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LiborJanicek

Pressurized Supersonic Helmet

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Yes, a few wingsuiters have flown a similar style of helmet in the past. It is an incredibly bad idea not only from a snag standpoint but also given its proximity to the reserve top container flap and potentially limiting the flaps ability to fully open.
"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

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Why would you want a helmet like that? (Serious question - trying to understand what problem you think that helmet might help solve or what need that helmet might meet that can't be met by more traditionally-styled helmets).
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

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Why wouldn't you want a helmet that improves your wing/tracking suit flight time as long as it doesn't affect safety. I think we are just scratching the surface of improving aerodynamic during wing/tracking suit flights. I believe we can use technology from speed skiing/downhill speed skateboarding and incorporate it into skydiving helmets for improved flight time.

Road cycling using aero helmets typically save 30-60 seconds for every hour of riding. I have no idea what type of affect these type of helmets might have during flight. Some aero helmet manufactures have recently launched helmets with golf ball dimple texture on them for better laminar airflow.

The wind tunnel testing Pressurized did with their tracking suits and helmet seems like it'll improve flight time. Still waiting to see video of the helmet in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvpDuUJ8giA&feature=plcp

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Let me save you some time. I have also seen one guy use a downhill speed skier helmet for wingsuit flight trying to be more aerodynamic, that thing was a nightmare as well. I spent a lot of time doing research on just the thing you stated above. You can do all the same research or you can take what I have found and save yourself some time and not endanger yourself jumping crazy contraptions.

As you stated, a lot of time and money has been spent on cycle helmet testing in hopes of being more aerodynamic. The most relevant research and testing I have found that was scientifically conducted with quantifiable data came to the conclusion that the human head without exposed ears was the most aerodynamically efficient model shape. This was discovered during the testing of cycle helmets like the ones you posted pictures of and others. The test stand used an instrumented dummy head (minus ears)that the helmets were mounted on for testing. In order to establish a base line they ran the test on the dummy head without a helmet, then ran all the helmet designs. The dummy head had the best aerodynamic numbers out of all the designs. Since we don't have to wear helmets like is mandated in other sports for protective reasons, the best option would be to wear a tight balaclava type of hood to cover your ears and hair. An example of this can be seen in the track suits that a few olympians wore several years back some of which have incorporated the dimples you mentioned as well as trying to simulate the texture found on sharks skin as they have been found to be very efficient hydrodynamical. I posted more info along these lines several years back in the wingsuit forum as we had a similar helmet discussion, I may have even posted some pictures from the research, I can't remember to be honest as it was some time ago.

There you have it, hope that saves you some time.:)

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

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Scott has given you some good facts to consider. I was going to go with the more obvious one, which is that if you you indeed have 132 jumps, there's probably quite a bit you can do just in flying skills and suit choice to improve your aerodynamic performance in a wingsuit or tracking suit that will make a much larger difference than any helmet will make. I'd venture to guess that even if a helmet of that shape makes a difference, it makes a difference at the highest performance edges of flight.

To think a helmet like that might make a difference at a lower experience and skill level would be like a beginning swimmer thinking that shaving off all his body hair will make him as fast as Michael Phelps.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

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NWFlyer, I agree with u on that there are other things I can work on to improve flight time. Yes I do have 132 jumps and this weekend I'll be flying new Intrudair tracking suit for my first time. I'm working my way toward flying a wing suit and I've even gone as far as getting coaching so I can work on body positioning till I reach the 200 jump mark.

https://vimeo.com/44676505

Between renders I was checking out stuff online and was wondering if the Pressurized helmet really worked. Then I started looking around at other aero helmets and that's what got me thinking.

Funny thing that you mentioned shave body hair for swimming. I've been a competitive swimmer all my life and yes I've shaved my body many times for champs. First time was around the age of 10 when I first shaved off all my hair along with some skin. We even went as far as lubing our bodies with baby oil. For champs when winning is separated by 1-100 of a second, then shaving your body can determine the winner.

In the future I can see wing suit competitors using some sort of these type of helmets to gain an advantage. But of a none competitor, it's not worth it.

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Some aero helmet manufactures have recently launched helmets with golf ball dimple texture on them for better laminar airflow.




I would stay away from those manufactures. ;)

The reason the dimples work on a golf ball is because it is spinning. Hopefully your head is not spinning during a wing suit dive.

Sparky
My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

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Some aero helmet manufactures have recently launched helmets with golf ball dimple texture on them for better laminar airflow.




I would stay away from those manufactures. ;)

The reason the dimples work on a golf ball is because it is spinning.

Sparky


Actually, that's not why it works on golf balls.

In fact, it works on cycle helmets, and on cars too: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/dimpled-car-minimyth.htm

Also, what the test Scott refers to failed to take into account, is the body behind the head in a cycling time trial stance. There is ample testing that shows the improvements TT helmets can bring to cycling performance.

That being said, I love the pointy end right on top of the container! lol
Remster

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Some aero helmet manufactures have recently launched helmets with golf ball dimple texture on them for better laminar airflow.




I would stay away from those manufactures. ;)

The reason the dimples work on a golf ball is because it is spinning.

Sparky


Actually, that's not why it works on golf balls.

In fact, it works on cycle helmets, and on cars too: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/dimpled-car-minimyth.htm

Wrong.

Sparky

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/sports/golf/basics/question37.htm

Also, what the test Scott refers to failed to take into account, is the body behind the head in a cycling time trial stance. There is ample testing that shows the improvements TT helmets can bring to cycling performance.

That being said, I love the pointy end right on top of the container! lol

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

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Some aero helmet manufactures have recently launched helmets with golf ball dimple texture on them for better laminar airflow.




I would stay away from those manufactures. ;)

The reason the dimples work on a golf ball is because it is spinning.

Sparky


Actually, that's not why it works on golf balls.

In fact, it works on cycle helmets, and on cars too: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/dimpled-car-minimyth.htm

Wrong.

Sparky

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/sports/golf/basics/question37.htm

Also, what the test Scott refers to failed to take into account, is the body behind the head in a cycling time trial stance. There is ample testing that shows the improvements TT helmets can bring to cycling performance.

That being said, I love the pointy end right on top of the container! lol


Mike: your link doesn't say anything about spinning, and supports the principle of adhesion to the object for longer, as I was implying (regardless of spinning).

EDIT: on top of that, several bike manufacturers are also using this principle by using a rough surface on the back side of the tubes, and a smooth pain on their leading edge. And, they have their own wind tunnel for testing.
Remster

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Some aero helmet manufactures have recently launched helmets with golf ball dimple texture on them for better laminar airflow.




I would stay away from those manufactures. ;)

The reason the dimples work on a golf ball is because it is spinning.

Sparky


Actually, that's not why it works on golf balls.

In fact, it works on cycle helmets, and on cars too: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/dimpled-car-minimyth.htm

Wrong.

Sparky

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/sports/golf/basics/question37.htm

Also, what the test Scott refers to failed to take into account, is the body behind the head in a cycling time trial stance. There is ample testing that shows the improvements TT helmets can bring to cycling performance.

That being said, I love the pointy end right on top of the container! lol


Mike: your link doesn't say anything about spinning, and supports the principle of adhesion to the object for longer, as I was implying (regardless of spinning).


You win.

Sparky
My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

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That being said, I love the pointy end right on top of the container! lol


We can just add "tucking chin to chest before reserve deployment" as a step after "unzipping wingsuit to have access to emergency handles" in case of needing to enact emergency procedures.

We can keep adding steps to the emergency procedures for quite some time.

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