Wearing your helmet on take off.

[trigger 0]

With regards to an aborted landing at Headcorn,Kent,UK which sadly resulted in the loss of the pilots life
I was unfotunately on the load and recieved relatively minor spinal injuries and stayed in hospital for 2 days.
I have just recovered my helmet which fortunately i was wearing at the time and i am left with no doubt that my helmet saved me from severe head injuries from the resulting crash.
The helmet is totally trashed to the extent where i can almost push my finger through the carbon fibre weave,however no head injuries unless you can count a nose bleed were recieved.

My apologies this subject has been posted before

.CHOP WOOD COLLECT WATER.

[DougH 270]

I hope every one on that load gets well soon, and my condolences to the pilots family and loved ones...

I wear mine to protect others, as well as to protect me.

I don't care if they don't want to protect their own head. I don't want their helmet smashing me in the face!!!

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

[BIGUN 1,307]

For your reading pleasure.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2653041;search_string=Sky%20Diving%20Helmets%20and%20DOT%20;#2653041

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[trigger 0]

The article makes a good point about the lack of certification for helmets specifically designed for skydiving,but like i said i'm without doubt my non certified DOT helmet saved me from recieving serious head injuries and i'm glad i was wearing it at the time.

.CHOP WOOD COLLECT WATER.

[airtwardo 7]

Quote

The article makes a good point about the lack of certification for helmets specifically designed for skydiving, but like i said I'm without doubt my non certified DOT helmet saved me from receiving serious head injuries and I'm glad i was wearing it at the time.

Just curious...do YOU always wear a helmet on take off?


You mentioned 'this time'...I was just wondering.


Stories like yours help to remind all of us the importance of remembering the 'little things'.


Good on you for not dying!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[BIGUN 1,307]

Quote

The article makes a good point about the lack of certification for helmets specifically designed for skydiving,but like i said i'm without doubt my non certified DOT helmet saved me from recieving serious head injuries and i'm glad i was wearing it at the time.

You may have not read down far enough to the part regarding Doc's experience with her plane crash/ejection and wearing of the helmet.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[trigger 0]

Yes,i always wear it.
You're right tho using the term 'this time' may well suggest otherwise but to re-clarify i always wear my hemet for take off

.CHOP WOOD COLLECT WATER.

[trigger 0]

I should learn to read
I should learn to read.................etc,etc x100

I,ll post a piccy of my helmet/damage asap

.CHOP WOOD COLLECT WATER.

[Scoop 0]

Hey, welcome back mate, Glad your OK. Wishing the others a speedy recovery too (if not already fine).

I have noticed seeing vidiots not wearing their helmets, choosing instead to secure it by a lanyard and know this is within regulations, but I'm sure a camera helmet flying even only a matter of feet will generate an awful lot of inertia. Imagine laying on the floor and someone dropping a brick on your face, even from only a foot.

I wonder if its arguably better in the interest of others that they wear their helmet. I appreciate the heavy helmet in an accident could cause quite significant injury such as whiplash but thats their personal risk for choosing to fly camera as opposed to potentially harming others.

[diablopilot 2]

I wear my helmet when working with an AFF student. Otherwise it's clipped into my chest strap for take off. Not the smartest thing, but that's my choice.

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

[DeNReN 0]

Glad your OK

A friend of mine said to me several times last year on take off..."put your helmet on...you want to be awake for the fire"

[IanHarrop 41]

What brand/model of helmet was it?

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

[peckerhead 0]

If you are not going to wear it then why did you bring it with you in the first place?

Maybe I am old school, I always thought you should be ready to exit the aircraft the very second you get in it.

Shit happens

[Babi 0]

Being new in the sport I tend to do what I see others do, so sometimes I did and sometimes I didn't (when it was hot).
From now on I am going to wear my helmet every time on take off.

[peckerhead 0]

Monkey see, monkey do.

Just make sure you watch the smart monkeys!

[trigger 0]

Hopefully piccies.....Helmet a first generation FF1 freefly helmet manufactured by 2Kcomposites..

.CHOP WOOD COLLECT WATER.

[shropshire 0]

Holy Fuck!!! ..... Did it's job well.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Squeak 17]

I wear my full face on take off everytime.
My camera helmet i have secured to my chest strap on take off everytime, whilst i dont want the extra weight on my head I also dont want the helmet moving through the aircraft.
I'm well aware that the helmet can still fly up and smack me in the face, but that's a risk I'm prepared to take (I also have my arm on the helemt on take off)

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[dragon2 2]

Do you want a 3mm metal plate to the back of your neck? Cause that's what would happen should I wear my camerahelmet and not have a stills camera attached. Not sure if the stills camera is much better but I think the plate could break the neck of the person sitting in front of me.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[Scoop 0]

Good point

[chris74 0]

Hi Birds,
I did my first jump in the army and in the Khaki-land you have to wear your Helmet during take-off and be ready to exit quickly ! So since the first one , I do it .
Blue skies
Chris

[Frenchy68 0]

Quote

Do you want a 3mm metal plate to the back of your neck? Cause that's what would happen should I wear my camerahelmet and not have a stills camera attached. Not sure if the stills camera is much better but I think the plate could break the neck of the person sitting in front of me.

I'm confused about this statement. Is it about having or not having a stills camera mounted on a helmet plate?

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[dragon2 2]

Quote

Quote

Do you want a 3mm metal plate to the back of your neck? Cause that's what would happen should I wear my camerahelmet and not have a stills camera attached. Not sure if the stills camera is much better but I think the plate could break the neck of the person sitting in front of me.

I'm confused about this statement. Is it about having or not having a stills camera mounted on a helmet plate?

The top plate of my camera helmet sticks out a good bit, 10 cm or more. It is attached to the helmet at all times (build-in). I can hang my stills camera from it, upside-down. If I do, the end of the plate/helmet isn't 3mm but is the whole stills camera/lens that would hypothetically hit you in the back/neck. If I don't, I have a sturdy 10cm long 3mm thick metal plate sticking out that would hit you. Get it?

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[trigger 0]

I can appreciate your reasoning for not wearing your camera helmet on take off if that's the case,the design of the stills camera mount sounds potentially lethal in crash sitution,especially if not secured.

.CHOP WOOD COLLECT WATER.

[dragon2 2]

Quote

I can appreciate your reasoning for not wearing your camera helmet on take off if that's the case,the design of the stills camera mount sounds potentially lethal in crash sitution,especially if not secured.

This is one of the reasons why most camerapeople will not wear their helmets for take-off, it's not only to save their own neck although it does factor into it for me. Not talking about a simple side-mount here, I'd wear that for take-off, but a lot of the rear-entry camerahelmets have this type of still-camera mount.

Unfortunately it's also a type of helmet that's hard to secure, our seatbelts fi are too short and for the helmet to go through my cheststrap is also not workable - the helmet's closed or it is not, no space for a strap to go through. I could unthread my cheststrap and loop it around the chin guard, but have never seen anyone fiddling with cheststraps in flight before, that would have its own drawbacks. Also all of our tandem camera people are filming the take-off with camera helmet in hand, so not secured either. I usually have my arms wrapped around the chin guard, but that would very probably not be enough to hold it should we crash.

ciel bleu,
Saskia