Protecting one's bonce
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I've sent a mail to Government Sales Inc. for a quote. If they can still ship them to the UK for under a grand in that configuration, and it's not gonna take 3 months then I think I might go with that. Any idea what the duty rate is? Otherwise the Clarity Aloft may have to do for now. Looks from this video though like the Clarity Aloft has a flimsy mic-boom!
I'll look into this, but it sounds like I'd need to do some of the leg work to get CEP in it and a visor. Sounds like the cheapest option though.
Certainly worth giving Peltor a ring.
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The Peltor examples I've seen come fitted with snap-connectors to take the stock HGU-55 bungee visors, which are fairly easy and cheap to obtain. The CEP would be easier to fit at the stage they put the comms wiring into the helmet, so might be an idea to see if they could fit it for you.
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The issue with the Clarity Aloft is that you have to remove the earpieces by pulling gently on the wires. After a while the wire breaks internally and the earpiece stops working. This happens even if you are very gentle.
The only solution then is to send them back for repair. I have broken 3 sets over 7-8 yrs. Two were replaced free under warrantee and one was charged for.
Apart from this, they are the best solution for a noisy aerobatic aircraft that I have come across.
The only solution then is to send them back for repair. I have broken 3 sets over 7-8 yrs. Two were replaced free under warrantee and one was charged for.
Apart from this, they are the best solution for a noisy aerobatic aircraft that I have come across.
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Government Sales Inc. do still ship to the UK, at an estimated cost of $55. A fully fit HGU55/P is $685 (+$100 for kevlar) and an installed CEP kit costs $175. Still not sure on the import duty, but I expect a delivered helmet would be around £700-800.
Haven't heard back from Peltor yet...
Haven't heard back from Peltor yet...
A little less conversation,
a little more aviation...
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Government Sales Inc. do still ship to the UK, at an estimated cost of $55. A fully fit HGU55/P is $685 (+$100 for kevlar) and an installed CEP kit costs $175. Still not sure on the import duty, but I expect a delivered helmet would be around £700-800.
Haven't heard back from Peltor yet...
Haven't heard back from Peltor yet...
Also worth asking if they can custom-fit the edge-roll for you - FlightSuits used to be able to do it if you sent them some basic measurements of your face (they used to have a process where by they sent you a kit to make a wax mould of your head, which you sent back to them. The moulds invariably broke in transit, so they gave up on the idea). The rest of the sizing for a custom fit involves different layers in the liners, but in my case I ended up ditching the stock Gentex liner and going with the Oregon Aero parts, which - at least back then - were far better than the Gentex ones. The part which really needs to be right at the time of manufacture is the edge-roll sizing.
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I bought a couple a few years back. Outrageously overpriced - even in a market segment where overpricing is the norm - for what they are.
The nape attachment does appear designed to sever your neck in the event of an accident, and they move around enough in relation to your head to restrict your vision to a laughable degree during spirited aeros. From a bonce-protection perspective, they are better than nothing, but IMHO likely to cause sufficient annoyance in short order that they remain at the back of the locker when you go flying, thus reducing the protective effect to zero.
The nape attachment does appear designed to sever your neck in the event of an accident, and they move around enough in relation to your head to restrict your vision to a laughable degree during spirited aeros. From a bonce-protection perspective, they are better than nothing, but IMHO likely to cause sufficient annoyance in short order that they remain at the back of the locker when you go flying, thus reducing the protective effect to zero.
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Zulu Alpha,
I have never seen a Clarity Aloft set, but from the photos, it looks like the ear pieces are exactly the same as the CEP ones. CEP say that you mustn't pull the wire for the very reason you describe above. The newer mini CEPs are easier to get hold of to remove but agree that the ones on the Clarity Loft look difficult to remove without pulling the wire.
The issue with the Clarity Aloft is that you have to remove the earpieces by pulling gently on the wires. After a while the wire breaks internally and the earpiece stops working. This happens even if you are very gentle.
The only solution then is to send them back for repair. I have broken 3 sets over 7-8 yrs. Two were replaced free under warrantee and one was charged for.
Apart from this, they are the best solution for a noisy aerobatic aircraft that I have come across.
The only solution then is to send them back for repair. I have broken 3 sets over 7-8 yrs. Two were replaced free under warrantee and one was charged for.
Apart from this, they are the best solution for a noisy aerobatic aircraft that I have come across.
I wear a helmet when in a helicopter (ex-army hang-up I think!).
I got mine (Gentex) on US eBay - cost about USD300 with double visors, CEP and 'only worn once' - certainly I couldn't tell that it wasn't new.
I got a local (I was in Florida) set-up to check it and adjust it for my head - another 60 bucks.
It's not as quiet as a Bose ANR, but close - very close. Certainly much, much quieter than any non-ANR headset I have tried.
