For those who don't believe helmet's save lives...

[RagMan]

http://www.canada.com/news/Helicopter+pilot+northern+Alberta+crash+misjudged+altitude+report/6307250/story.html

 

This is what happens when you don't wear one. Had this pilot been wearing one, there's a great possibility he would still be alive today.

 

Can't fathom how some pilots here believe that helmets don't make a licking difference between life and death. I'm sure Gomer will subject his input on this. Fire away Gomer!

 

"The pilot died of head injuries received on impact."

 

"The investigation found that "the lack of regulations or policies requiring helicopter pilots to wear helmets" puts them at greater risk of injury or death from head injuries they received in a crash or after ditching the aircraft."

[SBuzzkill]

"I don't want to wear them because they're sooooo uncomfortable and they will instantly snap your neck on impact from the extra weight."

 

If my eyes rolled any further I would be looking at my spine.

[helonorth]

You could wear a helmet in your car, too. There is a good chance it could save your life someday. A Nomex suit might not be such a bad idea either...

[aeroscout]

You could wear a helmet in your car, too. There is a good chance it could save your life someday. A Nomex suit might not be such a bad idea either...

Dale Earnhardt wasn't wearing a HANS when he wrecked his race car and snapped his neck. Almost everyone else was. If he was wearing one he almost certainly would have been uninjured.

So the industry standard is the one to watch

Many more helo pilots wear helmets than don't, that makes wearing helmets the industry standard. Driving a non race car the industry standard is no helmet.

I know you were being sarcastic, but in my opinion your sarcasm didn't work.

[Oil Pilot]

Many more helo pilots wear helmets than don't

 

Where does this gem come from? No one in the GoM wears helmets except those flying MMS. Almost no one doing flight instruction (Civilian) wears a helmet. ENG pilots mostly don't wear helmets.

 

Where is this majority of helicopter pilots that wear helmets? EMS and utility?

 

The industry standard is to wear helmets in EMS and utility. You boys go ahead.

[aeroscout]

Where does this gem come from? No one in the GoM wears helmets except those flying MMS. Almost no one doing flight instruction (Civilian) wears a helmet. ENG pilots mostly don't wear helmets.

 

Where is this majority of helicopter pilots that wear helmets? EMS and utility?

 

The industry standard is to wear helmets in EMS and utility. You boys go ahead.

Every military pilot wears a helmet, now, factor that into your criticism of my original statement, then try an amended reply.

[Darren Hughes]

Every military pilot wears a helmet, now, factor that into your criticism of my original statement, then try an amended reply.

 

Is this not more of a civilian industry discussion though?

[aeroscout]

Is this not more of a civilian industry discussion though?

I kind of see your point, but if you look at the title of the thread, it doesn't really specify.

 

Theoretically , and realistically the military helo pilot faces more head injury danger exposure than civilians, but even if you statistically compared apples to apples, you would logically conclude wearing a helmet is the most sensible choice.

I don't care if anyone chooses not to, but I don't see letting any disparaging of the most rational choice go unchallenged. If you say you don't want to wear one, it's too uncomfortable etc, whatever, fine by me.

But if you say it's not a good idea, or those that do are somehow unreasonable, then that's a no go to me.

I wear one, I like wearing it, it can get uncomfortable, but all in all I would encourage others to wear one. I would discourage anyone who didn't wear one from thinking they don't lose anything by not doing so.

I wouldn't disparage them if they chose not to, but I would have to challenge them if they criticized anyone that did.

[Gomer Pylot]

A small minority of fixed-wing pilots would be saved by wearing helmets. As would a tiny minority of automobile drivers, and pedestrians. But in the real world, the risk/benefit ratio has to be considered. There are certainly instances of people walking on sidewalks who would be saved by wearing helmets, but you don't see many people wearing them walking into the mall. If someone feels the need to wear a helmet to bed, that's their choice, but advocating that everyone should wear one to bed isn't going to make anyone popular, nor trusted. Helicopter pilots, in general, have no more, nor no less, need of helmets than any other pilots, or drivers. There are certainly activities where helmets make sense, for flying or driving vehicles, but saying that everyone should wear them all the time is being Chicken Little.

[aeroscout]

Who is saying that everyone should wear one, or wear one all the time, or both ?

[rotor91]

Here in the LA area, there are a couple ENG companies. I know a few ENG pilots that wear helmets. A recent engine failure last year at WHP, ENG pilot was wearing a helmet. I think if you fly everyday for a living, then you should wear a helmet and protect your melon! There are always bird strikes too!

 

WAY back in the day, a commercial pilot at WHP flying a 22 would wear a helmet and flight suit...DUNNO if Goldy remembers him...at Watson? It looked funny on the guy, but it it could save his life in the event of accident.

