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Old March 11th 04, 09:14 PM
ShawnD2112
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I guess you gotta ask yourself one question: how much is your head worth?

I bought an HGU-55 from Flightsuits in California and have been pretty happy
with it. It's the US military helmet in a civilian version, but you can get
it with O2 mask instead of a boom mike if you want. I seem to remember mine
was about $800 all in, but I didn't get ANR. Looking back, I'd get ANR.
The single seat Pitts is a loud place to be.

I got mine because I didn't want to successfully get the airplane on the
ground after an emergency only to have my head caved in in the process.
Granted the helmet isn't as strong as a motorcycle helmet, but it's better
than nothing. Not too heavy, no problem when pulling Gs, tinted visor's
very nice (and looks cool, too!). I don't wear it when tooling around in
the Taylorcraft but the energy level's a lot lower in the machine. I always
wear it when I'm in the Pitts, regardless of the purpose of the flight.

Except once. I had a problem with my comms setup and I was trying out a
headset to try to isolate the problem. And my mate jumped me in his One
Design at 3,000 feet. I gave him a crap fight because I was too busy
fighting a loose headset in the cockpit. That's another reason I always
wear a helmet! (BTW, I've never beaten him but I've often given a pretty
damn good go!)

Shawn


"Dave Russell" wrote in message
om...
My parachute rigger has been after me for years to start wearing a
helmet when I'm wearing a 'chute. It always seemd kinda silly...

Today I was in the FBO when one of the local ag pilots got his helmet
back after a rebuild job. He rolled an airplane over on it's back
last year after an engine failure at 50 feet (big dose of luck,
excellent stick-n-rudder... totaled the plane but he came away just
scraped and sore). He also got back the bits and pieces left of the
original helmet... egad. His parting comment to me was that he'd
never fly aerobatics without a helmet.

Now, I don't do aerobatics in an Agcat at 50 ft, but his point was
heard clearly.

So, anyone used one? How much too heavy are they under g's? How
uncomfortable on a good day?

-Dave Russell
8KCAB