Flight Helmet for missions?

[TheSkyHornet]

I think the important question is this....

If you were to get a helmet, how would you have it painted up? 

[Luis R. Ramos]

Goblin and Nuke-

Helmets for car driving?

In the off chance someone hits a pothole, helmets are a must!




On the other hand, a study may be needed, in the order of requiring a helmet when driving cars may encourage a race car mentality. Don't ya think?

[Live2Learn]

I think the important question is this....

If you were to get a helmet, how would you have it painted up? 

Good question.  If personal property does it have to be in USAF colors (boring gray)?  Or can it be bright yellow with blue stars  arranged to maximize aesthetic tastes?  FWIW, I like the bright yellow minus the blue stars.  The color is more likely to noticed by potential rescuers should I stagger from my crumpled ride following an encounter with low level clear air turbulence.

[Luis R. Ramos]

There will be some members who will try to convince all of us that such helmet has to be white since it states so in the regs... With the CAP Emergency Services decal...

[Live2Learn]

There will be some members who will try to convince all of us that such helmet has to be white since it states so in the regs... With the CAP Emergency Services decal...

Ah.  If you knew the answer, why'd you ask the question?  Can't see white in a snow storm...  But bright yellow would stand out.  I still prefer bright yellow.

[Luis R. Ramos]

What question did I ask?

I did no such thing!

I answered the question someone else asked about color!!!! 

Yet... I DID state there was to be a hi-vis color, the ES decal!!!

Just stating that some in here like arguing, and they would start the issue by pointing that 1) There is a color specified for helmets in Emergency Operations. 2) Others would contend that Orange is better for visibility. 3) Those in Pennsylvania will argue that because Hawk has Orange all PA aircraft helmets should be in Orange as well.

[Ned]

Helmets for car driving?

In the off chance someone hits a pothole, helmets are a must!

I spent a fair amount of my life driving around in big armored vehicles for Uncle Sugar, and my CVC saved my noggin on many occasions.  Lousy suspension, *big* potholes, and unforgiving metal upholstery are a bad combination.   

[goblin]

If the AF doesn't make me wear one in my jet now, they're not going to pay for CAP to assign them to aircraft.

[wingnut55]

Helmets are issued as protective equipment, that means each one is fitted for that specific
airman. I flew in C130s in Search and rescue and was not issued a helmet, nor the Aircrew except for the Load
Master, and he never wore it.

They are Hot, uncomfortable, and the ones at surplus are all ratted out, needing hundreds of dollars of repairs.

Now once again individual Helmets are not supposed to be used by everyone, they are issued individually.

I have seen one guy wear a surplus helmet flying scanner, and he looked like a Dork.

[goblin]

^ this

[Cliff_Chambliss]

Mental Picture:  The door of the FBO swings open and here come our two heros.  Flight Suits either two sizes too large or too small, Sneakers, and their flight helmets or questionable vintage, but nicely decorated as Ice Man and Maverick.  Watching as they trundle to their mighty steed the once powerful but now tired and bloated C-182 (not to be confused with the real C-130).  Mounting their plane they make sure everyone is strapped in, all plug in connections made and crank the engine.  The plane sits there for a couple minutes then the engines increases power but the plane remains stationary.  Crap they forgot the wheel chocks.  Just another CAP flight.
OK, not smart but at least they think they looked good doing it.

[Luis R. Ramos]

Forgot to add a CAP van zooming along the road as the C-182 takes off...

[Flying Pig]

Senior Members playing beach volley ball in short shorts and tank tops.

[THRAWN]

Senior Members playing beach volley ball in short shorts and tank tops.

Negative Ghost Rider....just negative....

[TheSkyHornet]

"Because, I was inverted"

[PHall]

"Because, I was inverted"

Nice picture of a Model R/C Airplane.

[NIN]

Mental Picture:  The door of the FBO swings open and here come our two heros.  Flight Suits either two sizes too large or too small, Sneakers, and their flight helmets or questionable vintage, but nicely decorated as Ice Man and Maverick.  Watching as they trundle to their mighty steed the once powerful but now tired and bloated C-182 (not to be confused with the real C-130).  Mounting their plane they make sure everyone is strapped in, all plug in connections made and crank the engine.  The plane sits there for a couple minutes then the engines increases power but the plane remains stationary.  Crap they forgot the wheel chocks.  Just another CAP flight.
OK, not smart but at least they think they looked good doing it.

So I've been a little hesitant to jump in here, and I don't exactly know how to say this delicately, so I'll just put it out there:

Our perception/rep in the GA community, sometimes, ain't exactly the most sterling thing in aviation. 

And its not helped much by people doing things that either don't counter that perception/rep, or actively contribute to it.

