Which helmet?

[EI_Sparks]

Hmm. After reading the various clothing/shoulderboards/helmets threads, I've come to a conclusion. If I'm going to be sitting in a 30-40 year old airplane made of aluminium (knowing what even I know about metal fatigue and student landings :eek: ) with a fair few gallons of fuel above and to either side of my ears, I'm going to happily accept the snigering of the spotty 18-year-old airport kid and wear a nomex flightsuit and nomex gloves, no matter how silly I look in a C150. Now these are easy to choose - something without those silly-looking patches everywhere (though maybe keep the nametag so they know which bit of well-done hamburger was me before I made a hames of the landing) and which fits me instead of gently billowing about me like an oversized postal sack. :)

What is a more difficult choice is what helmet to look at. (Right, I'm going to ensure I don't burn to death, just so I can enjoy the wonderful sensations of having a sparrow go through the windshield, my face and the headrest, or the ignominity of a fractured skull and altimeter-shaped forehead depression after I make a landing that necessitates adding a "gear down" check to a C150's landing checklist:rolleyes: ).
So the question is (he said, finally stopping his babbling and getting to the point):

What helmet do you use or recommend for fixed-wing GA use?

I mean, the LA100 looks good, but is it to a proper helmet what a RAV4 is to a landrover? Does the David Clark Headset kit actually work as a helmet, or would you have the interesting sight of it going *sproing* and leaping clear of your head just before you wallop your cranium on the door pillar? And what about options like amber-tinted screens? A waste of money or somewhat useful? And what about the headset underneath?

[Romeo Romeo]

A good question - no doubt you'll be flamed for being a big-girl's blouse and asking about helmets for C150's, but I don't cycle anywhere without a helmet (and that's at an altitude of 1 ft and an groundspeed of 10 kts), so why do I go flying without one? Police helicopter pilots always wear them so why shouldn't we?

So, who knows anything about them?

[maggioneato]

You are right of course to think about protecting your head, as long as you can take all the silly comments and micky taking. I know someone who paid over £600 for a bone dome to fly as a student in a C150, it has now been abandoned after all that cash being spent.

[stiknruda]

I use a David Clarke's helmet in the Pitts. The instrument panel is full of sharp protrusions that would easily break facial bones and skull if one were to impact it in a bad landing!

Of two Pitts crashes that I have first hand knowledge of, the first chap fractured his skull and the altimeter setting knob penetrated his forehead. He died.

The second fractured all the bones in his face and broke his jaw after "kissing" the instrument panel. He survived but is brain damaged. Neither were wearing helmets.

The helmet might just lessen those injuries in a similar situation.

Go to any aerobatic comp and the majority of competitors wear some form of head protection.

Sometimes for convenience I've used the helmet in other aeroplanes instead of a spare pair of DC's but it is never worried me how "silly it might look". many say that I look silly enough without anu additional paraphenalia. :D :D



Stik

[Romeo Romeo]

But how effective at the DC helmets? Have they been independently certified? Is there a BS or ANSI standard which you should look for?

[GRP]

I thought helmets were probably a bit over the top until I read...

http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/bulletin/jul02/gavlr.htm

Now I'm not so sure!

[stiknruda]

RR asks how effective - what standard is the DC skid lid?

Dunno - all I do know is that in my above post that in scenario #2 the rear seater wore one and had very limited facial/cranial injuries. He still broke his spine, punctured a lung and ruptured his spleen but is now back to work doing what ATPLs do best; cue airline jokes.

The head to panel space in the back is probably at most 2" further away.

I don't get too hung up on BSI/ANSII whatever - if I think it will work for me I'll give it a punt, if it doesn't I shan't be queuing up to sue.

The nanny state mentality frightens me more than a cross-over spin.


Stik

[Canadian Luscombe]

I have one of these beauties, made in NZ: www.campbellaeroclassics.com/

Truly it is a work of art, as advertised on their website. The avionics work well, at least in the helmet that I own. :)

If I have any complaints, it is only that it is too hot for the summer; but I suspect that that would apply to most helmets.

