Helmet pigtail adaptor?
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Helmet pigtail adaptor?
Hi there,
One of the guys at my flying club has asked if its possible to buy an adaptor for a flying helmet pigtail to fit into a standard light aircraft PPL socket? He also has a share in a JP so wants to use the helmet in the JP and the light aircraft. Ive searched the internet for him but to no solution. Does anyone have any ideas?? Thanks
One of the guys at my flying club has asked if its possible to buy an adaptor for a flying helmet pigtail to fit into a standard light aircraft PPL socket? He also has a share in a JP so wants to use the helmet in the JP and the light aircraft. Ive searched the internet for him but to no solution. Does anyone have any ideas?? Thanks
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Yes, adapters are available commercially, or one can make an adapter for very little using commercial plugs and wire.
You'll also need a different microphone, depending on what is presently installed.
Headset Adapters - Headset Adapters - Communication - Marv Golden Pilot Supplies
Flying around doing general aviation type recreational flying, with a helmet may look a little goofy.
You'll also need a different microphone, depending on what is presently installed.
Headset Adapters - Headset Adapters - Communication - Marv Golden Pilot Supplies
Flying around doing general aviation type recreational flying, with a helmet may look a little goofy.
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Adams Aviation at Croydon (formerley at Biggin Hill) stock all of the headset adaptors. If using a military headset with standard EM mic in a light aircraft, you'll need an EMCC adaptor which will amplify the mic output t0 Carbon-equivalent level for the standard light aircraft intercom and radios.
Avoid imitations
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Easy enough in UK. Transair Catalogue - look under "Headsets and accessories" 
Here you go
UK Nato to Twin Plug Adaptor (Military) - Adaptors - Pilot Warehouse/ASCO
By the way, some might think it "Goofy" but you would find a forced-landing far more survivable with a bone dome and a decent harness in a GA aircraft.
iRaven
UK Nato to Twin Plug Adaptor (Military) - Adaptors - Pilot Warehouse/ASCO
By the way, some might think it "Goofy" but you would find a forced-landing far more survivable with a bone dome and a decent harness in a GA aircraft.
iRaven
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Ever made one?
I have, both with a helmet and without.
Time to change that mindset; no more hot seat. Plan your flight such that you can always make a forced landing. This becomes a regular landing, and therefore not such an exciting event.
What's the difference between landing on a runway, and a road?
None.
What's the difference between landing on a grass runway and a football field? Not much.
Get a descent GA headset if one is flying general aviation. Save the helmet for cropdusting and firefighting.
I have, both with a helmet and without.
Time to change that mindset; no more hot seat. Plan your flight such that you can always make a forced landing. This becomes a regular landing, and therefore not such an exciting event.
What's the difference between landing on a runway, and a road?
None.
What's the difference between landing on a grass runway and a football field? Not much.
Get a descent GA headset if one is flying general aviation. Save the helmet for cropdusting and firefighting.
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Au Contraire, I would suggest that risk of injury (to head/face) could be avoided by the use of helmets. Take a look at these:
And most will have remembered this in the UK:
Mr Nigel Farage MEP had a very lucky escape in this aircraft without a helmet.
I guess we used to argue the same for motorcycle helmets in the 1970s and just look at how many lives they saved after they were made a legal requirement.
Here's a good statistic from the US of A:
"In 2006, 65% of fatally injured motorcycle riders were not wearing a helmet in states without all-rider helmet laws, compared with only 13% in states with all-rider helmet laws. (NHTSA, 2007)"
The Maths, or Math (for Americans!), is pretty compelling.
iRaven
And most will have remembered this in the UK:
Mr Nigel Farage MEP had a very lucky escape in this aircraft without a helmet.
I guess we used to argue the same for motorcycle helmets in the 1970s and just look at how many lives they saved after they were made a legal requirement.
Here's a good statistic from the US of A:
"In 2006, 65% of fatally injured motorcycle riders were not wearing a helmet in states without all-rider helmet laws, compared with only 13% in states with all-rider helmet laws. (NHTSA, 2007)"
The Maths, or Math (for Americans!), is pretty compelling.
iRaven
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I would suggest that risk of injury (to head/face) could be avoided by the use of helmets.
