Helmets - Should you? and Which?

[HeliMark]

In addition to a helmet, I have used the CEP for the last year. It has been great. Volume on the radio has to be turned down to almost zero, and I still get the protection of the foam ear plugs. Drives the passengers crazy, and I think it has helped my hearing.

There has been no issue that I could tell on not hearing what the engine is doing, or not doing with the setup.

[GLSNightPilot]

We fly a scheduled helicopter airline route flying. We never have any complaints from passengers about why we fly with helmets, I guess everebody is just used to seeing all helicopter pilots wear a helmet in the country and its just common sense that the most important person on board the helicopter should not be knocked unconsious by bird-strike through the windshield, turbulence or bad vibrations due to blade failure or ice.

So why aren't fixed-wing pilots required to wear helmets? Many of them fly relatively low also, & the airliners come down to ground level to land & take off. Cropdusters certainly need them, because they crash pretty often , but why should helicopter pilots need them more than other pilots?

I don't wear earplugs, because they're uncomfortable, & wearing them for hours every day causes a huge buildup of earwax in my ears. I do wear a custom-made headset, which has much more noise attenuation than off-the-shelf units. I really get irritated with pilots who wear earplugs & leave every volume control in the cockpit turned up to '11'. I try to remember to turn everything down before I turn on the battery, because it can be painful when 150dB of noise hits your ears inside the headset. If you're going to wear earplugs, at least turn the volume down when you finish your flight.

[handyandyuk]

I've been wearing a UK AAC Mk4 helmet for about a year now and even in a little robbo it makes a major difference in ambient noise.
And even after a 3 hr flight it's still comfy too... no headaches... but then it was fitted by an RAF QHI.

[Vfrpilotpb]

I feel it should be down to the individual, wether or not they wear ear plugs, I have had in the past some really big and MEGA expensive surgical operations on my hearing system, but I know that ear surgeons make the statement "The smallest thing to go in your ear should be your ELBOW" enough said, would you put cotton wool in your M/R gearbox! I always use my own set of ANR cans, they work for me without any plugs, and as for the expense, well I only have one set of ears, so as with my eyes I try to use the best I can!

[bigdog1971]

CEP is great

I wear a Gentex 56P with the CEP fitted, great for hearing radios and ICS and cuts out most eng noise. but the helmet itself is crap in dusty cond's. After an hour or so in dusty pads the visors jam up. Not real good, might work better in a sealed cockpit.
Im glad I dont have to pay for the new visors every other sortie.



------------------------------------------------------------
If it dont hover! dont bover!

[helmet fire]

I do the Alpha thing AND wear foam plugs (the "popcorn of aviation" - thanks Nick!!).

There are several larger machines that are harmful to your hearing even when wearing a helmet, and as Nick said previously, ANR setups rarely cover the entire spectrum of a machine's emmissions. In fact, you may have to ensure that your ANR device is attuned to your particular machine for best coverage because the ANR can actually accentuate some frequencies.

As mentioned by others, I find the ear plugs result in a much clearer avionics reception, less fatigue, and I find it easier to detect unusal sounds. Crewmen on the other hand, can find that they do not allow enough radio/ICS volume through when they have their heads outside the machine, so they can be a hazard from that perspective. Lastly, when you start using them, ensure that any audio warning systems are loud enough to be detected, ie low RRPM, fire, etc.

Lastly, plugs can also be fed them to anoying pax!!

Stan GLS, you will find opposite points of view to your helmet comments on the other threads dealing with helmets that you posted on. As to the radio volumes - think of it like adjusting your seat & harness - just something to do when getting in a different machine: you get that.

[Devil 49]

If I was starting all over again, I'd do the foam earplug thing from day one, and a good headset/helmet. Good all-around utility and reliability.

Earplugs in as I sit down-lots of things I want to hear happeningas I start the engines.

[quidam]

Haven't checked the links so don't know if these have been suggested.

My employer had me meaured for some ear plugs as an alternative to the foam squeezy ones! Bloke came down squeezed stuff into ear and ended up with a cast of my outer ear canal.

Two weeks later was given two sets of clear plastic plugs. Funny looking with a little sort of open vent in them. I wear them 9 hrs per working day riding a motorcycle without problem. Wind noise drastically reduced. The siren I'm sat above even sounds bearable, yet take the lid off and I can still hear a normal conversation perfectly without removing them.

Bloke tested them by sounding a rape alarm. Was really strange could hear the thing beeping although quietly and could also hear his voice at normal volume.

Don't know the tech stuff but apparantly they cut out/down certain damaging noise levels but leave the rest unaffected. Plastic tube thingy is vented so would also be ok with pressure changes.

Not tried them yet whilst flying.

No idea of cost, but I am aware company keep the casts so replacements can be easily made.

