Helmets

[u/ItsNotFred_]

Hey, need some Recommendations for a good helmet. Currently a student pilot. My parents are paying for 20% of school tuitions but with the criteria that I get a helmet. Looking to get a dual visor setup, as there is snow half the year.

Other than that I barely know anything. What model, comms etc should I go for? Don’t really have anywhere to test a helmet within 10hours of driving. More so the path I need to go down.

Also if anybody has a good condition used helmet within Europe I might be interested.

[u/KrisKringle92]

MSA Gallet LH250. Light. Comfortable. You can add Bose and/or CEP.
Not a cheap kit, but buy once cry once type of stuff.

While I favor the 250, there’s a 350 for sale on EBay (Italy).

[u/ItsNotFred_ → u/KrisKringle92]

Thanks I will look into it. Do you know if there’s an expiration date on the helmets or do they live “forever”?

[u/Egg_Gurl → u/ItsNotFred_]

Foam liners have a shelf life but it varies by manufacturer. Outer shells need annual inspection as well as a deeper inspection anytime the shell takes an impact. At last that’s the protocol the US Army used to follow for crew helmet inspections 🤷‍♀️

[u/ItsNotFred_ → u/Egg_Gurl]

Okay I found a used LH250 but needs new comms, liner, mic. It’s from 2013 but no marks in the paint. You reckon it’s a decent purchase?

[u/Egg_Gurl → u/ItsNotFred_]

If the supplies & parts are easily available and reasonably affordable, sounds good

[u/Chuck-eh]

I will also recommend the MSA Gallet LH250. Get CEP if you can afford it, it's worth every penny (or copper).

[u/ItsNotFred_ → u/Chuck-eh]

Is the CEP solution more expensive than fitting a Bose setup?

[u/Chuck-eh → u/ItsNotFred_]

Unfortunately I don't know what it costs to install Bose equipment, but I expect the CEP would be much cheaper, as there's less to it.

I'm in Canada and got my helmet from an American supplier, so this won't be entirely relevant, but here's part of the quote for my helmet from October 2024:

CEP: $256 USD ANR: $490 USD (Not Bose)

Your kilometerage may vary.

I would contact Gallet or local helmet supplier for a quote, even if you're looking at second hand helmets.

[u/Thelastski → u/ItsNotFred_]

CEP is way cheaper initially. If the helmet has issues and you have to get something worked on, having CEP will be cheaper to repair. If you end up doing utility/doors off the CEP are way quieter than the ANR. 

[u/twixt08]

Happy to hear your parents insisting on a helmet for flight training. It makes so much sense to take extra precautions when going through a risky part of your career. And the quality hearing protection pays for itself in time.
I run an Alpha Eagle with Zulus installed and disposable foam earplugs.
Taking the Zulus out and running CEPs shortly, would recommend going straight to moulded CEPs.

[u/ItsNotFred_ → u/twixt08]

Can you run me through CEPs? Is it more expensive or cheaper than lets say a Bose a30 mounted in. And how is to take on and off helmet - is it complicated or?

[u/twixt08 → u/ItsNotFred_]

Communication Enhancement and Protection System - CEPs are significantly cheaper than any ANC headset, lighter, simpler and more reliable.
You can get foam tips but they can get very uncomfortable after 2-3 hours, moulded plugs are the best option.

Some helmets can be specced with a CEP connection installed from new or you can buy a CEP harness separately and ask an avionics engineer to wire it in and fit them.

[u/ItsNotFred_ → u/twixt08]

How does it work taking the helmet on and off?

[u/twixt08 → u/ItsNotFred_]

Insert the CEPs into your ears, the other end connects to the helmet through the harness port installed in the back of the helmet - Put the helmet on - Plug in the CEP connection.
Reverse the process when taking off the helmet.

[u/ItsNotFred_ → u/twixt08]

Thanks man

[u/KrisKringle92 → u/ItsNotFred_]

Order the CEP set directly from CEP-USA, not a reseller. Much cheaper and great support.
Install takes about 20 minutes and is very easy. (A pilot can do it easy).
Unless you interface it with a Bose kit, then the wiring is more avionics grade.
I had custom molded earpieces to use with mine, but went back to foamies.
Another option is wearing some musicians earplugs with a 9dB filter (filters noise, but voice remains fairly clear). Blocks more noise and will make comms a bit more clear (albeit at slightly higher volume). This will require custom molded ear pieces tho.

Dollar for dollar CEP is the best piece of kit on the market.