I'll take that as a "no," then; that you have no experience with off-field landings in general aviation airplanes.
Here's a quote from the Introduction of a FAA report (http://www.faa.gov/library/reports/m...ia/AM66-12.pdf)
In 2007 there were 42 fatalities in the UK. I for one would like to see 30 aviators still alive today from the 2007 figures alone...
LJ
Many accident investigators have reported that 70% to 80% of all deaths and injuries in crash decelerations are from face or head injuries, or both, caused by body flailing.
LJ
SNS3Guppy
I have nearly 300hrs in SE(P)s and about 2500hrs as a Mil Aviator and luckily have never had to make a forced landing. When I flew kitbuild PFA/LAA types (what you call "Experimental") I would wear a helmet and also when spinning in civvy Aerobats/Chipmunks (plus chute).
Would I wear a helmet for every trip and every GA type? At present "no" because of the peer pressure coming from the GA community like yours - but in reality I believe I should. I take enough banter for wearing leather flying gloves and a Nomex jacket from a selection of GA aviators - with all that 100 Octane sloshing around I have no idea why!!!
I think it is high-time for us GA pilots to learn from the safety equipment supplied to Military Aviators - helmets, life jackets, flame retardent clothing, chutes and gloves.
I really do believe the motorcycle helmet analogy is a good one - we took this on in the Uk and saved lives and some States in the US have ignored at their bike-riding populace's peril (and death).
iRaven
I have nearly 300hrs in SE(P)s and about 2500hrs as a Mil Aviator and luckily have never had to make a forced landing. When I flew kitbuild PFA/LAA types (what you call "Experimental") I would wear a helmet and also when spinning in civvy Aerobats/Chipmunks (plus chute).
Would I wear a helmet for every trip and every GA type? At present "no" because of the peer pressure coming from the GA community like yours - but in reality I believe I should. I take enough banter for wearing leather flying gloves and a Nomex jacket from a selection of GA aviators - with all that 100 Octane sloshing around I have no idea why!!!
I think it is high-time for us GA pilots to learn from the safety equipment supplied to Military Aviators - helmets, life jackets, flame retardent clothing, chutes and gloves.
I really do believe the motorcycle helmet analogy is a good one - we took this on in the Uk and saved lives and some States in the US have ignored at their bike-riding populace's peril (and death).
iRaven
iRaven,
I'm with you on this. Having only been in one GA accident I was grateful for my helmet. Whereas in military flying I've had enough birdstrikes and rather severe turbulence helmet to canopy strikes it was a thousand times safer than without. I've observed (and briefed) many GA friends on their poor choice of flying clothing, especially that which melts!
I'm with you on this. Having only been in one GA accident I was grateful for my helmet. Whereas in military flying I've had enough birdstrikes and rather severe turbulence helmet to canopy strikes it was a thousand times safer than without. I've observed (and briefed) many GA friends on their poor choice of flying clothing, especially that which melts!
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Wow. Three hundred hours.
It's peer pressure that's keeping you from acting safely (as you see it), then? Do you only cave in to peer pressure in civil aircraft, or do you do this in military operations, too?
There's nothing wrong with wearing nomex. Even if you don't, cotton clothing, or no-melt clothing is still preferable. Frankly, I prefer to see fire resistant clothing worn around aircraft, and nomex jackets are somewhat of a fashion statement, even among the general aviation population. In fact, I see a lot of private pilots wearing faux-nomex jackets, ironically made of (you guessed it) nylon. Just to look like they're wearing a nomex jacket. Go figure.
Jumping in your Cessna 172 with a helmet on...makes you a geek.
Jumping in your 172 with a flight suit on...makes you a geek.
Jumping in your 172 with flight gloves and helmet and flight suit makes you a candidate for internet laughing stock of the year. But don't let that deter you.
Make sure you adorn your jacket, flight suit, and helmet with patches depicting skulls with swords through them and testosterone-inflamed regalia best befitting a 20 year old. Don't forget the goggles and silk scarf.
