Protecting the Pilot's Noggin

Yep; I have a helmet, an HGU-55 bought used and modified with ANR and CEP audio system plus an Oregon Aero headliner. I only use it for single engine warbird flying so far, but coming up I'll be doing a maintenance test flight on my RV-8 after replacing 4 cylinders... I might look silly in an RV wearing a flight suit and a lid, but hey man, it's cheap insurance.

Cue up the RV Walter Mitty wannabe fighter pilot jokes...
 
I fly with full catchers gear on, including a cup.




I don’t need a parachute….:arf:
 
I knew an MD-pilot who always wore a motorcycle helmet (wife did too), in his light single.
Couldn’t criticize that.
I think I’d remove them for high-alt cruise, if I did that.
 
I was on the ramp at KCRQ and a CHP pilot was in front of me on the taxi way. He pulled off right to do whatever tail wheel pilots do before departing and I pulled out and passed him. We made eye contact and I keyed up with “Nice helmet!”


He was not amused! :stirpot:
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I knew an MD-pilot who always wore a motorcycle helmet (wife did too), in his light single.
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FYI: there have been many studies done on the effect of helmets in various scenarios especially on the helicopter side. You'd be surprised how little the gap is between minor vs major head injury is when helmets are not used. Matter of fact in a number of helicopter accidents helmet use is a primary point to review. Given the cockpit dimensions of a majority of helicopters are comparable to a number of GA aircraft its something to think about. No different than adding shoulder harnesses.
 
Bell206 said:
FYI: there have been many studies done on the effect of helmets in various scenarios especially on the helicopter side. You'd be surprised how little the gap is between minor vs major head injury is when helmets are not used. Matter of fact in a number of helicopter accidents helmet use is a primary point to review. Given the cockpit dimensions of a majority of helicopters are comparable to a number of GA aircraft its something to think about. No different than adding shoulder harnesses.
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*insert Robinson crash video here where the tail rotor separated and if the spinning Gs didn’t kill him, the sudden stop at ground level did.*
 
Unit74 said:
*insert Robinson crash video here where the tail rotor separated and if the spinning Gs didn’t kill him, the sudden stop at ground level did.*
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Ha. I guess your example is as good as a motorcyclist running a stop sign and getting T-boned by a semi and you wondering why his helmet didn't save him.:rolleyes: But at least I can point to dozens of aircraft accidents (both rotor and fixed-wing) where everyone got out basically untouched except for the guy who "bumped" his head on the door post and was left a veggie or worse. Saw the same with shoulder harnesses. But don't worry they do make narrow helmets for narrow-minded people.;)
 
I love the videos that guy Paul Bertorelli puts together. Always a great mix of data, insight, and relaxed humor...all with an entertaining bit of video editing.
 
I wear a Gallet helmet w/ A20 comm in my Cub. Never flown my Cubs without a helmet. I have a Kask w/ Zulu 2 for the back seater. I can’t fit into my Cessna with a typical helmet so bought a baseball base coach helmet, trimmed it over the ears, and put my Zulu 3s over it. If my head hits the spar it’ll hurt less than without, and I know what that feels like. D77F6EB1-3939-4A81-9914-4DE3899930EE.jpegBA4EA776-7C09-402F-9620-D2D920C501D6.jpeg
 
Stewartb said:
I wear a Gallet helmet w/ A20 comm in my Cub. Never flown my Cubs without a helmet. I have a Kask w/ Zulu 2 for the back seater. I can’t fit into my Cessna with a typical helmet so bought a baseball base coach helmet, trimmed it over the ears, and put my Zulu 3s over it. If my head hits the spar it’ll hurt less than without, and I know what that feels like. View attachment 105777View attachment 105778
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I love my gallet. Bought several other helmets prior and found it to be the best of them all.
 
Agreed, I think the Gallet is probably the best helicopter-type helmet out there. EVO is a close copy and is also highly rated. For warm weather comfort my Kask or a Team Wendy will breathe better and keep your head cooler but they're industrial hard hats, not crash helmets. A hard hat is way better than nothing and none of them works if you won't wear them. Sky Cowboy adapters make it easy to fit any helmet that accepts Peltor ear muffs with the popular aviation headsets. Kask has a nice flip-up sun visor that fits over eyeglasses. I really like having a retractable sun visor. My baseball helmet is slightly better than nothing but with my seat cranked up to where I like it there's no head room for anything else.
 
I think a tight lap belt is probably more important than a helmet in light GA airplanes. I've bumped my head a couple times in turbulence before I learned my lesson and generally wear the lapbelt securely. I cinch it down when the bumps start.
 
Sky Cowboy sells the Team Wendy Exfil SAR helmet. It’s a great choice but doesn’t fit my large head. The Kask is similar in all respects and fits very nicely. Word of warning for guys considering a helmet. Make sure you have head room for your chosen helmet before you disassemble an expensive headset. Once disassembled it’s unlikely you’ll be able to put it back together. This helmet was intended for my Cessna but it hit the roof. I like having it for co-pilots in the Cub but it forced me to buy another pair of headsets! EB83593D-F28D-460C-B1D5-F051FB1D1C59.jpegBBC5E1A0-53D9-48C8-842B-1BFA8D5D9E32.jpeg
 
Headroom clearance is a concern in my small experiential aircraft. It's one reason I use the Clarity Aloft headset.

The other consideration is the weight of the helmet being added to your head increases the total amount being supported by the neck. Seems some type of head restraint (HANS) should also be employed to help prevent facial lacerations.

Does anyone have an airbag device installed? Not kidding ...
 
It's not a horrible idea, as others have said there are types of flying and types of aircraft that it makes less sense in than others. If I were bush flying I would probably wear one as the likelihood of a sudden stoppage and ending up on your roof is higher. Aerobatics are another good place for them. Cross country in a Bonanza... probably not. I will say I have hit down drafts so severe in two different airplanes that a helmet would have been welcome. I hit my head on the canopy of the venture so hard I thought I was going to black out.
 
Unit74 said:
I was on the ramp at KCRQ and a CHP pilot was in front of me on the taxi way. He pulled off right to do whatever tail wheel pilots do before departing and I pulled out and passed him. We made eye contact and I keyed up with “Nice helmet!”


He was not amused! :stirpot:
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CHP fixed-wing pilots went to headsets about 10 years ago. They have the option to wear helmets, but none do. Their helo crews still wear helmets. CHP also took their last 185 off line over 20 years ago. They switched to the 206, and have now replaced some of those with Airvan GA-8s.
 
Grum.Man said:
It's not a horrible idea, as others have said there are types of flying and types of aircraft that it makes less sense in than others. If I were bush flying I would probably wear one as the likelihood of a sudden stoppage and ending up on your roof is higher. Aerobatics are another good place for them. Cross country in a Bonanza... probably not. I will say I have hit down drafts so severe in two different airplanes that a helmet would have been welcome. I hit my head on the canopy of the venture so hard I thought I was going to black out.
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Definitely a time and place where appropriate. I never flew ag without my lid.
 
ateamer said:
CHP fixed-wing pilots went to headsets about 10 years ago. They have the option to wear helmets, but none do. Their helo crews still wear helmets. CHP also took their last 185 off line over 20 years ago. They switched to the 206, and have now replaced some of those with Airvan GA-8s.
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Sounds about right. I was doing my PPL/IFR ratings in 2000 at CRQ.
 
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