As a guy who's spent a lot of time wearing helmets in aircraft for various reasons, IMHO absent some serious manoeuvring situations in the Sierras/Cascades/Rockies (See Flying Pig's post), there are truly precious few times where a true aviation helmet would be beneficial to a CAP aircrew. 

I submit to you that in far more cases, it will contribute to crew fatigue, heat stress, and other deleterious effects.

And then there is the issue of perception among our brother and sister aviators.  When the CAP crew taxis up to the pump and everybody jumps out in flight suits, survival vests and helmets, the rest of the world (rightly or wrongly) shakes their heads and says "wannabes."

Sure, they might not know what Flying Pig knows: that slow and low in a 206 on the wrong side of a ridge line is going to bounce you around like a marble in a tuna can.  Yep, got it. Tracking.

But as you guys know, perception = reality for the majority of people out there. 

So when they see the very same Cessna they fly day in and day out, wearing nothing more than a pair of cutoffs, flipflops and a "Bear Whiz Beer" t-shirt, taxi up on the ramp at their local airpatch and three people alight wearing nomex, survival vests, gloves & helmets and looking (to them) like rejects from a casting call for "Top Gun II: Its Time To Buzz The Tower (Again)," what is their perception going to be?

Which will it be?
"hey, look a CAP aircrew just got back from a long, arduous sortie in a very challenging flying environment?"
or
"Jeez, these people look ridiculous."

Helmets probably make sense in a very tiny percentage of our flying environments.  For the other 98-99.5% of the time, we probably should think long and hard about not just why we're doing things but how we are perceived when we're doing them.

[Storm Chaser]

I couldn't have said it better. The times when a helmet might be useful are very, very few. As some one who has also worn helmets during my military flight career, I don't think the majority of CAP sorties we fly require one. I, personally, wouldn't want the wear a helmet in a C-172 or C-182.

[TheSkyHornet]

"Because, I was inverted"

Nice picture of a Model R/C Airplane.

I hope you don't find a picture of an inverted CAP 182....

Or anybody's 182 for that matter 

[goblin]

Mental Picture:  The door of the FBO swings open and here come our two heros.  Flight Suits either two sizes too large or too small, Sneakers, and their flight helmets or questionable vintage, but nicely decorated as Ice Man and Maverick.  Watching as they trundle to their mighty steed the once powerful but now tired and bloated C-182 (not to be confused with the real C-130).  Mounting their plane they make sure everyone is strapped in, all plug in connections made and crank the engine.  The plane sits there for a couple minutes then the engines increases power but the plane remains stationary.  Crap they forgot the wheel chocks.  Just another CAP flight.
OK, not smart but at least they think they looked good doing it.

So I've been a little hesitant to jump in here, and I don't exactly know how to say this delicately, so I'll just put it out there:

Our perception/rep in the GA community, sometimes, ain't exactly the most sterling thing in aviation. 

And its not helped much by people doing things that either don't counter that perception/rep, or actively contribute to it.

As a guy who's spent a lot of time wearing helmets in aircraft for various reasons, IMHO absent some serious manoeuvring situations in the Sierras/Cascades/Rockies (See Flying Pig's post), there are truly precious few times where a true aviation helmet would be beneficial to a CAP aircrew. 

I submit to you that in far more cases, it will contribute to crew fatigue, heat stress, and other deleterious effects.

And then there is the issue of perception among our brother and sister aviators.  When the CAP crew taxis up to the pump and everybody jumps out in flight suits, survival vests and helmets, the rest of the world (rightly or wrongly) shakes their heads and says "wannabes."

Sure, they might not know what Flying Pig knows: that slow and low in a 206 on the wrong side of a ridge line is going to bounce you around like a marble in a tuna can.  Yep, got it. Tracking.

But as you guys know, perception = reality for the majority of people out there. 

So when they see the very same Cessna they fly day in and day out, wearing nothing more than a pair of cutoffs, flipflops and a "Bear Whiz Beer" t-shirt, taxi up on the ramp at their local airpatch and three people alight wearing nomex, survival vests, gloves & helmets and looking (to them) like rejects from a casting call for "Top Gun II: Its Time To Buzz The Tower (Again)," what is their perception going to be?

Which will it be?
"hey, look a CAP aircrew just got back from a long, arduous sortie in a very challenging flying environment?"
or
"Jeez, these people look ridiculous."

Helmets probably make sense in a very tiny percentage of our flying environments.  For the other 98-99.5% of the time, we probably should think long and hard about not just why we're doing things but how we are perceived when we're doing them.

NIN, you are a lot better at saying what I'm thinking than I am. Articulate and accurate. Excellent analysis.