Tribal, I'll have you know I'm a lot taller than that;)

As for helmets (or helmits, if you prefer), I wear the elegant yet understated Gentex SPH-5 myself. Regardless of make, I would say that weight and comfort (fit) are the most important factors. If your boss doesn't mandate a helmet then maybe you should just wear a headset (much more comfortable). If your boss wants you to wear a helmet then insist that he pay for it!

I've worn the military helo Alphas quite a bit and found them to be pretty good - just had a look at the Alpha website to suss out which model we had and whether anything I'd have to say would be relevant to the Eagle - not sure about that, but the girls in bikinis were quite a nice touch!
Good on you, Alpha company, not enough of it around in these politically correct times.

What Hermit would you recommend?
 

I have a Gentex HGU-56/P. I like it a lot, it's comfy but it is pretty wide and it can restrict some of your space (though this mainly happens while climbing into the cabin and banging your head!) the main concern they had with these though was the little protection they offered around the ears - it's basically just a thin shell.

Other than that, I have had minimal problems with it and the factory ear phones/mic are very clear and I highly reccomend it to anyone.

I have a Gallet, I tried a few different brands and found that the Gallet was the most comfortable.

I guess helmet choices are each to their own, many people will tell you how great theirs are, but at the end of the day you have to fly with it for hours on end, so it's the fit and comfort that I would go for. Just try a few different brands on if you have the opportunity.

Crap Helmet Model
 

I have an HGU 84P which I think is considered a good helmet, Kevlar etc...
It's good looking and makes me look like a real pilot...(hard to do!)

But after a mornings flying in fire fighting, it's too hot!...soaking wet... and stinks like a wet dog!....

A regular person with morals, would probably have paid over a 1000 bucks for it..I borrowed it from my Uncle ... I'll return it when I'm done!

It's approved by various state governments, and I wear it for checkrides, or if the overhead are around, and looking for trouble.

Otherwise I wear an ancient (but still available) David Clark K helmet which I heavily modified. The cans are attached to the helmet via a piece of spring steel. That I punched holes in with a borrowed drift (sorry?) years ago... and it still has the nylon net deal inside ...It's very cool (temperature)

OK, It makes me look like Elmer Fudd with a helmet !...But I feel naked without it!

Ok...Years ago! ...I added a motocross visor..It made me look like Elmer Fudd with a helmet and visor, when the visor died. I didn't bother replacing it...

I figure a helmet you willingly wear..Albeit not approved! is a far better proposition than the multi hundred/thousand buck deal that you're trying to convince yourself (and others) was a good choice.

If it's harder than your head and your wearing it! It's better all around than the one you just switched for a headset, because you just couldn't stand the heat and discomfort anymore...

Last week, I was flying with a co-pilot who had a whizz bang looking thing made out of a material only available on Venus during a monsoon year...It looked great...A French deal, super light etc...Met all the latest specs...
Everyday mid-morning, when we do a levels check! He'd change into a DC headset. Claiming the helmet wasn't 'just right' and needed further tweaking...He said I look like a goofball in my old DC deal...But the point is, I'm actually wearing my Old DC deal...He's got a headset!...'Nuff said?

Thanks for the vote of confidence! :eek:

You hear those stories about a lot of things, I think it would be ignorant to say that any other helmet is fault free. So far, the HGU-56 has proved to be a good helmet within the Australian and US Army, which is good enough for me :ok:

The main factor of the HGU-56/P based was based on the amount of money I had to spend. Helmets these days are becoming more of the "if they want it bad enough, they'll spend whatever" kind of thing, and I really couldn't see myself forking out around $3500 for a new Gallet or Alpha.

I think the cost for brain surgery would be cheaper! :p

I have been wearing the Alpha Eagle for 12 months now and I was new to helmets. I have no complains and mine came with a cloth interior which soaks up the sweat and does not let it run down the front of my face.

I don't think it's such a great idea to wear any old thing and think you're getting good protection - a fatality in an accident I know of was said by the docs to be caused by a badly fitting helmet transmitting all the force of a hit on the airframe to the guy's brain, thereby killing him. Not sure if he would have been any better off without a helmet at all, but it didn't do him any favours, where a properly fitted quality one could have saved him - according to the medicos.

Yes, every person I talk to stresses that correct fitting is probably one of the most important things within regards to buying a helmet.

I have got the Operation and Maintainence instructions manual for the HGU-56/P converted to PDF file if anyone wants to have a look. Has a lot of information about the correct way to fit the helmet. PM me and I can e-mail.

I wear an Alpha Eagle and I can't fault it! Highly recommended:ok:

I did a lot of research before buying mine and found that the Gallets were comfortable but noisy whereas the Alphas were comfortable quiet and looked good too. Never tried Gentex.

Juggler PM
 

Hi Juggler, you said:
I have PM'ed you the following, and wonder if you could provide some help?

I would really like to know the ins and outs of your story about the Alpha ridgid visors not doing the job with ANVIS 9 as we are just going down that very same path.
What was the problem exactly?
Why did Integrated have to get involved?
What are their contact details?
How much was the mod per helmet?
Have you had any complaints since the mod?
How does Alpha and ITT view the mod Integrated have had to do?

Cheers,
hf

Alpha Eagle 900 Helmet visor
 

Hi all
I am looking for a clear, inner visor for the above helmet. I have a yellow tinted visor I am willing to swap for a clear one, or I can buy it from you. They are expensive so I am trying this before contacting the company directly. Anyone interested?

Hi Jab

Just curious why you would rather have a clear instead of yellow visor... do you not get on with yellow???

PR

With yellow visors you get a Jaundice view of the world

I do a lot of slinging and I was recently working in cloudy weather with guys on the ground wearing coloured vests. Combination of low light and colour made it difficult for me to spot them between trees when using the yellow visor. Early evening was obviously worse. Some people swear by them and I dont have a jaundiced opinion of yellow visors :E but a clear one will generally work better for me in those conditions. If I get hold of a clear visor and manage to keep the yellow one, I will experiment and see which works best for me.

The reason I ask is because I keep toying with the idea of changing my clear visor for yellow and seeing as you are looking to change the other way, I wondered why.

Perhaps I'll stick with clear for now:ok:

Sorry I can't help but thanks for your feedback...

PR

Alpha Eagle Yellow
 

I have a yellow visor and like the effect it gives on coming sun down. It lightens things up for a while. However I just recently sent my helmet back to factor for a clear visor install. Have any of you guys had problems with the noise canceling in your helmets? I have had to send my helmet in twice for failure (wire short).:{

Lamaniac - Only had mine 6 months but fortunately no problems as yet...

Jab - If you change and decide you prefer the clear, let me know if you fancy selling your yellow one.

PR