About Helicopter Helmets

[Thomas Nutter <tomn@flightsuits.com>]

With thirteen years in the life support business I have been exposed to literally every flight helmet on the market.  The question most often asked, "What helmet do I buy"?  Gentex, CGF Gallet, or Alpha (Helmets Limited)?

The answer to the question in my mind lies in what level of protection do you desire.  If you want something light and don't care about its level of protection then by all means buy a CGF helmet.  Admittedly they look "cool" and actually they are slightly, just slightly lighter than some of the Gentex and Alpha helmets.  By some I mean if you want to compare apples to apples you would have to compare the CGF helmet to the Gentex HGU-55/P helmet.  Keep in mind the Gentex HGU-55/P is a fixed-wing jet aircraft helmet and does not offer the same level of protection as any of the Gentex rotorcraft helmets.  Buy the way, the HGU-55/P is very light as it intended to be used by jet fighter pilots pulling up to 7 g's.

On the technical side, the test data presented in the CGF literature does not indicate any testing to the latest rotary wing specifications. In fact, their sales literature quotes shock absorption and perforation protection characteristics in accordance to MIL-H-87174, which is the specification for Gentex's HGU-55/P fixed wing jet aircraft helmet, not a helicopter helmet specification.  MIL-H-87174 calls for testing at approximately half the drop height and allows twice the g-force to be transmitted to the wearer when compared to the Army's current rotary wing helmet specification.  In other words, it allows over four times as much impact force to be transmitted to the wearer's head as the rotary wing specification.  U.S. Army rotary wing helmets must also be tested for impact at the earcup, a test of lateral trauma, but CGF's sales literature does not indicate any such testing.

My response to the topic is simple.  I assume you are buying a helmet or wearing one to protect your life?   With the cost of a Gentex helmet actually less than the French made CGF helmet, why would you compromise your safety.  If you are the one in charge of a flight program and it's your responsibility to choose a helmet then wouldn't you sleep better knowing that your staff is wearing the very best available head protection.  The very protection that every aviator in the U.S. Military and the majority of foreign Military uses.  In fact, the helmet of choice by the French Military is a Gentex helmet.

As for the Alpha or Helmets Limited helmet, their line does include a bona fide rotorcraft helmet.  My experience with their products are somewhat limited however, their helicopter helmet is typically more costly than the both the CGF or Gentex helmet and tends to be somewhat complicated to operate and maintain as I have been told by actual owners and users of the helmet.

To what extent will you go to protect yourself or your staff?  If I was to be woken in the middle of the night to the call that no one wants to receive hearing that one of my helicopters went down I would feel a whole lot better, even though not all accidents are survivable, knowing in my that my staff, friends and possibly family was wearing the safest life support products available.

If you are truly interest in flight safety and have questions regarding this topic then feel free to respond with your questions.

Thomas Nutter


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