Helmets - Should you? and Which?
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Australia
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G'Day,
I wear one in R22/R44 and H269. I fly mostly for private ops.
I have a number of helmets (collector of them) and a few are in flyable condition. SPH3/4/4B and Alpha fit on my head and into the helos without any problem. I am 5"11" and they do not cause me any concern.
My job takes me to the sites of many helo and aircraft accidents and from what I see, I will always wear a helmet when flying.
Tinkicker..........
I wear one in R22/R44 and H269. I fly mostly for private ops.
I have a number of helmets (collector of them) and a few are in flyable condition. SPH3/4/4B and Alpha fit on my head and into the helos without any problem. I am 5"11" and they do not cause me any concern.
My job takes me to the sites of many helo and aircraft accidents and from what I see, I will always wear a helmet when flying.
Tinkicker..........
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Helmets in Small Helicopters
When testing homebuilds it is adviseable to wear a full face helmet worn over a kevlar balaclava plus a full set of police riot gear topped with cricket pads. Boxing gloves give reasonable protection to the hands and assist in making the turning of the start key a difficult process. The only downside to all this protection is the time required to disrobe in order the answer a call of nature in the event of a misshap
I wear mine in all models I fly.
I even wore it on the bike once.....but it looked a bit silly.
I have 2 SPH5 helmets for sale for $1000 canadian each. Only 2 years old and used about 300hrs total (...if that) I have personally had two friends die that would've survived the crash if they had the helmets on. How much is your life worth?
You pay shipping.
PM me if you are interested.
I even wore it on the bike once.....but it looked a bit silly.
I have 2 SPH5 helmets for sale for $1000 canadian each. Only 2 years old and used about 300hrs total (...if that) I have personally had two friends die that would've survived the crash if they had the helmets on. How much is your life worth?
You pay shipping.
PM me if you are interested.
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Helmets
RD,
The SPH-5 is a model of Gentex helmet.
I feel a helmet is a good idea for helicopters for the following reasons:
1. Bird strikes,
2. Bump and scratch protection in survivable crash events,
3. Ditching when you need to stay consciuos to effect your own egress, and
4. Added noise attenuation (particularly when combined with CEP) over a headset.
Cheers
SM
The SPH-5 is a model of Gentex helmet.
I feel a helmet is a good idea for helicopters for the following reasons:
1. Bird strikes,
2. Bump and scratch protection in survivable crash events,
3. Ditching when you need to stay consciuos to effect your own egress, and
4. Added noise attenuation (particularly when combined with CEP) over a headset.
Cheers
SM
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: 3 Degrees North
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A crash does not make the difference between a private or airwork flight. So the helmet is a good investment to minimise possible serious injuries.
Ask yourself why the Defense personel always wear one.
The real question is the look and concerns from your passengers sometimes. I simply tell them that it is my best hearing protection against the exposed time we spend in our noisy environment. They mostly agree and understand that the short time they may spend during their trip, is not the same, hence a headset instead.
It becomes a little harder with my CEO onboard sometimes
Ask yourself why the Defense personel always wear one.
The real question is the look and concerns from your passengers sometimes. I simply tell them that it is my best hearing protection against the exposed time we spend in our noisy environment. They mostly agree and understand that the short time they may spend during their trip, is not the same, hence a headset instead.
It becomes a little harder with my CEO onboard sometimes
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Helmets in small helicopters
Always. always , always wear a helmet - no matter the size of the machine - better to feel "overdressed" than end up in a rehab ward talking to yourself and dribbling ! I know the state of my better half's helmet after a crash and if he hadn't been wearing it he would either be a cabbage or DEAD !
Look after your brain ... its possibly the only one you've got !
Look after your brain ... its possibly the only one you've got !
Join Date: Apr 2000
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I've said this before, but it's worth repeating. I don't have the exact percentages right, but its something close to this.
In the early eighties, the Canadian MOT or Accident Investigation released statistics on helicopter accidents in Canada and of all the fatalities, in around 85% of cases death was caused by head injury and of that 85%, 45% had NO OTHER injury at all. In other words many of that 45% would have walked away had they been wearing helmets.
In smaller machines, a pilots head is close on all sides to consoles, airframe, even engines and transmissions.
Obviously some of the accidents would not have been survivable and I don't remember all the details now, but the message is clear.
In the early eighties, the Canadian MOT or Accident Investigation released statistics on helicopter accidents in Canada and of all the fatalities, in around 85% of cases death was caused by head injury and of that 85%, 45% had NO OTHER injury at all. In other words many of that 45% would have walked away had they been wearing helmets.
In smaller machines, a pilots head is close on all sides to consoles, airframe, even engines and transmissions.
Obviously some of the accidents would not have been survivable and I don't remember all the details now, but the message is clear.
Join Date: Mar 2003
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Im training in the R22 and I always wear mine. I have a SPH-5, which I was lucky enough to pick up second hand from another pilot I knew.
To use your new survival gear youll have to be conscious RD
Go through accident reports and stories and they are just littered with stories of guys who would have survived had they had a helmet. Dont forget death isnt the worth thing. A good whack to the head and youll spent the rest of your life being spoon fed.
As has already been mentioned its much quieter inside the helmet. I personally find the helmet much more comfortable than a headset as well.
One more thing, I find that in the 22 I fly without doors 99% of the time, so a little extra protection never goes astray.
I seriously doubt that I would fly without it now.
Fly Safe.
To use your new survival gear youll have to be conscious RD
Go through accident reports and stories and they are just littered with stories of guys who would have survived had they had a helmet. Dont forget death isnt the worth thing. A good whack to the head and youll spent the rest of your life being spoon fed.
