-isssue military item, but I wouldn't think so. Especially if you're buying a clearance item that's ready to go.

Gentex doesn't remove nape protection; they relieve the helmet there to ensure it doesn't get in your way when you're moving your head, looking for traffic maneuvering, etc. The nape strap is a critical piece of equipment that prevents loss of the helmet during violence, and also service as protection.

Note that the 55P wasn't designed as a crash helmet; it's primarily intended for high speed aircraft in which an ejection in flight is a possibility.

[Mak]

Hi all,

thanks for the pointers. My first choice was the Gentex 55 but accoridng to the suppliers the US govt has priority in the orders and with so much war going on they're also running out of base materials, hence the 6+ months delivery time. May just bite the bullet and go for the alpha eagle. Twice as expensive though :(((