So, take a look on US eBay - lots on there (but know what you're buying before you bid!).
Fly safe, Sam.
I got mine (Gentex) on US eBay - cost about USD300 with double visors, CEP and 'only worn once' - certainly I couldn't tell that it wasn't new.
I got a local (I was in Florida) set-up to check it and adjust it for my head - another 60 bucks.
It's not as quiet as a Bose ANR, but close - very close. Certainly much, much quieter than any non-ANR headset I have tried.
So, take a look on US eBay - lots on there (but know what you're buying before you bid!).
Fly safe, Sam.
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The 500 man....
There is little doubt that a properly (professionally) fitted helmet has good noise attenuation. But unless your environment is noisier than about 100dB I would suggest you can adequately protect your hearing without going to the expense and discomfort of wearing a helmet. I have tried a couple of types of helmet, ANR, CEPs, earplugs and a number of different type of headsets in high noise cockpits. The only real benefit a helmet seems to have is in reducing the lower frequencies (less than 125hz or so) which in ear style hearing protection begins to struggle with.
I don't know what sort of flying you are doing that you feel is sufficiently dangerous to wear a helmet. There might be some justification in the argument that wearing a helmet might increase the risk of crashing in the first place (due to distracting levels of discomfort, particularly on warm days). On the other hand if your type of flying has a higher chance of crashing, helmet or no helmet, then a helmet becomes desirable. But it would be worth looking a AAIB reports to determine how often a helmet might have prevented serious injury/death.
Getting helmets and hearing protection right is a real headache!!
There is little doubt that a properly (professionally) fitted helmet has good noise attenuation. But unless your environment is noisier than about 100dB I would suggest you can adequately protect your hearing without going to the expense and discomfort of wearing a helmet. I have tried a couple of types of helmet, ANR, CEPs, earplugs and a number of different type of headsets in high noise cockpits. The only real benefit a helmet seems to have is in reducing the lower frequencies (less than 125hz or so) which in ear style hearing protection begins to struggle with.
I don't know what sort of flying you are doing that you feel is sufficiently dangerous to wear a helmet. There might be some justification in the argument that wearing a helmet might increase the risk of crashing in the first place (due to distracting levels of discomfort, particularly on warm days). On the other hand if your type of flying has a higher chance of crashing, helmet or no helmet, then a helmet becomes desirable. But it would be worth looking a AAIB reports to determine how often a helmet might have prevented serious injury/death.
Getting helmets and hearing protection right is a real headache!!
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Droopystop, I didn't think too much about wearing a helmet until an instructor handed me one to wear when I started to learn aerobatics, and then I didn't think too much about it afterwards, until I started to look into buying an aerobatic share, at which point I discovered how useless my passive headset was in a Pitts.
So I was looking into buying a decent headset which revealed good reviews for the Clarity Aloft. Which I could just buy and be done with it, however if you read some of that really long helmet thread linked on the previous page, there are some scary stories of not just crashes (there are some of course) but bird strikes as well where the pilot has lost an eye!
I think a helmet sounds like a good idea, and with the CEP option you are effectively gaining the benefit of the Clarity Aloft at the same time as some degree of bonce-protection, as well as whatever extra passive attenuation you get from the helmet shell.
The Clarity Aloft is about £425 and the Gentex helmet in Kevlar with CEP is £765. I'm leaning toward getting a helmet at the moment.
So I was looking into buying a decent headset which revealed good reviews for the Clarity Aloft. Which I could just buy and be done with it, however if you read some of that really long helmet thread linked on the previous page, there are some scary stories of not just crashes (there are some of course) but bird strikes as well where the pilot has lost an eye!
I think a helmet sounds like a good idea, and with the CEP option you are effectively gaining the benefit of the Clarity Aloft at the same time as some degree of bonce-protection, as well as whatever extra passive attenuation you get from the helmet shell.
The Clarity Aloft is about £425 and the Gentex helmet in Kevlar with CEP is £765. I'm leaning toward getting a helmet at the moment.
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@eharding
Has the fitment of the CEP kit changed the impedance of the headset? The standard David Clark H10-13.4 has an impedance of 150 Ohms (2x 300 Ohm earphones wired in parallel)
Thanks.
Has the fitment of the CEP kit changed the impedance of the headset? The standard David Clark H10-13.4 has an impedance of 150 Ohms (2x 300 Ohm earphones wired in parallel)
Thanks.
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I considered the DC K10 series helmet as I had a spare 10-40 to use but having done a bit more research am looking for a Gentex HGU55. HSL at Shoreham advertise the name but I couldn't find this series or a price. Any idea how much they charge for a ready to use civilianised version?
