Helmet?

[Captain Dilbert]

Can anyone suggest a good helmet for light aircraft? I know the Alpha is good but it's also a bit pricey; are there any other choices? I need something reasonably light for aerobatics in an Extra and the like. Thanks for any information. CD

[SNS3Guppy]

Personally I use the HGU-58/P. It's lighter than most other helmets, which is a big consideration when you're wearing it for more than a very short period every day. It depends what you're doing, however. I know a lot of pilots that prefer helicopter helmets such as the SPH-5. They're a lot cooler, with airflow around the base. With mine, while it's light, it's also hot, and despite having a "temperfoam" self-adjusting liner in leather, it develops hotspots that feel as though they're burning after a while. A slight adjustment on the helmet takes care of that, from time to time, but it can be uncomfortable.

The helicopter helmets tend to be wider and don't fit well in a cramped cockpit with a small canopy. A big concern if you're going to be spinning your head around a lot. They're also heavier, if you're going to be pulling G's or maneuvering a lot, then a heavy helmet can get old in a hurry.

While the standard helmet shell is fiberglass, I had mine custom finished in kevlar, for better impact protection. It didn't cost a lot more; about a hundred more, I think.

You might try Flight Suits Unlimited, also selling as Gibson and Barnes.

[eharding]

Pprune search for 'Gentex' should lead you to all the relevant threads. I use an HGU 55 - works well for me in various aerobatic kit, including the Extra. The Alpha provides slightly better protection, but is more bulky. I know of some conversions of motorsport helmets with kevlar shells with aviation comms kit, which offer substantial savings over dealer prices for Gentex or Alpha, but if you can source a new HGU 55 shell then fitting the liners and comms yourself can be a lot cheaper as well.

[Captain Dilbert]

Thanks very much for the responses; I've checked out Gibson and Barnes which would seem to have all the bases covered. It's also a very well organised web site. Thanks again - CD.

[Flyingcircusace]

Or you can get a Peltor G77 rally helmet, swap the coms with a peltor aviation headset, visor of a gentex and you have a kevlar flying helmet with coms new for about £350, weighs the same a gentex.

[Zulu Alpha]

David Clarke make a good one that their headsets clip into.

[hugh flung_dung]

I use an ex-RAF mk4A (with both boom and mask "hooks") when appropriate, I think it cost me £200 about 10 years ago. I've replaced the microphones with D-C electrets (a bit of a pain in the mask, but do-able) and added a variable resistor to each of the ear cups, but you could keep it standard and have an external adapter box.
Whatever you end-up with, make sure there's a weak link or pigtail connector if there's any possibility of getting out in a hurry - it would be awfully sad to be connected to a terminally-broken aeroplane by the helmet cable.

Someone suggested the D-C shell that takes a standard headset - IMHO these are pretty poor compared to the mil helmets. The soft ones are quite good though if you just want to hold something on during neg g.

HFD

[Zulu Alpha]

D-C shell that takes a standard headset - IMHO these are pretty poor compared to the mil helmets

Not sure why you think this. The DC helmet is quite light and has an inner cloth helmet separated from the shell. The advantages are the light weight and they are cooler in summer. Not sure whether they give the last 1% of impact resistance compared to Kevlar/Carbon fibre. But do you need this as any impact that damages the helmet is likely to render you unconscious.

I don't know what the DC helmet is made of. Its plastic, but I don't know if it has any reinforcing.

Price is $360 in the US plus a headset.

ZA

[eharding]

I always found the DC shells shift around too much when flying aeros, and have a tendency to restrict vision when craning your head backwards. Also, there seems to be a fundamental difference in design philosophy between the HGU 55 and the DC shell - the HGU has a large clear space in the shell around the base of the neck, whereas the DC has a hard clip-on ridge which extends downwards from the back of the shell towards the nape of the neck - which probably contributes to the problems looking backwards. For what they are, the DC shells are vastly overpriced, but that could be said of a lot of aviation headgear.

[Captain Dilbert]

Thanks all I use the DC helmet at the moment and I just think a purpose built lid will give more protection as well as the option of clear / tinted visors and built in ANR if required. Has anyone had experience of the ANR in these HGU 55/58 headsets? CD

[hugh flung_dung]

ZA, I think eharding has summed-up the problems with the D-C shell. Also, compared to the Mk4A I find them uncomfortable and miss the visors.

HFD

[SNS3Guppy]

Has anyone had experience of the ANR in these HGU 55/58 headsets?

I found ANR entirely unnecessary in the helmet. Helmets of the HGU series come with the option of either DC type earcups inside (mine have oregon aero hush foam earseals), or the standard "elephant ear" style. The elephant ear style are noisier, and don't have an ideal earseal for applying ANR anyway...but they're more comfortable. The earcups provide better impact protection, seal better against noise, and in my opinion, don't need ANR. It's a wasted option in these helmets...based on experience in some noisy cockpits.

[eharding]

Regarding ANR in an HGU 55 - rather than ANR I'd recommend the passive CEP system - essentially a set of earplug speakers which work in parallel with the speakers in the helmet. One of my Pitts co-owners has ANR in his HGU55, but has had much better results with the CEP earplugs, and I use them as well. Have also fitted CEP kits to DC headsets for a couple of the local Extra drivers.

http://www.cep-usa.com

Also found it easier/cheaper buying direct from CEP, but FlightSuits or Headset Services can also supply and fit the kit.

Edited: also agree that the Oregon Aero earcups & liners are better than the stock Gentex items.

[Captain Dilbert]

Eharding

I like the look of the CEP product. I'm not entirely clear how it works with a helmet? Do you fit the plugs and then put the helmet on? Doesn't this produce a bit of a problem with the wires or are they mainly external to the helmet. Am I being a bit dense about this? Thanks again, CD.

[eharding]

The CEP website has some photos, but essentially the earplugs are very similar to a set of in-ear stereo earphones, with soft foam expanding tips which provide excellent passive noise attenuation - the end of the earphone cable has a SMB connector. A small hole is drilled in the helmet towards the bottom on one side, and a recessed SMB jack inserted and wired in parallel with the helmet speakers. You put in the earphones, put on the helmet, then plug the end of the earphone cable into the jack on the outside of the helmet. Works very well. If you don't like the sound of drilling a hole in the helmet (note there are already holes drilled for the existing cabling, visor bungee studs etc) there are versions with a smaller trailing SMB connector lead wired into the helmet, but most people use the external jack. CEP use the Comply foam tips, and you can buy these from a non-aviation source at about half the price charged by the aviation sources.

A more expensive solution is to have custom-made gel plugs made from a mould of your ear canal, but this comes in at about £300, whereas the CEP kit is about £75.

[Captain Dilbert]

Thanks Eharding, I appreciate the information

I think a combination of the HGU helmet and the CEP kit sounds the way to go, I might even know someone who would enjoy the challenge of installing the kit in the helmet. I wont be doing it that's for sure! CD

[bottom rung]

This guy made his own setup.... www.geocities.com/mgd3/flying/helmet.htm It looks quite neat. If helmet cost is an issue, there are plenty of chinese pilots helmets available on ebay. Can't comment on their quality though.

[tmmorris]

Just a thought: I had a very interesting trip around the Centre for Aviation Medicine at RAF Henlow last summer, and they were talking about their attempts to get something WW2-looking but safe for the BBMF pilots to wear. All the available 'leather-look' options failed their tests - the kevlar shells were hard but there was insufficient padding between the shell and the pilot's skull in the event of a crash.

So stick to something boring but safe...

Tim