Why dont ppl carry helmets with them for emergency's?

I wear a helmet in a fixed wing for my job (gentex hgu-56). After a few hours it "broke in" and I find it quite comfortable. I also use the cep's and find them to be comfortable and far quieter than a premium anr headset. Of course my Bose A20 is more comfortable than my helmet, but modern helmets are light weight and with the zeta style memory foam liners, are comfortable (assuming fit right). Another less mentioned benefit is eye/face protection from the visor if a bird was to come through the windscreen. My only advice is to try different manufactures on for comfort before you drop some serious coin. I have tried the Gallet and Alpha and the Gentex fits my odd shaped pumpkin best.

Happy Flying!
 
The shoulder harness won't help your head from the side of the plane. A bike helmet seems like a good idea. You trim the plane for best glide so not too hard to put it on. Would be best to wear on takeoff and landing. Still can't get into wearing a helmet skiing, but wear one biking and motorcycling.
 
Lots of Bush pilots wear or carry helmets. I know a few who only put them on for off-airport or rough strips.
 
Do you propose a full face helmet??
 
Helmets are required in Texas.
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Except for the, er... exception to the law. The one where you do not have to.
If we are talking strictly legality, in Texas.
 
All GA pilots need a full face mask. Customizing optional.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Except for the, er... exception to the law. The one where you do not have to.
If we are talking strictly legality, in Texas.
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The health insurance exception? Yeah, that's there. Fortunately, many don't go through the process to get the card.
 
NoHeat said:
One thing of interest in that article is the ankle injury.

I've read that broken bones in the lower leg & foot are very common in small plane crashes, and to avoid that it is recommended to remove your feet from the rudder pedals before impact. The pedals transmit the impulse on impact.
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Compare the tank like 1959 Chevy Bel Air with a cheap flimsy 2009 Malibu...

https://youtu.be/C_r5UJrxcck

What decade was your Cessna 150 built in? (not you personally, but in general...)
 
I don't know how this discussion got to motorcycles, but as a rider who will never get on a bike without a helmet, I still think the comparison is silly. Head injuries are a very common result of a motorcycle crash without a helmet. I'd like to see the stats on plane crashes, I'm betting the majority die from blunt force trauma that would not be survivable no matter what they were wearing.

Sure, a helmet could prevent certain injuries. I wont argue that. However the likelihood of being in a crash that is survivable with a helmet but not without has to be exceedingly slim.
 
Meh....someone needs to pull some stats into this discussion. Last I checked a few years ago.....head and neck trauma are the #1 killers in an aviation accident.

a 5 point harness....with helmet does mitigate a majority of those events.
and I'd add....a simple bicycle helmet is a modest improvement with the shoulder harness.....but, we don't do those. :yes:

Blunt force (Head and neck) trauma dominate the causality of GA aircraft fatalities....

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StinkBug said:
I don't know how this discussion got to motorcycles, but as a rider who will never get on a bike without a helmet, I still think the comparison is silly. Head injuries are a very common result of a motorcycle crash without a helmet. I'd like to see the stats on plane crashes, I'm betting the majority die from blunt force trauma that would not be survivable no matter what they were wearing.

Sure, a helmet could prevent certain injuries. I wont argue that. However the likelihood of being in a crash that is survivable with a helmet but not without has to be exceedingly slim.
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We had a jump plane go down a couple years ago in my area. They believe the pilot hit is head and was knocked out when all the jumpers exited the airplane.
 
I was wearing one of those Dave Clark helmets intended for ultra-light pilots in my first flying machine when it disintegrated around me upon impact with the ground. The helmet has a pretty sizable mark on it but my head does not.

My grand-daughter loves her flying helmet - one of those Navy flight-deck lids with headsets that the launcher guys wear. Available in many surplus shops for a few bucks. Hers is pink, naturally, and the headsets are GA Flightcoms upgraded to ANR.

Maybe I'll just get another couple of the DC hats and insist that everybody in the plane wear one for Taxi, Takeoff and Landing ....

