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  #1  
Old 10-12-2009, 03:17 AM
Dragonfly Dragonfly is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 54
Default Flight helmets usage

Just wondered on what everyones opinion of flight helmets was?

Obviously with ex military equipment it is a compromise, jet helmets are really just a "bump" helmet whereas heli are better but bulky.

Just wondered if there was a good lightweight, small helmet with good comms that didnt compromise on safety (guess it would have to be stylise also) if folks would were them or not? What particular features would people be after?
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  #2  
Old 10-12-2009, 04:35 AM
tinman tinman is offline
 
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Posts: 496
Default

David Clark makes a nice helmet that allows you to snap in a regular DC headset. It is pretty light weight and has a snap on visor as well. I am using one during my aerobatic testing in phase one and will be selling it once I get done with phase one in case anyone out there might be interested down the road...
I believe Aircraft Spruce sells it.
It is my opinion that a parachute does you no good if you are not wearing a helmet since you have a good chance of banging your head on something on your way out of a broken aircraft...
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  #3  
Old 10-12-2009, 12:58 PM
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lucaperazzolli lucaperazzolli is offline
 
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Location: Trento, northern Italy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tinman View Post
It is my opinion that a parachute does you no good if you are not wearing a helmet since you have a good chance of banging your head on something on your way out of a broken aircraft...
You're right, ask Sean D. Tucker !
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  #4  
Old 10-12-2009, 03:05 PM
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islandmonkey islandmonkey is offline
 
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Location: Zurich, Switzerland
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One of the best helmets I have seen is from Campbell Aero Classics:

http://www.campbellaeroclassics.com/index.html


These helmets are not cheap, but what price do you put on your head?

An acquaintance of mine Peter Teichman from Hangar 11, owns and flies a P51, a Spitfire, a Hurricane and a Curtiss P40 Kittyhawk, wears a Cambell Aero Classic helmet when flying and displaying his planes.

http://www.hangar11.co.uk/
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  #5  
Old 10-12-2009, 09:01 PM
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MacNab MacNab is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: DVT
Posts: 238
Default Peltor or Gallet



I use one of these for work. It's a Peltor motorsports helmet adapted for aviation use. It's very light weight and strong (same impact rating as a helicopter helmet) with a nomex liner and comm earcups already installed. I use one with the peak visor as pictured above, but you can also get a pull down visor for it as pictured below. It's about half the cost of a Gallet, which would probably be my first choice if I was flush. Planning on a Gallet as my primary next season, then the Peltor will become a backup.

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  #6  
Old 10-12-2009, 09:05 PM
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billnaz billnaz is offline
 
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Default watch your headroom

I had planned on using a helo helmet I use at work for my phase one work, but after ordering the wiring adapter I tried it in my plane and found that it hit the canope. I'd have to fly in a stoop. I thought OregonAero was working on a civilian helmet, but haven't heard anything recently about it.
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  #7  
Old 10-12-2009, 09:12 PM
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fl-mike fl-mike is offline
 
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What are most of the guys flying the Red Bull races wearing? They look low profile, tight, and light. Don't look to be HGU-55 style as the ear areas are bulged.
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  #8  
Old 10-12-2009, 10:14 PM
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MacNab MacNab is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fl-mike View Post
What are most of the guys flying the Red Bull races wearing? They look low profile, tight, and light. Don't look to be HGU-55 style as the ear areas are bulged.
I believe most of the Red Bull race pilots are wearing the Gallet LS 050 helmet. It has a pretty low profile with just the stock internal visor. Nice helmet.
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  #9  
Old 10-13-2009, 11:36 AM
penguin penguin is offline
 
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Location: England
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Default Helmet or not?

I think its important to figure out why you would wear a helmet. In Sean Tucker's case, completely see the rationale. In an RV 6/7/9 and maybe 8, I'm not so sure. The issue is being able to bailout. I believe there have not been any documented bailouts of SBS RVs, with the conjecture that opening the canopy in flight is difficult. Clearly difficult to get much evidence. Most helmets I have worn have compromised the noise attenuation or are quite uncomfortable, except for those that are really $$$. Of course your head is difficult to fix, but if you can't bail out then the only risk is a take-off/landing accident, is it worth it? I don't wear a chute or helmet when cruising around. Although I am thinking of getting a hard shell cycling helmet to use with a Halo headset in another airplane that I will be wearing a chute in.

Pete
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  #10  
Old 10-13-2009, 12:19 PM
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Jim P Jim P is offline
 
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I'l wear an HGU-55 on occasion and it's not the protection from a bailout that I'm really concerned about. Up here in the Pacific NW, we have some really big birds and seeing eagles pass by isn't unheard of. The helmet/visor is more to offer some sort of protection in event ot bird strike of off-airport landing (yes, I know the -55 isn't designed for impacts), but it's better than just a set of headsets. Asisde from that, a set of ANR Inc. noise reduction earcups in the hard shell really does a nice job at reducing ambient noise.
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