100 octane sloshing around: how terrifying!
In truth, there are places in general aviation for wearing a helmet, nomex, and even flight gloves. And parachutes, too. (I ensure I'm wearing one every time I climb out of an airplane in flight: it's been a very successful policy thus far). I wear a helmet, leather boots, flight gloves, and a flight suit when performing low altitude work. I wear a helmet when I'm riding a motorcycle. I don't wear a helmet when flying a Cessna 210 or 421, or King Air, or Learjet or a 747. Then again, neither does the military.
What is it when swapping to a Cessna 120, or Citabria, or Cherokee, that would inspire one to don a helmet, when one doesn't wear it in most civil aircraft (or comparable military aircraft)?
Helmets are hot and cumbersome. I use a Gentex HGU-55P, with a kevlar upgrade. It's got a custom temperfoam liner, upgraded from the standard TPL. It molds to my head each time I put it on. It's got top grade electronics. It's also a lot less comfortable than a headset. While I'm required to wear it for certain low-level operations (and it's a darn good idea in those cases, regulations and policies not withstanding), it tends to detract from safety and is unnecessary for most light-airplane, general aviation operations.
In the majority of general aviation aircraft, even when the same aircraft are operated by a branch of the military, helmets are not worn. Most of the time, neither are parachutes.
If you think that wearing a parachute, helmet, leather boots, flight gloves, and a flight suit (don't forget the jacket!) in your piper or cessna for that saturday-afternoon jaunt, by all means, have at it. Remember, safety first, and at 300 whopping hours, you're in an excellent position to advise everyone else regarding safety in general aviation airplanes. Don't back down.
Would I wear a helmet for every trip and every GA type? At present "no" because of the peer pressure coming from the GA community like yours - but in reality I believe I should. I take enough banter for wearing leather flying gloves and a Nomex jacket from a selection of GA aviators - with all that 100 Octane sloshing around I have no idea why!!!
There's nothing wrong with wearing nomex. Even if you don't, cotton clothing, or no-melt clothing is still preferable. Frankly, I prefer to see fire resistant clothing worn around aircraft, and nomex jackets are somewhat of a fashion statement, even among the general aviation population. In fact, I see a lot of private pilots wearing faux-nomex jackets, ironically made of (you guessed it) nylon. Just to look like they're wearing a nomex jacket. Go figure.
Jumping in your Cessna 172 with a helmet on...makes you a geek.
Jumping in your 172 with a flight suit on...makes you a geek.
Jumping in your 172 with flight gloves and helmet and flight suit makes you a candidate for internet laughing stock of the year. But don't let that deter you.
Make sure you adorn your jacket, flight suit, and helmet with patches depicting skulls with swords through them and testosterone-inflamed regalia best befitting a 20 year old. Don't forget the goggles and silk scarf.
100 octane sloshing around: how terrifying!
In truth, there are places in general aviation for wearing a helmet, nomex, and even flight gloves. And parachutes, too. (I ensure I'm wearing one every time I climb out of an airplane in flight: it's been a very successful policy thus far). I wear a helmet, leather boots, flight gloves, and a flight suit when performing low altitude work. I wear a helmet when I'm riding a motorcycle. I don't wear a helmet when flying a Cessna 210 or 421, or King Air, or Learjet or a 747. Then again, neither does the military.
What is it when swapping to a Cessna 120, or Citabria, or Cherokee, that would inspire one to don a helmet, when one doesn't wear it in most civil aircraft (or comparable military aircraft)?
Helmets are hot and cumbersome. I use a Gentex HGU-55P, with a kevlar upgrade. It's got a custom temperfoam liner, upgraded from the standard TPL. It molds to my head each time I put it on. It's got top grade electronics. It's also a lot less comfortable than a headset. While I'm required to wear it for certain low-level operations (and it's a darn good idea in those cases, regulations and policies not withstanding), it tends to detract from safety and is unnecessary for most light-airplane, general aviation operations.