I'm old, so its OK for me to look dorky.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Compare the tank like 1959 Chevy Bel Air with a cheap flimsy 2009 Malibu...

https://youtu.be/C_r5UJrxcck

What decade was your Cessna 150 built in? (not you personally, but in general...)
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well that was surprising... I fully expected the malibu to disintegrate and the bel air to shrug it off... impressive what research and technology can do for safety!
 
Wrench978 said:
well that was surprising... I fully expected the malibu to disintegrate and the bel air to shrug it off... impressive what research and technology can do for safety!
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Yeah, how about it. The survivability of the Smart is equally surprising. Basically an F1 protective cage around the occupants.
 
I'll pass on wearing one for as long as I'm not flying fighter jets. They'd probably be detrimental to visibility and how could that increase safety?

Checkout_my_Six said:
Last I checked a few years ago.....head and neck trauma are the #1 killers in an aviation accident.
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And about this, I'd much prefer a quick death by the initial blow than burning alive as I struggle to free myself from the crunched cabin pinning me to the seat.
 
I use the tried and true method of maintaining proficiency and using training opportunities whenever presented, as well as using ADM and RM.

This keeps me from having such accidents, so no need for the helmet.
 
I've worn helmets, gloves, leather boots and flight suit for over 15 yrs for work. We don't wear them for looks. They're proven to reduce injuries in a crash. I don't know how many classes I've gotten and briefs from pilots in the military that survived because of their PPE. I've seen the pics. The stuff works.

If you don't want to wear them because they're uncomfortable and you believe the odds are too small that you'll be in an accident, fine. I don't wear them for personal flying either. Just don't blow them off as not an increase to safety, because they are.
 
Sundancer said:
Helmets, harnesses, etc., sure add to safety. Really, really bad idea for them to be mandatory. Just a step too far, to impose that on others.

You ever notice how people want rules to control other peoples actions? No one says "Pass a law to make me stop (fill in the blank). . .you want to wear a helmet or harness, that's cool.

Someone else diesn't, have respect for values that don't match your own. . .
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Pretty much universal.
 
When I fly in the high rockies I often wear a David Clark helmet. The helmet isnt just for crashes, it's also for encounters with severe turbulence. It isn't unheard of for a pilot to get a damaging hit on the head while in the air.

Additionally I wear it when flying many taildraggers because of the increased risk of ground looping, though I hope I never do... But there's the old saying... those that have and those that will.

I find the helmet to be light and comfortable and have no issues wearing it from a comfort standpoint, though I tend to get a bit self conscious when doing so.
 
Kritchlow said:
You're kidding.... Helmets, parachutes (not the Cirrus kind)???? That is paranoid. Why not drive with a helmet??
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Why not sleep with a helmet --- for those prone to falling out of bed.

Seems like more and more focus to to buy/carry more and more junk for typical activities that drive people away from participation :nonod:
 
Wrench978 said:
well that was surprising... I fully expected the malibu to disintegrate and the bel air to shrug it off... impressive what research and technology can do for safety!
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The steering column to the face didn't help things either.
 
I know there was a Mooney that went down at KMKC in 2013 where the pilot and pax were both decapitated by the glareshield. Not sure if they had shoulder restraints or not.
 
oldShar said:
Why not sleep with a helmet --- for those prone to falling out of bed.

Seems like more and more focus to to buy/carry more and more junk for typical activities that drive people away from participation :nonod:
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One cannot speak in generalities on something like this. We all fly to a different level. Sure, someone flying a Seminole around the midwest certainly does not need to, nor should they consider a helmet. However those of us that fly single engine aircraft into high altitude mountainous terrain with no engine failure landing options other than hostile land should probably consider a helmet.

There is no "yes" or "no" to the question of "should I wear a helmet" like most things in life, it depends.

Just like risk varies for sports... When I ski I wear a helmet and protective spine equipment because I regularly see speeds of 80mph and regularly ski in treed areas far away from any medical help. Though your average weekend warrior could certainly get away without spine protection and would likely even be just fine without a helmet...

We all experience flying on a different level, and accept risk at different levels. So the choice is personal.
 