 

R91

[500E]

http://www.aaib.gov....SWI%2002-12.pdf

Page 23 coveres medical, the whole report is worth the read,

The above helped me to make my mind up, Lump of canopy in his head focused my mind, also a largish buzzard to darn close to canopy.

[Tenacious T]

I don't understand the debate. It's common sense that if you hit your head or a bird comes through the canopy at your face a helmet/visor could help protect you. Some people feel that the odds are so slim of that happening that it doesn't warrant wearing a helmet. Some feel that it does and therefore wear one. If you are pro helmet, wear one, if you are against, don't. What is the point of trying to convince someone on the other side of the fence?

[akscott60]

I would wear a helmet for bird protection alone. Around Alabama at the altitudes I fly, Buzzards are everywhere.

[Spike]

Here is some wisdom on the topic. It’s an old article (1991), but still relevant as this topic continues to be cyclical…..

 

Edited October 1, 2020 by Spike

[500F]

I'm surprised no one has brought up the ergonomic issues for VR work. Many of the pilots I know that do VR work wont wear them because it further incrases neck pain, limits periphial vision and always hits the door frame on the 500. Don't call forrest circus work VR either, your looking up a huge chunk of the time.

 

I have mixed feeling on the issue. Its certainly better to be wearing one if you crash. But as others have said, it is better to be wearing one if you crash a car or airplane too. And the risks are otherwose the same, or comparable.

 

To me its a personal preference, I have one. Don't always wear it, but sometimes. Its a risk I am willing to take, no greater than flying a helicopter without a 4 point harness. I'd hate to see it get mandated.

[helonorth]

Dale Earnhardt wasn't wearing a HANS when he wrecked his race car and snapped his neck. Almost everyone else was. If he was wearing one he almost certainly would have been uninjured.

So the industry standard is the one to watch

Many more helo pilots wear helmets than don't, that makes wearing helmets the industry standard. Driving a non race car the industry standard is no helmet.

I know you were being sarcastic, but in my opinion your sarcasm didn't work.

I wear a helmet complete with the HANS device in my non race car '81 Pinto wagon. I know this is not the industry standard, but you can't be too careful.

Edited March 17, 2012 by helonorth

[aeroscout]

I wear a helmet complete with the HANS device in my non race car '81 Pinto wagon. I know this is not the industry standard, but you can't be too careful.

Again, sarcasm that doesn't work. If you don't want to wear a bike helmet while biking, don't. If you don't want to wear a motorcycle helmet while motorcycling, don't. If you want to skateboard without skateboard protective gear don't. If you don't want to be wise, don't be. But while you're being unwise if you try to insinuate that you are, and meanwhile attempting to denigrate those that are being wise, it's a fraud I won't mind commenting on.

[Oil Pilot]

So all of us who don't wear helmets are unwise? Nice.

 

Military pilots are required to wear helmets and they're not really part of the commercial pilot industry (IMHO) until they fly commercially for someone other than the military. Most of the former military guys I know are more than happy to ditch the helmet.

 

I never said it doesn't save lives and isn't safer than not wearing one as in some cases, it is. In some cases it's also annoying. Anyone who wears a helmet to fly an R-22 is an idiot. There isn't enough room in that thing anyway and the last thing you have to worry about if you're in an accident in an R-22 is your head.

 

Over most of the commercial helicopter industry (See what I did there) it is not the industry standard. In some jobs it is required and in most it is a choice which most pilots choose not to do.

[adam32]

Every military pilot wears a helmet, now, factor that into your criticism of my original statement, then try an amended reply.

 

The also fly multi-pilot in every helo, where civilians don't. They also get to fly ships with mini-guns attached to them, where civilians don't.

[aeroscout]

The also fly multi-pilot in every helo, where civilians don't. They also get to fly ships with mini-guns attached to them, where civilians don't.

I think that is an unfair partial quote. It is out of context, and if you looked further in the same quote, I talked about comparing apples to apples after considering the types of differences you note.

 

To the unwise comment. I think it's objectively wiser to wear a helmet in a helicopter than not to all other things being equal. Not trying to put anyone down.

[Hotdogs]

The also fly multi-pilot in every helo, where civilians don't.

 

I actually think that's pretty funny.

[SBuzzkill]

What's that got to do with helmets?

 

FYI we can fly single pilot.

[helonorth]

Yeah, but do you ever fly solo? A lot of the people I work with that came from the military have never, ever flown solo. Even their "solo" was with their "stick buddy". Not that I care; having two pilots would almost always be safer. Back to the helmet thing, I do not wear one and couldn't if I wanted to. Only one contract requires it and I'm glad. I do not see the risk/ pain in the ass ratio as making it worth it. My company seems to feel the same way and I don't think it is because of the expense (and it would be expensive!) The insurance companies will tell us when and if we will wear helmets. I hope it isn't any time soon.

[akscott60]

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Edited March 17, 2012 by akscott60