In the majority of general aviation aircraft, even when the same aircraft are operated by a branch of the military, helmets are not worn. Most of the time, neither are parachutes.
If you think that wearing a parachute, helmet, leather boots, flight gloves, and a flight suit (don't forget the jacket!) in your piper or cessna for that saturday-afternoon jaunt, by all means, have at it. Remember, safety first, and at 300 whopping hours, you're in an excellent position to advise everyone else regarding safety in general aviation airplanes. Don't back down.
SNS3Guppy
With comments like:
You have just proven iRaven's point on "peer pressure". With people like you spouting such "tosh" in aviation circles is it surprising why General Aviation has such a bad reputation with respect to fatality?
I would suggest that a safe aviation culture encourages opinions of all its pilots and crew - not "how many hours have you got son? 300!!! Well you don't have a speaking chit!". Anyway, 300 civ plus 2500 mil makes for an experienced aviator in my mind!!!
For what it's worth, if the stats are true (70-80%), then a light weight helmet for light aircraft (akin to that worn my microlight flyers) should be positively encouraged - in that case, it would be you that I would not care to hear the opinion from.
Finally, if you want to see how terrifying 100LL can be I'm sure it can be arranged
The B Word
With comments like:
Wow. Three hundred hours.
Jumping in your Cessna 172 with a helmet on...makes you a geek.
Jumping in your 172 with a flight suit on...makes you a geek.
100 octane sloshing around: how terrifying!
I would suggest that a safe aviation culture encourages opinions of all its pilots and crew - not "how many hours have you got son? 300!!! Well you don't have a speaking chit!". Anyway, 300 civ plus 2500 mil makes for an experienced aviator in my mind!!!
For what it's worth, if the stats are true (70-80%), then a light weight helmet for light aircraft (akin to that worn my microlight flyers) should be positively encouraged - in that case, it would be you that I would not care to hear the opinion from.
Finally, if you want to see how terrifying 100LL can be I'm sure it can be arranged
The B Word
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Leaving the sarcasm to one side for a brief moment...............
Will one of the cables be enough to bridge a Mk 4 helmet into a light aircraft, or would you need what appears to be one of the more elaborate adaptors to convert the signal from a mk 4 helmet with boom mike into a GA radio?
Thanks
Will one of the cables be enough to bridge a Mk 4 helmet into a light aircraft, or would you need what appears to be one of the more elaborate adaptors to convert the signal from a mk 4 helmet with boom mike into a GA radio?
Thanks
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For the Mk4 to civvie light aircraft with standard radios use, you need the amplifier as well as plug conversion, so from Adams, it will be part number: EMCC-NSTP.
There are some civvie radios (primarily Becker) that can run EM or Carbon mics dependant on wiring, but all American radios - Garmin, Bendix-King, Narco etc use carbon-level mics, so require the amplifier.
There are some civvie radios (primarily Becker) that can run EM or Carbon mics dependant on wiring, but all American radios - Garmin, Bendix-King, Narco etc use carbon-level mics, so require the amplifier.
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I would suggest that a safe aviation culture encourages opinions of all its pilots and crew - not "how many hours have you got son? 300!!! Well you don't have a speaking chit!". Anyway, 300 civ plus 2500 mil makes for an experienced aviator in my mind!!!
Certainly your opinion is to be encouraged. If you're in the belief that you should wear a parachute, nomex jacket, flight suit, leather boots, flight gloves, and a helmet when flying a Cessna 172, then you should do so. If you're deterred by "peer pressure," then it's your judgement that must be questioned.
Don't blame your "peers" for your decision. If you think you need all that kit, then by all means, load up. If you can't stick to your guns because of comments of those you deem your "peers," then you have a much bigger problem than protecting your noggin or keeping from roasting your flesh.
Do you refuse your seatbelt in the car, because others aren't wearing theirs? Do you jump off the bridge because others are jumping? Especially at 2,800 hours, you should know better than to do something because you think it's what others might want to see. You should know enough to do something because you believe it's right, regardless of what anyone else will tell you.
With people like you spouting such "tosh" in aviation circles is it surprising why General Aviation has such a bad reputation with respect to fatality?