Sundancer said:
...No one says "Pass a law to make me stop (fill in the blank). . .
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Well, not quite "no one." I've mentioned several times that I wish the FAA would bring back the six hours in six months part of the IFR currency rules, because I was significantly more proficient when it existed. Sure, in theory I could have still followed the old rule, but in practice, exercising that level of self-discipline is easier said than done.
 
Can someone please post a picture of 4 passengers wearing helmets in a 172. I would love that.
 
petrolero said:
I don't even wear a seat belt. I'd rather be thrown clear. :lol:
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There was a man who was flying his quicksliver. He wanted to reach for something and undid his safety belt. The belt went into the prop and he was thrown out of the airplane at 1000'.

But the two stories that stuck in my mind was of the CFI with student. CFI and student takes off and only the CFI returns. This happened to this CFI twice. I am sure others here have heard of this. I don't believe a helmet would have helped these two student pilots.
 
I swear this is true - when I was active in CAP I was flying a "patrol" type mission, as the PIC/Mission Pilot. I can't remember the Observer/ballast person, but a friend was in the back seat, as "Scanner" - he's also happens to be a pilot;

I thought he sure had a big "kit" with him when we briefed, but he's a slender guy, and I wasn't worried about W&B. . .

Anyway, we drone along for 2+ hours or so, and as we drop into an uncontrolled field for a bio break, we get an ELT signal. We have a Becker DF, so I taxi around until it points at the airplane with the suspect ELT. I shut down, and for the first time, look back at my Scanner - he's wearing a helmet, Nomex (I knew that), a survival vest with radio and GPS/Spot, gloves, etc. . .

He'd had a bird strike recently, a non-trivial one, and it put the fear of something in him; if we pranged, and he had breath in his body, he was gonna get out alive!

I was wearing a polo shirt and pants with legs you could unzip and remove. I did have a Cliff bar in my bag, and a bottle of water.

I guess we were both comfortable with our decisions. . .
 
Sundancer said:
I swear this is true - when I was active in CAP I was flying a "patrol" type mission, as the PIC/Mission Pilot. I can't remember the Observer/ballast person, but a friend was in the back seat, as "Scanner" - he's also happens to be a pilot;

I thought he sure had a big "kit" with him when we briefed, but he's a slender guy, and I wasn't worried about W&B. . .

Anyway, we drone along for 2+ hours or so, and as we drop into an uncontrolled field for a bio break, we get an ELT signal. We have a Becker DF, so I taxi around until it points at the airplane with the suspect ELT. I shut down, and for the first time, look back at my Scanner - he's wearing a helmet, Nomex (I knew that), a survival vest with radio and GPS/Spot, gloves, etc. . .

He'd had a bird strike recently, a non-trivial one, and it put the fear of something in him; if we pranged, and he had breath in his body, he was gonna get out alive!

I was wearing a polo shirt and pants with legs you could unzip and remove. I did have a Cliff bar in my bag, and a bottle of water.

I guess we were both comfortable with our decisions. . .
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Not sure if I would have been able to contain myself. :rofl:

I personally live with the theory that if its my time its my time. sandals shorts and a t-shirt, I don't worry. When something happens, I want to at least look like I was comfortable and not looking like I was prepped for Armageddon.

Maybe that mindset would change with a scare, or a family :dunno:
 
TheGolfPilot said:
Not sure if I would have been able to contain myself. :rofl:

I personally live with the theory that if its my time its my time. sandals shorts and a t-shirt, I don't worry. When something happens, I want to at least look like I was comfortable and not looking like I was prepped for Armageddon.

Maybe that mindset would change with a scare, or a family :dunno:
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He's a real good guy, and very by the book, so I didn't rag him, but I was surprised! We made quite a contrast on the ramp. . .
 
TheGolfPilot said:
...I personally live with the theory that if its my time its my time. sandals shorts and a t-shirt, I don't worry. When something happens, I want to at least look like I was comfortable and not looking like I was prepped for Armageddon.

Maybe that mindset would change with a scare, or a family :dunno:
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That sounds similar to resignation, which is one of the FAA-identified hazardous attitudes.
 
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