Cold Weather Flying Helmet

Racer

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2006
Messages
1,594
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado USA
Aircraft
Air Command CLT N7512X
Since I have been bitten by this Gyro bug and cannot seem to shake it I cannot imagine not flying, not even for a few months during the winter so I just bought this new helmet and thought I would show it off.

This is a Snowmobile helmet that I saw at the Snow Show last week and I think it will work out good in an open air machine.
It is a Modular helmet which means the entire front part hinges up but what makes this helmet unique is it has a rubber mask that snaps into the helmet and totally covers your mouth and nose making fogged up visors a thing of the past. Your breath is vented out side vents on the helmet and you can also open and close vents in both the front and back of the helmet to get some air flow going through the helmet if needed.
I installed a Mic in the rubber face mask that I should work good there since it is protected and isolated from both wind and engine noise.

You can see in the pics there is a protective flap that covers the chin area, this is held into place by magnets sewn into the flap and into the helmet, that is just a cool idea, no snaps or straps or anything, just magnets.

Another thing I really liked about this helmet is under the clear visor is a tinted visor that slides down by means of the control knob at the top/center of the helmet, this tinted retractable inner visor works exactly like the Gentex military helicopter helmets, so you can change from clear to shaded while in flight.

This helmet is all the excuse I need to do a bunch of flying this weekend so I will let you know how it works out.

See Ya, Todd
 

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Ive a Motorcycle helmet that Ive fitted a Mic ( Dave Clark M7A) to the front Chinpiece and a curly cord downlead. on the downlead where it exits the helmet I've put a 3.5mm stereo jack socket and this is where I plug in a set of in-ear headphones. So I shove in the earphones, shove on the helmet and go fly. My audio on the transmissions are clear as a bell and the sound from the in ear headphones is excellent and also provides a bit of hearing protection. Its also warm in winter.
 
cool helmet

cool helmet

What brand is that helmet? How much?

You know of a webpage for it so we might look into one also?

Thanks!
 
Nice Todd, I like the wide field of vision that most full face helmets don't afford you. How did you incorporate the ear speakers? I'd like to see it next time you come up here.
 
The helmet is sold through Ski Doo and this style of this helmet is called the Modular 2 here is the link to their websight. http://www.ski-doo.com/en-US/PAC/

However I bought mine new off E-bay through a ski doo dealer for about $100.00 less, here is the link of where I bought mine from. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ski-...m14QQhashZitem330279279179QQitemZ330279279179

They have several different colors and paint schemes so finding one you like should not be a problem. Hope this helps some of my fellow Gyronauts stay comfortable in the air this winter.
Fly Warm, Todd
 
Thank you for the information Todd.

The anti fog breathing apparatus looks like a great place to put a microphone.

The ear phones would seem to me to be the challenge. How are you going to manage this? I would think it would be difficult to maintain a seal around the ears.

Thank you, Vance
 
Thank you for the information Todd.

The anti fog breathing apparatus looks like a great place to put a microphone.

The ear phones would seem to me to be the challenge. How are you going to manage this? I would think it would be difficult to maintain a seal around the ears.

Thank you, Vance

I just use I pod style ear buds that I put in my ears like ear plugs, I have been doing this with other helmets I have and it works well.
 
Thank you Todd, I will have to try that.

My helmet works well, especially since I added the ANR feature.

I think it could be better.

Ed has a problem with wind noise in her microphone. I have not yet hooked up her “mush mouth.” I am hoping that will solve this problem.

Thank you for being an innovator, Vance
 
There is a company here in Ozz that makes the ear bud thing, they inject a silicon solution into the ear which then forms a perfect mould shape of the inside ear, they then drill a very small hole through the earmould into which they place a hollow lead which then plugs directly into the external speaker plug of most UHF's /VHF's or your walkmans.
This set up is fantastic as you get the best earplug /hearing protection and the crispest sound at very low volume settings. Also, these earlugs can be worn all day without adverse effects plus its not connect to the helmet !!! Of course, no one else wants to pinch /take them as they only fit your ear !!
 
Mikes in helmets are very intersting, some like Racer get excellent results and other's get very poor results, it would be great if those who have excellent audio on transmission could post what mike they use and how it is set up because clear transmission audio is something most of us including me, do not have and its frustrating going around in circles striving and spending $$ on the way !!

I just re read your first post Todd and I can understand why your transmissions are clear. However, out here in this warm part of the world, the rubber mask would become extremely hot and stifling.
Another thing is that I tape up the sides of my visor as the sun coming through the sides can be extremely hard on thet eyes.
 
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I too am trying to rig up a helmet/mike system. I have been looking at catalogs in bike shops. Sport bike riders have the save issues that we have (wind noise, engine noise, etc)
There are numerous systems out there and it seems that because it isn't for aircraft, the price is cheaper. Not cheap, but cheaper. I found one in-helmet earphone/mic set that retails for $109. A friend of mine claims that callers believed he was lying when he told them he was on his bike doing 100mph. He uses a full face helmet.

The problem that I am running into is that most of these systems use bluetooth to connect to phones, mp3 players and intercom systems. I don't have a passenger and only want a hardwired solution to my PTT button with an input jack for an mp3 player and maybe a cell phone.

I am also wanting a really cool grip for my cyclic with a few buttons on it. I want PTT, input select, volume control and smoke. I have seen Larry Neal with something similar. I think he is using a computer game joystick.

I used to work with electronics a lot, but never got into audio circuits much. I think it is mainly a matter of matching impedance.
 
Let me first tell you that I am not an electronics guy so I lean on my hanger mate Thomas who is an electronics engineer. The motorcycle intercom systems from what I understand are not compatible with our radios. The speakers are fine but the Mic's are different. Motorcycle radio's have dynamic style Mic's and our aviation style radios need an electrolyte style Mic (or something like that)
Thomas made me a small Mic that looks like a watch battery and tucks away very neatly and discreetly wherever you decide to put it.

Chopper read, You could possibly put one of these small Mic's tucked into the foam on a regular full face helmet and have good results.
 
What you want is a noise cancelling electret microphone. Noise cancelling gets rid of much of the surrounding noise environment and makes for far clearer transmissions.

-- Chris.
 
Looks great!!!

Looks great!!!

Todd,

You come up with the greatest stuff. I have been thinking along the same lines as you and have bought a full face helmet that pivots up like this one. However it doesn't have that cold weather mask that keeps the inside from fogging up in cold weather. That seems like a great set up. I have bought a "Clarity Aloft" system that fits well under my helmet but I am not sure how or if it could be made to work with that face mask. But it sure looks like the ultimate system for cold weather flying. I just don't know if I will be doing any of that yet, but I may very well. I have done some snowmobiling and if you are dressed right there is no reason you can't go out all day long in the cold weather and have a blast, so why not apply that to flying in the cold weather. I guess time will tell how that all works out. Anyway I plan to check out those helmets closer, They sure seem to be a great system. Thanks for keeping us informed on all the cool things you are doing. You truly are a trend setter and leader in our sport. Best of luck!!!!

Gyro Doug
 
OK, I am now back from flying all weekend and the verdict is in, I really like this helmet.
The only issue I had was with just the Mic in the mask part it kinda had a muffled echoing sound. Solution, wrap the Mic in some high density foam and now my voice is clear and easily understandable.
GyroDoug thank you for the compliments, everything I look at I think to myself "Would this work good on a gyro?" and sometimes I think it will so I try it out, if it works out good I share it with everyone here on the forum. Just my way of saying thank you to all the others who have posted things here that have helped me out.
 
Opps:
Guess the link is no good after half a year...LOL
 
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