Instructor Helmets - what are you using and why?

[DougH 270]

I am considering moving to using a hard helmet on all of my 182 tandems this year.

I noticed that they now have a Benny Advanced which has audible pockets, and it is pretty damn cheap at around 75 bucks.

It also looks like it offers protection further down the back of the head. But maybe that is a negative when trying to look up and back? Knock on wood I haven't banged my head yet if you don't count the occasional overzealous head but or getting bumped into the ceiling a bit on hook up.

I would appreciate any input, thanks!

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[TomNoonan 1]

An often missed benefit of a helmet, especially the ones with a good amount of padding inside is that they do a tremendous job at muffling the sound of the engine. Turbine's are one thing, but when you spend 30-40 minutes of every hour on a busy day sitting in a noisy piston Cessna, day after day, month after month, year after year, it can take its toll on your hearing.

Ear plugs do a good job, but its a noticeable difference with the helmet. Best noise reduction is both, but it can also be hard to hear the student if you have ear plugs in and a helmet on.

Just my .02 on Cessnas and helmets.

Namaste,
Tom Noonan

www.everest-skydive.com

[DougH 270]

Thanks Tom! Great point!

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[Fast 0]

Cookie G3 with the low profile mouth piece.

I hate wind in my face and in the spring/fall it makes things a whole lot more comfortable when the weather is cold. I close it at exit and open it during opening. Have had no problems with such since.

I started using a full face when I got bashed in the face by the back of the head of some bro trying to do some sweet backflips cause he saw it on tv.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[fencebuster 7]

I use a Cookie Fuel with an audible. With the quick release Go Pro mount on top, it is a good multi-purpose helmet. We just mandated that all of our TIs must wear hard shell helmets. They can use our student helmets if they choose or buy something they prefer. But I agree, a good helmet makes a difference to the potential hearing loss. And I was one of those guys flying in F-4s who never wore hearing protection on the flight line . . . just my flight helmet.

Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208
AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I
MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger
Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

[TEB6363 0]

Full Face now... I love the quick change lens on my PhantomX...

Keeps the student snot out of MY nose

I wear the shaded lens to "stay out" of their video when they get hand-cam. The clear on darker days, but then they see the fear in my eyes on video

Also, talking through the mouth piece is not a problem. It actually limits what I try to tell the student. I make everything I say more clear and deliberate...

Once the plane takes off, you're gonna have to land - Might as well jump out!!

[diablopilot 2]

Cookie G3. Has reduced the number of sinus infections and illnesses I've picked up from students. Allows me to talk to the student easily with the visor up.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[riggerrob 598]

If you wear a Pro-Tec, stuff an audible in one ear, then cut out the cross-bars on the other ear. That will allow you to wear earplugs for the plane ride and freefall, but you will still be able to pull out one ear-plug after opening. That will allow you to hear what the student is saying while hanging under canopy.
Hint: if you get the cheap, industrial ear-plugs - with cords - you will be able to pull-and-forget the ear-plug under canopy. The cords also make it much easier to keep track of BOTH ear-plugs.

[oozzee 0]

I wear my Z-1 on EVERY jump,,,tandem,aff,small way.big way.hop npop,freeflying,,demos,,,If I have a hard landing my head is somewhat protected,,

[Guru312 0]

TomNoonan

...Turbine's are one thing, but when you spend 30-40 minutes of every hour on a busy day sitting in a noisy piston Cessna, day after day, month after month, year after year, it can take its toll on your hearing.
...

Sorry for what may be a little off topic but...I'm almost deaf in my right ear and I can't hear any high frequency sounds at all in either ear.

I have about 1800 hours flying jumpers in a Cessna 182. I wore rather expensive David Clark headphones but seldom had the right side on so I could hear commands from the J/Ms. I would sometimes remember to put the 'phones back on my right ear after jump run but most often didn't.

Needless to say, never for a second did I think about going deaf from flying jumpers.

I suggest doing...and spending!...what you can to save your hearing. It sucks having to say, "Excuse me, could you repeat that?" or "What did you say...again?" time after time every day.

