Helmets.....

[maxtorc]

Can't find a amber tinted lens anywhere anyone have a connection?

[Skidz]

Flightsuits has 'em. You can always lurk on eBay in the hopes one gets listed, but they're pretty rare. The price varies from 65 - 90 bucks, depending on your helmet model and visor arrangement. Considering the price of a decent pair of sunglasses, that's pretty cheap.

 

Don't forget to mention whether you want an inner or outer if you've got a dual visor kit...

[Flinger]

I have an Amber visor in my Alpha and its great. Real nice on overcast days. No one I know who has a clear visor uses it.

 

Its about $105 extra OR, $15 if you have it installed during build.

[Ryan]

I went for the dark and clear visors. That amber one gives me a whopping headache. I'll use the clear one on really dark overcast days, namely incase of a bird-strike so a bit of my face is protected.

[Winnie]

I ALWAYS use the clear when the dark is not down.

 

I read somewhere that the amber lenses were "dangerous" but can not remember where. There is a reason why the military does not have them...

 

But that is whatever pleases you for sure.

 

Dark down when needed, clear down anytime else. :up:

[Over-Talk]

I have a yellow (called amber by Gentex) visor as well as a dark green visor in my helmet.

Going from bright sun, then into deep shade behind a mountain (or vice versa) can be really tough on the eyes. I flip back and forth between them with great ease and regularity while flying heliskiing. The dual visors have been of great use and have never caused headaches. I highly recommend this option.

Pilots that wear glasses love this combination as prescription amber lens glasses are very rare, and it's a hassle to keep swapping glasses while you fly.

The yellow visor is fantastic on dull, flat light days.

Also, install noise cancelling, and the Oregon Aero Zeta-liner and Hush kit for a really great helmet.

 

P.S. Yellow visors "dangerous" ???. What a load of crap.

Please remind the military that their own friendly fire causes more deaths than yellow visors.

[Winnie]

P.S. Yellow visors "dangerous" ???. What a load of crap.

Please remind the military that their own friendly fire causes more deaths than yellow visors.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

HAHAHA,

That made my day! OK Will keep mouth shut. Obviously the Military found them dangerous because of "COST". :up:

 

How are the amber ones at night?

 

AN as a confirmation, the Hush Kit and ZETA Liners from Oregon Aero are great, although the ZETA liner is a smidge uncomfortable to put on when it is very cold!

[Over-Talk]

Yes, that's true, but the Zeta liner softens up due to body heat in about one minute, and then fits as beautifully as ever.

 

Thankfully, we don't offer night heli-skiing at my area so I don't know how well the amber would work at night !!

[Red]

One small thing I did on mine (by accident), was to have the dark lens (which you will use about 90% of the time with respect to the yellow lens) actuated by the small knob on the left edge of the visor housing. Usually, the dark lens is the outer lens, and is actuated by the knurled knob on top of the visor housing. You have to loosen and tighten the knob every time you lower or raise the visor. The small knob on the edge is spring loaded and very quick and easy to use. If you order new (or refurbished) ask that the dark lens be the inner lens and the yellow lens the outer.

 

Skidz --- what type of helmet are you using?

 

Also, what is the better helmet between the HGU-56 and SPH-5 -- the HGU seems more expensive, so I'm assuming better, but hey... I'm a rookie (was told today, even below a rookie still )

 

What's everyone using out there?

 

Cheers,

Red

[Skidz]

I have a SPH-4b, converted to civvie comms. I bought the USARMY type dual visor kit (very lightweight kevlar visor housing) on eBay for 50USD. It came with the dark lens (inner) and clear lens (outer). I sold the clear lens on eBay for 45USD and ordered an amber lens from Flightsuits (for 90USD). So my net cost was about 100USD, plus shipping and whatnot... :up:

 

If you read the technical specs from Gentex, the HGU-56 is designed to give the pilot more protection from side impacts, and is a few grams lighter than the SPH series. If you're buying new, the HGUs will be more recent, as they replaced the SPH-4b in most military units (US, CANADA, UK, to name a few).

 

I personally don't like the HGU because it's so wide. Makes you look like a stormtrooper out of Star Wars... In my case, I don't have a very long neck, and if I cant my head left or right, the HGU touches the tops of my shoulders, which makes the helmet jiggle about on my head... :down:

 

As far as what people are using, I think SPH (3, 4, 4b, 5) are probably the most popular, with the HGU-56 starting to gain ground as surplus helmets get more affordable (2 years ago, an army surplus HGU-56 on eBay would sell for about 900USD, now the go for 400-500USD). I've seen people with all sorts of weird helmets though. Seems a lot of newbies get suckered into buying fighter jet helmets, old Russian surplus helmets, etc. Last summer I saw one guy with an old CF fighter helmet (soft ears, O2 attachment points, etc.).