If anybody is interested I'll try and find out who made my set and how to contact them

[helipilotnz]

where can i get some helmets from?

i am in the first class of helicopter students under the New Zealand loan scheme. we are having trouble finding new, good quality helmets. where does every one who wears them get them from? any advice on what to get along with where would be great.
thanks in advance
helipilotnz

[Off road]

Helipilotnz,

The following websites might be useful;

www.flighthelmets.com.au
for msa gallet helmets
or
www.chcaustralia.com
for alpha
or www.globalav.com.au
SPH-4

I use a msa gallet and find it very comfortable to fly with
Cheers
Off road

[Mike Hardy]

You could also try www.aviationhelmets.com

[Steve76]

Hey Offroad,

Have you found your Gallet noisy compared to your last helmet?
Both mates of mine with them are disappointed with the noise attenuation.

[Off road]

Hi Steve,

I fly an EC 120 and before I had the gallet I wore a DC headset
and it it is a lot less noise with the helmet on even in the EC120 and I use gel earseals which I find comfortable to fly with. I have flown with the gallet for 3 years now and am happy.

cheers
Off road

[Captain Lai Hai]

I've had the Gallet LH 150 for about a year now and find it much more comfortable and also more secure particularly for long lining than the Alpha I previously had for around 10 years
The Gallet does not have as good noise attenuation as the Alpha but foam earplugs solve that very easily

I would reccommend a Gallet over the Alpha or Gentex anyday my personal preference of course

[clearance]

Just a quick question, Does the Gallet have the appropriate aviation approvals yet...????

[pohm1]

Without wishing to be too negative, would it not be better to wait until you manage to find work before shelling out over $2000 for something which you may not get to use?
If you are lucky enough to get a break, some jobs such as flying scenics won't require, or even allow, a helmet.

[helipilotnz]

free helmet

in New Zealand it seems to be up to the pilot to provide thier own helmet if they want one. i am approximatly six weeks away from cpl flight test but have decided to fund a c cat rating including the pic requirements and dont overly have high hopes of getting a job in the industry straight away, but i will try.
is a suspension harness better for sweat damage over a lined one?
helipilotnz

[skidbiter]

Why do you want to wear a helmet during flight training anyway? your flight examiner won't be wearing one, does not instil confidence to anyone. A human head enclosed in a helmet can become a lethal object to the headset wearing instructor or passenger when accelerated in their direction, thats if you can fit inside your R22 with one on in the first place.
You said in your first post - " i am in the first class of helicopter students under the New Zealand loan scheme " what have you failed your ppl seven times or something?, full student loan funding has been available for at least four years now, well from Helifright (NZ) anyway. Thats why there are so many people fighting over the loading jobs, one operator gets 50 - 60 C.V.s a year from CPLs........madness

[helipilotnz]

perhaps i am in error. four years ago i asked nzqa about the option for loans to fly helicopters and was told it was only set up for fixed wing tickets. i then got hold of all technical institutes who took the fixed wing diploma in aviation and hounded them till one got the helicopter syllabus put onto the nzqa frame work and therefore available for the loan scheme. i then moved the length of the country as i was led to believe that it was the first. i am in my second year of the two year diploma of aviation course and have passed all management papers so far along with the aviation exams. two more to go (cpl pof and cpl airtech) with one on wednesday. got my ppl(h) september last year. i have also started to fly fixed wing to get a instrument rating and will sit my commercial flight test (h) in about six weeks. i then start C cat time building and instrument flying with the aim to be finnished and looking for a job anywhere by christmas. yes i will be a low timer but i will have an instrument rating, ppl(a) c cat rating and a diploma in management.

my instructors have recommended to the class to get a helmet but is optional, i thought i would ask the experts opinions.

i have noticed not much room in the r22 and wont wear one if i get one for the flight test for that very reason.
thanks for any advice and appologise if i have been in error.
helipilotnz

[RobboRider]

Skidbiter

I'm afraid I'd have to say I couldn't disagree more with the opinion about why wear a helmet.

I put my first helmet on in 1997 when I was working on our rescue helicopter and when I decided to make the jump from the back seat to the front seat took my "work" helmet with me and have not done a single hour in the R22 without it since. (Just got up my 500th hour last wednesday)
There's enough room for most people in the robbo to get your skidlid in. I guess maybe if your were real tall you might have a problem, but then you probably wouldn't really fit in helmet or not.

As far as whether it looks good or instils confidence - I have adopted the attitude - I don't care what it looks like. If it stops me getting a head injury in a heavy landing or crash then its worth it. Even a minor closed head injury can render you unable to fly ever again or worse.

Given the stats that show the high incidence of accidents in training I would venture to suggest that that is exactly the time to be wearing it.

A helmetted head might flap around and injure the other occupant (but not a head injury if he's wearing his helmet too) but an unhelmetted head is just as bad. My Gentex is not that heavy - I reckon the biggest part of the weight by far is still the head inside it.

If your employer said "no lid no job" - well you have to weigh that risk up, but if they say "your choice" and you don't - mmm
don't expect any worker's compensation, disability insurance etc if you get a head injury. Your insurer will run a mile.