I freely concede that these helmets are silly to wear in a spam can, but there's a bit of Walter Mitty in most of us! :D :D :D

[Wide-Body]

EI_Sparkes, To directly reply to your question. I use a Gentex hgu-55. Lightweight, kevlar. I use it in the chipmunk and Harvard. Read the caa info on helmets (believe it's a pink aic). It makes sombre reading. UK ALPHA is an excellent helmet but a little heavier. Don’t normally wear a helmet in a Spam can (perhaps I should). Available from www.flightsuits.com or from headset Services at Shoreham.
Safe Flying

Wide:cool:

[Lowtimer]

EI_Sparkes,

While I would never try to force anyone to wear a helmet against their will, this is entirely for you to decide, and if anyone sneers at you wearing a helmet, even in a PA-28 or Cessna, that's their problem not yours. Reminds me of an earlier generation that sneered at people wearing seat belts in cars. "Best to be thrown clear, old boy"

Stik -

Is there any way of fitting a liftable visor to the DC helmet? Especially a dark tinted one, for those days when it's gloomy when you set off, and suddenly bright sun en route... a prescription specs wearer like myself has no chance of swapping to the prescription shades while wearing a helmet.

[stiknruda]

lowtimer,

I don't think that there is a visor attachment available.

I use shades when it's sunny and am able to put them on/take them off in flight without too many difficulties.

Stik

[EI_Sparks]

Lowtimer:
Amen to that. Besides, anyone who knows me knows I don't need a helmet and growbag to look silly, I manage that quite well all on my own. They also know I'm about as lucky as a damp lemming :)

Besides, they can guffaw all they want ... I will be going flying
:cool:

[Hairyplane]

Ok, so there you are in your C150 - helmet, gloves, nomex suit and surely a nice pair of genuine RAF boots - Irvin or 'Sage Green' too??

What does your passenger think?

You might be immune to the s******s and the wxxxxr gesticulations behind your back but they just might notice and worry about the 'Walter' they are flying with.

So - do you get a full set in various sizes for them too?

Life is full of risks - I agree that you should minimize them. You can do this by flying sensibly, keep current and avoid bad weather.

Helmets and suits are OK for the right machine - where the risks are higher i.e. air displays and aerobatics.

Why not wear a full 'Damon Hill' in your Skoda when you go shopping?

If you do wear the full bxllxxxs in your Cessna, please come over to Turweston for a photo - I'm sure somebody will print it.

Please, please round it off with just a few badges and at least one set of wings.

[EI_Sparks]

Hairy-
Actually, I was just thinking of a pair of sneakers. Or do RAF boots have fire-resistant properties? Maybe I can just get some nomex socks.... :)

As to passangers:
1) Most of my friends are scared of heights and wouldn't go flying without being handcuffed to the airframe;
2) Most of my friends like these funky things called seatbelts, crumple zones and airbags
3) It's my head. If I get rich and buy/make my own plane, I'll get a second helmet and (enormous) growbag. If not, well, erm. I'll assure them that if a puzzled seagull hits the windscreen, I'll still be able to see and land the plane as opposed to being unconcious in the seat with a seagull's tailfeathers protruding from my forehead.

Flying sensibly ... always a good idea. Not perfect in that, as an engineer, I've never heard of a perfectly reliable machine, but still not a course of action to rubbish. I just happen to think birdstrike is a valid worry when few GA pilots get above 10000ft and most get over 100mph. Maybe in a Cub, the poor confused seagull would bounce - but I'd rather have the full kit then anyway after the reports on cub stall/spin accidents. And last I checked, military and ems pilots can wear protective gear and still fly sensibly. Having a helmet on doesn't really act as an encouragement to spin into the ground from 800' up...


As to the driving bit - to be honest, I'd prefer to have a helmet for my car, but I drive a citroen ZX :rolleyes: Those of you who drive one know what I mean :) And look at most bikers - they wear full leather/kevlar/steel getups with a helmet on top. Most modern cars are so complex because they are effectively designing the car as being your integral helmet/growbag.