General aviation doesn't have a "bad reputation." Check your perception.
For what it's worth, if the stats are true (70-80%), then a light weight helmet for light aircraft (akin to that worn my microlight flyers) should be positively encouraged - in that case, it would be you that I would not care to hear the opinion from.
I would suggest that a safe aviation culture encourages opinions of all its pilots and crew - not "how many hours have you got son? 300!!! Well you don't have a speaking chit!".
Nobody ever said that with your 300 hours, you don't have a "speaking chit." Then again, nobody needs a "chit" to speak.
Without any experience landing off field, you can speak from guesswork, however, rather than a position of experience, and even with the massive, whopping 300 hours of general aviation experience, added to those 2,800 hours of military experience, that still makes you a zero off-field landing aviator. But at least you've got a "chit."
I was part of an operation to recover the bodies of two F4 drivers who killed themselves in a light piper some years ago. They apparently tried to outclimb a mountain, in a snow-filled canyon, and discovered that the luxurious performance to which they were accustomed wasn't available; one had to actually fly the airplane rather than depend on raw power and seats for salvation. Being an "experienced military aviator" meant exactly squat as they struck the mountainside.
Out of curiosity, how many 100LL fires have you handled in light airplanes? If you're worrying about 100LL, don't you think hydrazine, skydrol, and numerous other hazardous materials and propellants and explosives in military operations pose a significantly higher risk. It's nearly comical to worry about 100LL. We used to drain 100LL out of the airplane to wash engines every day, spraying it on with a garden sprayer. Are you envisioning general aviation airplanes exploding in flight and catching fire at the drop of the proverbial hat? Come now, let's be realistic.
Will one of the cables be enough to bridge a Mk 4 helmet into a light aircraft, or would you need what appears to be one of the more elaborate adaptors to convert the signal from a mk 4 helmet with boom mike into a GA radio?
Some helmets use a very small pigtail; ensure you have enough cable available to reach the radio plug in for the airplane you intend to use. Extensions and adapters with extra length are available.
There are some civvie radios (primarily Becker) that can run EM or Carbon mics dependant on wiring, but all American radios - Garmin, Bendix-King, Narco etc use carbon-level mics, so require the amplifier.
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An electret microphone (or an amplified-dynamic mic) is a carbon-level microphone as I've stated - it outputs a typical carbon-mic equivalent signal of 250-275mV, whereas a standard military EM mic puts out 5mV. The electret mic uses the same excitation voltage to run the pre-amp as the carbon mic uses to polarise the carbon capsule.
Gentleman Aviator
At the risk of endangering what remains of my incognito, I'll tell you a tale O best beloveds.
Many many years ago, I was flying Hueys for a foreign Air Force. The pilots were a motley bunch, and many favoured the "headset and desert boots" look. I still wore my (Mk 3 in them days) helmet, causing occasional derision, chaff and banter.
Come the day of a severe control malfunction, I hit the ground (side of a mountain actually) much much harder than intended, and the Huey rolled over a couple of times before stopping. I survived to fight another day, but with a grapefruit sized hole you could put yer fist through in the side of the trusty Mk3. (Caused, we think, by the rotor brake reservoir when the cab sort of folded up). Guess where said grapefruit sized hole could have been....
.... and strangely, more people wore "bone-domes" after that .......
Great fan of helmets, me.
Many many years ago, I was flying Hueys for a foreign Air Force. The pilots were a motley bunch, and many favoured the "headset and desert boots" look. I still wore my (Mk 3 in them days) helmet, causing occasional derision, chaff and banter.
Come the day of a severe control malfunction, I hit the ground (side of a mountain actually) much much harder than intended, and the Huey rolled over a couple of times before stopping. I survived to fight another day, but with a grapefruit sized hole you could put yer fist through in the side of the trusty Mk3. (Caused, we think, by the rotor brake reservoir when the cab sort of folded up). Guess where said grapefruit sized hole could have been....
.... and strangely, more people wore "bone-domes" after that .......
Great fan of helmets, me.