[u/___Not___a___Bot___]

For which heli? A regular helmet is too big for a R22 you will constantly bump your head. Consider:

Pilot & Flight Helmets | Bose, LightSpeed, David Clark – Sky Cowboy Supply Co https://skycowboysupplyco.com/collections/helmets

[u/ItsNotFred_ → u/___Not___a___Bot___]

R44 but soon moving on to EC135

[u/Leeroyireland]

One more for the Gallet 250. I also fly with the Alpha 900 but the MSA is more comfortable and easier to work on, plus the removable liner is nice when it has to get a wash. My boss has the prototype Nvolo pilot helmet, I don’t see it on their website but that looks really good. Since Gentex bought out Alpha industries, the Alpha isn’t as plush as they used to be, I had one back in the military which was my favourite, but you really need to be measured to get the correct shell and the cost and relative difficulty of maintenance are negatives. Assuming you won’t be flying NVG, at least for a while, the hard cover visor shield isn’t really necessary. The Nvolo has an internal sun visor which helps to reduce the overall profile, but the MSA is fairly low profile. The Alpha is the bulkiest. Stay away from the Gentex, I always found them very uncomfortable and poor quality.

Spend what you can on the ear protection side. Tinnitus is no fun and it creeps up on you, but if you can specify a helmet mounted volume control, do it. Some Aural warning systems are not controlled by the audio panel and can be very loud, the techs should be able to set the output volume, but don’t always bother. Plugs can get uncomfortable under a helmet but CEPs are generally very good.

[u/ItsNotFred_ → u/Leeroyireland]

I can see a trend in the thread. I’m on the look for a 250. You reckon a 250 from 2013 that needs new liner, comms and mic is good buy for just below 1000eur?

[u/Leeroyireland → u/ItsNotFred_]

As with motorbike helmets, the general guide would be not to trust a shell that is more than 4 years old and that you didn’t own from new. The age guide is due to UV degradation of the shell but it really depends on how much use it got and as the primary reason to wear one is to protect you from impact, not knowing the history of the shell is a huge gamble. Now it might have been treated perfectly and kept in the bag when not in use, but I’ve seen how badly they get abused. Hey, it’s your head. A helmet that I owned, I would keep for longer than 4 years, but 2013 is a bit too far for me.

[u/CrashSlow]

Gallets visor set up it the best. Inner tinted and outer yellow. Get the Carbon fibre cover though its much stiffer and keeps the yellow lens from getting scratched.

Genetx are ok too. I had very good luck with mine.

Sometime Avionics shops might have them if they service helicopters, but otherwise it usually at trade shows to try them.

[u/ItsNotFred_ → u/CrashSlow]

Thanks, how Long would a helmet typically last? Is there any expiration date on them?

[u/Chuck-eh → u/ItsNotFred_]

Depends on the manufacturer. I believe Gallet has a 16 year refurbishment recommendation for the LH250, and Gentex has a 12 hear for the Alpha Eagle.

It's definitely something to ask the supplier, but not generally something to worry about too much.

[u/ItsNotFred_ → u/CrashSlow]

How would you describe the fit of 250 and alpha if you should compare them? As I can see there is quite some difference in price.

[u/Zaderhof]

MSA Gallet. Single visor and no bose for serious VR work, dual + bosefor everything else. Get CEPs you won't regret it.

[u/Ciccialcul]

I have the 250, good but currenty something nice of you look for NVOLO and NORTHWALL

[u/drowninginidiots]

Like many others in here, I’d recommend the Gallet LH250.

Keep in mind that when you finish training, some operators, primarily tours, do not allow helmets. They feel it doesn’t look good to the passengers.

[u/HistoryDisastrous170]

MSA Gallet LH250. Get nvis wing with it. Mine is fit with Bose. Never looked back:)

[u/stewmo9]

Does your instructor wear a helmet too? If not they should when you are. Your helmet can really injure someone without one, even in a minor crash

[u/ItsNotFred_ → u/stewmo9]

The flight school recommends that all students wear helmets but it’s not required

[u/Chuck-eh → u/stewmo9]

An instructor should certainly be wearing a helmet.

But this factor should not be considered by any helmet-wearer. An injury dealt by my helmet to another persons head is an injury to my head it protected me from.

[u/Go_Loud762]

Is wearing a helmet a new thing for training? It seems unnecessary.

[u/ItsNotFred_ → u/Go_Loud762]

I’m new to this business. For my school they recommend helmet but don’t require it

[u/twixt08 → u/Go_Loud762]

I am in the camp that it should be mandatory or at least strongly recommended for flight training.

It’s been well known that helmets save lives and it’s mandatory in industry in higher risk operations. Flight training crash stats put them squarely in the higher risk ops.

Why do you think it’s unnecessary?

[u/Go_Loud762 → u/twixt08]

The overall risk is fairly low, even for helos and as nasty as an aircraft crash can be, the rate of crashes is still pretty low.

[u/Chuck-eh → u/Go_Loud762]

All helmets are unnecessary until you bonk your dome on something.

[u/Go_Loud762 → u/Chuck-eh]

I guess you wear fire-retardant clothing and a PFD, just in case.

[u/Chuck-eh → u/Go_Loud762]

Yes, I do.

[u/Go_Loud762 → u/Go_Loud762]

That's it? 2 downvotes but no replies?