And I hereby promise that when I get the full kit (those LH050's are sodding expensive!), I will get into a C150 (even though I'm still hunting down a J-3 to train in) and get my photo taken and I'll put it on the web for one and all to laugh at.
:p

BTW, you can get civilian nomex suits in colours other than that ichy-looking sage green :)
I think that puce might look fetching ... :p

[EI_Sparks]

On a more data-driven note, I was wondering how bad the birdstrike problem actually was, so I went here:
http://www.lrbcg.com/nwrcsandusky/Strike.html

2,500 incidents per year in the US. Happily, most cause no damage (other than a dented wing I guess). But most strikes happen in daytime during takeoff or landing - so even circuits in a C150 aren't immune.

[LowNSlow]

EI_S Great site! It's refreshing to know that alligators, yes alligators were involved in more aircraft strikes than armadillos! :eek: :eek:

Makes being carved up on the approach much more palatable. Call me a nancy boy but I don't like shooing animals with more teeth than me away from my airyplane :D

[Genghis the Engineer]

I'm not sure even I'd go as far as wearing a helmet in a C150, but I'll not criticise you for doing so. Before you spend any money however, check you actually have any headroom with an electric hat on - unless you are as short as I or Whirlybird, you may struggle.

Apart from the rather gash thing DC sell, three UK companies make 2-part headset/helmet systems for microlight use. These are Communica, Lynx and Airzone. All of these will go over pretty much any headset, all have the option of removable visors, and they're all pretty comfortable. I'd suggest looking at Lynx first, which are reputed to be the strongest.

Visors make sense, since your eyes are rather more sensitive than your skull. But, they do look a bit daft in an enclosed cockpit (not, I hasten to add, that has ever worried the RAF, who's sartiorial elegance is only ever criticised by the army and navy). But, you might like to consider that any optician will happily make "workshop" strengthened glasses up for you, if you don't wear glasses already, I've no doubt they can make you up a nice set of aviator shades, which are at-least as proof against flying debris as a helmet visor.

G

[GRP]

Started wearing a helmet to ski this year. I felt a bit of a prat at first to be honest, but having had a few head knocks in the past and seen others suffering worse, decided that I'd just get on with it. I've not bumped my head since, but I do feel safer now with it on. I expected a load of funny looks, but apart from those I probably get behind my back I've not suffered any humiliation yet!

In the aircraft, I'm considering getting one for use on water crossings with my children on board. For me... not the children!
The thought is that I sort of owe it to them to make sure if we do ditch that their only hope of getting out hasn't gone and knocked himself out! If one of them is knocked out, I can help them. If it's me we are all doomed!!

Having said that I'd probably keep the thing hidden in the aircraft and stick it on once airborne!!

[TheAerosCo]

I have used a DC helmet for a number of years in a variety of (aerobatic) aircraft. The advantage over the other types that I tried at the time is that it is smaller and lighter; I guess that that is also its disadvantage in a crash situation. The chin strap is not the best, but there has been no evidence of ithe helmet moving around even during extreme aeros - so perhaps it really would stay on in an impact. I seem to recall you can get a visor for it, but have never seen one. Certainly it is feasible wearing specs with the helmet.

[big pistons forever]

I wear a nomex suit , gloves, leather boots, and a excellent custom HGU 55 helmet when flying high performance aircraft, like the T-28. I don't wear anything special in light aircraft. Personnally I do not think the danger justifies the requirement. However I always wear a shoulder harness which I have properly adjusted, and wear , not just carry, a life preserver when flying over water. When you look at the accident statistics , the lack of both measures has been named as a contributing factor in many fatal accidents. I would recommend you spend your money on recurrent training. The flying school I used to teach in, had a mandatory annual recurrent training program. Over 3 yrs and many recurrent rides I NEVER HAD a PPL who made a good practice force landing the first try, and many who totally missed the field.