As has already been mentioned its much quieter inside the helmet. I personally find the helmet much more comfortable than a headset as well.
One more thing, I find that in the 22 I fly without doors 99% of the time, so a little extra protection never goes astray.
I seriously doubt that I would fly without it now.
Fly Safe.
Join Date: Jul 2003
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All good points... something to consider. I wonder why I don't see anybody else where helmets in 2-3 place helicopters... EVER. Not that I'm a Lemming and will follow everyone else off the same cliff... just curious. How about some comments from instructors. I've flown with at least a dozen different CFI's, and I haven't seen any of them wear or even recommend a helmet. Perhaps those reasons are related to WLM's (not to intimidate new students).
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I always wear my SPH5. Have been flying for about seven years and haven't flown without it for about six and a half of those seven years. I fly an R22.
I have asked other pilots who do commercial ops with tourist type flying or flying schools, why they don't wear a helmet and they all have said words to the effect, "I know I should but...." and add to it "passengers get a bit nervous when they see me in helmet and they've got a set of headphones."
Doesn't stop me though. I use mine all the time. It's my brain that'll get rattled around in a crash.
I have asked other pilots who do commercial ops with tourist type flying or flying schools, why they don't wear a helmet and they all have said words to the effect, "I know I should but...." and add to it "passengers get a bit nervous when they see me in helmet and they've got a set of headphones."
Doesn't stop me though. I use mine all the time. It's my brain that'll get rattled around in a crash.
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Another question for you folks...
Does anybody have any problems wearing glasses with your helmet? I've been told the side bands can get a bit uncomfortable after a while. Thanks in advance.
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Spectacles can be comfortably worn, depending on the frame type. the thinner the frame, the easier it fits. Using soft seal for the earcup like gel types for example, is helpful as well as reducing the amount of possible noise intrusion caused by the spectacle's arms. Hope this helps
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A final question...
Thanks... I truly love flying with the Bose Aviation-X headsets because the ANR is very impressive. IMHO, the sound cancellation is stellar and it actually increases your ability to hear "strange sounds" from your helicopter vs. standard headsets.
Anyway, I've been converted by the crew at PPRuNe... mainly because I just can't come up with an argument for NOT wearing a helmet. The pros simply outweight the cons by a mile.
Any recommendations on ANR capable helmets?
Gentex vs. Alpha vs. Gallet?
Gentex website is http://www.gentex.net/LifeSupport/HS-Home.htm, but I couldn't find the MAIN websites for the Alpha and Gallet. Can anybody post those links and give some advice?
Anyway, I've been converted by the crew at PPRuNe... mainly because I just can't come up with an argument for NOT wearing a helmet. The pros simply outweight the cons by a mile.
Any recommendations on ANR capable helmets?
Gentex vs. Alpha vs. Gallet?
Gentex website is http://www.gentex.net/LifeSupport/HS-Home.htm, but I couldn't find the MAIN websites for the Alpha and Gallet. Can anybody post those links and give some advice?
Helmet
Speaking from the "professional"passenger point of view as a aerial cameraman,
I wear a helmet.
After spending a week filming with HEMS in the early days I asked the crew why the police ASU wore helmets but they did not. They agreed that it was perverse; that they would land at the scene of a car accident to pickup a critical patient often with a head injury, yet they themselves had no head protection.
A few years later I flew with them again and helmets were madatory.
In fact I wear a helmet or skate board crash hat, whenever I am shooting from a moving vehicle as having a 10 kilo camera on ones shoulder in a moving vehicle is a daft occupation in the first place.
A skateboard helmet costs less than £20!
Mickjoebill
I wear a helmet.
After spending a week filming with HEMS in the early days I asked the crew why the police ASU wore helmets but they did not. They agreed that it was perverse; that they would land at the scene of a car accident to pickup a critical patient often with a head injury, yet they themselves had no head protection.
A few years later I flew with them again and helmets were madatory.
In fact I wear a helmet or skate board crash hat, whenever I am shooting from a moving vehicle as having a 10 kilo camera on ones shoulder in a moving vehicle is a daft occupation in the first place.
A skateboard helmet costs less than £20!
Mickjoebill
Last edited by mickjoebill; 5th Dec 2003 at 05:49.
Join Date: May 2001
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I couldn’t agree with you more. Helmets should allways be used.
However sometimes it can be practically impossible to introduce a new habbit in an old company.
Neither the boss nor the costumers understands why, after 20 years, it suddenly has become necessary to wear a helmet…
In that case a green pilot can argue as much as he wants…
You meet answers like “Do you want to scare the customers…?”
RD
However sometimes it can be practically impossible to introduce a new habbit in an old company.
Neither the boss nor the costumers understands why, after 20 years, it suddenly has become necessary to wear a helmet…
In that case a green pilot can argue as much as he wants…
You meet answers like “Do you want to scare the customers…?”
RD
Bugsmasherdriverandjediknite
Join Date: Jul 2000
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I am thinking of upgrading from my Gentex SPH-4 to something else (maybe the 5) anyone interested in purchasing my old one?.( in fairly good nick).
anyone got a 5 or alpha they wann sell?
anyone got a 5 or alpha they wann sell?
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I've not used a helmet before - I fly R22s and never seen anyone use one. After reading this thread, however, I've decided to obtain one.
The Gentex SPH5 seems to be the helmet of choice here - my concern is mainly headroom in the R22 - I'm 6'1 and wonder if I'd fit with a helmet.
.
The Gentex SPH5 seems to be the helmet of choice here - my concern is mainly headroom in the R22 - I'm 6'1 and wonder if I'd fit with a helmet.
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