Not going to get in to the argument of whether or not to wear a helmet but a new share has lots of metal around my upper body and plenty of opportunity for my head to contact it so a no brainer for me really.
Not going to get in to the argument of whether or not to wear a helmet but a new share has lots of metal around my upper body and plenty of opportunity for my head to contact it so a no brainer for me really.
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Has the fitment of the CEP kit changed the impedance of the headset? The standard David Clark H10-13.4 has an impedance of 150 Ohms (2x 300 Ohm earphones wired in parallel)
having done a bit more research am looking for a Gentex HGU55. HSL at Shoreham advertise the name but I couldn't find this series or a price.
If you buy it from HSL you can bet they will import it for you and mark it up somewhat. The guys above quoted me approx. $55 to ship to the UK. I phoned HMRC for the commodity code (I don't have it to hand) and they said the import duty and tax would be 2.7% + the standard VAT rate. That means you could get a fibreglass HGU55 for about £600 delivered to the UK or as I said above £765 for a Kevlar HGU55 with CEP.
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Hi 500 man
Remember to think what you want the helmet to do. I consider my biggest risk, being formation flying and having a collision. Then bailing out and hitting my head on the tail. (thanks Rob Davis for showing the Strong model 304 is a good purchase).
The following is from the gentex website.
CAUTION_ HGU-33, HGU-55, HGU-55/E and HGU-68 helmets have been designed for use in fixed-wing aircraft. They offer limited impact protection. Users with other applications should consider helmets with greater impact protection designed specifically for their application.
They are designed to protect a pilot in the event of using the ejection seat.
I have an Alpha Eagle, Gentex and DC bonedome. If it fits in the ac with me I will use the Eagle due to its significantly higher impact protection. The Gentex is great, but when it comes to protecting your bonce its in a different league. The Gentex is cheaper for a reason.
HSL have gone down hill since they were taken over(own personal opinion), but I believe Alpha have taken over direct marketing.
When flying with a pax I think its nice to give them a bonedome and chute too. However now the price really starts to rock up.
Good luck, but do think about what you are getting for the money. I have been through this in depth and I would never buy a second hand helmet. If they have not been cared for, the impact protection can be greatly limited. A simple sand and pait does not repair the integrity. Sorry to complicate your decision.
Remember to think what you want the helmet to do. I consider my biggest risk, being formation flying and having a collision. Then bailing out and hitting my head on the tail. (thanks Rob Davis for showing the Strong model 304 is a good purchase).
The following is from the gentex website.
CAUTION_ HGU-33, HGU-55, HGU-55/E and HGU-68 helmets have been designed for use in fixed-wing aircraft. They offer limited impact protection. Users with other applications should consider helmets with greater impact protection designed specifically for their application.
They are designed to protect a pilot in the event of using the ejection seat.
I have an Alpha Eagle, Gentex and DC bonedome. If it fits in the ac with me I will use the Eagle due to its significantly higher impact protection. The Gentex is great, but when it comes to protecting your bonce its in a different league. The Gentex is cheaper for a reason.
HSL have gone down hill since they were taken over(own personal opinion), but I believe Alpha have taken over direct marketing.
When flying with a pax I think its nice to give them a bonedome and chute too. However now the price really starts to rock up.
Good luck, but do think about what you are getting for the money. I have been through this in depth and I would never buy a second hand helmet. If they have not been cared for, the impact protection can be greatly limited. A simple sand and pait does not repair the integrity. Sorry to complicate your decision.
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When flying with a pax I think its nice to give them a bonedome and chute too. However now the price really starts to rock up.
Stik
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Sorry to complicate your decision.
From my perspective I'm looking for hearing protection first and bonce-protection second. Every time I fly the hearing protection will be useful, and maybe I'll never have any need for the helmet, but it could be useful. I don't think it's easy to predict where you may smack your head or how it may be crushed in a light aircraft crash, so I really don't know whether the Gentex would be sufficient or not.
I can't really justify the cost of the Alpha 900, and I'm not convinced that it costs that much more because it's that much better, or if it's down to the fact that it's sold by only one distributor.
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Not tried the Alpha in a S-2A but it is fine in an S-2C. I'm just over 6ft and have only donked my head once or twice when sitting in the back of the S-2C when my straps weren't particularly tight.
Personally I went with an HGU-55 in the end, which thankfully made it through customs without any trouble. I think the final damage was about £785 all in.
Personally I went with an HGU-55 in the end, which thankfully made it through customs without any trouble. I think the final damage was about £785 all in.
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This has been a very useful thread. One thing still not clear to me is whether it is possible to convert a David Clark headset in such a way that using the CEP's is optional. For a flight in a tourer I'm happy to use the standard DC. For the Pitts I would rather use the earplugs. Is this the standard installation or would I need to improvise if I wanted this setup?