Guru312

I am not DB Cooper

[mx19 0]

Cookie G3, No more snot in your face/mouth, less illnesses, protect you slightly from the smelly ones but still has great visibility and can talk with the visor up under canopy...

[Greig474 0]

"If you wear a Pro-Tec, stuff an audible in one ear, then cut out the cross-bars on the other ear."

word of warning if you do try this, i had a helmet like this and during one jump my helmet moved slightly and the top of my ear was sticking out the hole just slightly, i then had riser slap on opening, it skimmed my ear while the helmet prevented the ear from moving forwards, felt like my ear was getting sliced! i think just cutting the lower cross bar would be enough room to take the earplug in and out, without risking this situation.

[DougH 270]

Tried jamming on my old bonehead boomerang this weekend, while hooking up with a student on my knees in the back of the 182. Student was behind the pilot seat.

Barely any room, and awkward as all hell! Glad it was a IAF student that had a few jumps, and not a first time tandem student!

Thinking maybe it would be better with a open face that I left on the whole flight and prescription gators or similar. Right now I am jumping with contacts and have snug goggles that I try to put on right before getting the door.

Winter gloves, having to pop on my goggles and then the helmet, and having handicam. Too much stuff to f' with!

Guessing most of you full face guys are in bigger planes, I can't imagine having much room to flip the visor up while hooking up and going over the jump one last time.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[JohnMitchell 16]

I started doing tandems 22 years ago wearing a frap hat. Started using a pimp daddy hard shell open face a few years later. Still using an open face but thinking of getting a G3 for all the reasons stated above by others.

[councilman24 36]

I covered the ear openings with matching color duct tape. Been there for decades. Attenuates the noise but can still hear well enough.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Quote

I started using a full face when I got bashed in the face by the back of the head of some bro trying to do some sweet backflips cause he saw it on tv.

LOL! Yet another reason to put students in Frap Hats, bro. There are SOOOOOO many benefits to it:

-keeps their hair out of your mouth
-keeps them from bashing their head when you maneuver them to the door
-keeps them from knocking YOU out when they try for that "sweet backflip"
-keeps them warm in the winter and drastically cuts down on wind noise
-it's a great place to store their goggles.

On the other hand there are so FEW reasons not too:

-"I look dorky in my video"
-the DZ doesn't want to spend the money on them.

It really pains me to work at places that don't provide that basic level of protection to tandem students; PARTICULARLY in the winter when they freeze their asses off.

I personally wear an old Bonehead Mindwarp for tandems. Why? It protects my head from getting banged up on the way to the door and I always jump with a Dytter, and lastly: it's very stylish. I see lots of guys out here in AZ doing tandems in their G2's/G3's, but I hate full-faces for anything other than tunnel (too clausty for me).

At Raeford, all tandem students were required to wear frap hats and all instructors were supposed to wear a hard helmet of some type.

Chuck

[Fast 0]

For sure. We have some of the Deepseed ones and some of the older style ones. Mostly use them when it's cooler.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[TomNoonan 1]

Quote

We have some of the Deepseed ones

I just picked up a Deepseed soft helmet from Chuting Star for my front rides on tandem courses and I love it. Noticeable upgrade from the traditional leather frappe hat with the lining.

Namaste,
Tom Noonan

www.everest-skydive.com

[monkycndo 0]

How about something like this?

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

monkycndo

How about something like this?

How long did it take you to dig up that link, Sean? Jesus...

[Mickochet 0]

22 years ago! Damn you are old John. :-)

If you never fall down you aren't trying hard enough.

[JohnMitchell 16]

Mickochet

22 years ago! Damn you are old John. :-)

It was occasionally hard work staying alive this long. I'm proud of it.

[Mickochet 0]

You should be! :-) It is harder than most people think .

If you never fall down you aren't trying hard enough.

[aljazm 0]

Where do you buy frap hats? Not much that I can find online.
Thanks, Aljaz

[skytribe 16]

Hat Shoppe still exists, which I ordered through paragear. They have some in stock but can do custom which took about 3 weeks for my replacement hat in August.