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Enthusiast Joined: Feb 13, 2007 Posts: 93 Status: Offline

Do pilot have there own helmet or do the share helmets. If so why do they turn them back into the Life support center

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They have their all their own flight gear... Helmet included...

Life support is where we keep them. The Life Support techs inspect them, do routine maintenance, replace worn parts, ensure the comm wires are ok, ensure the oxygen hoses and valves are in good working order,.... and a myriad of other things.

And each pilot has their own helmet. The helmet and mask are custom fit to each person.

Enthusiast Joined: Feb 13, 2007 Posts: 93 Status: Offline

ok thanks. now what is the difference between the gray oxygen mask and the black one

56th, what happened to using capitial letters when you post?

the black one:
http://www.gentexcorp.com/default.aspx?pageid=859

and those things pilots wear over the cranium:
http://www.gentexcorp.com/default.aspx?pageid=688

i otherwise have nothing useful to post (period, dot).

Would like to drop my two cents on the behalf of the Army... Our guys have the sh*t same way as the AF guys. I see our Apache guys come to hot refuel rearm and they have custom helmets, by custom, like shiny paint jobs, colorful flag stickers etc, today we got one guy with Iron Maiden's Eddie's eyes painted on top his helmet. I have not asked if it is something you do after reaching so many hours or a certain rank, but I think that would make sense, noobs are pushed around everywhere.

If I ever get a seat in the Apache, I would want to have a custom one too, it will be a patch of 78th FS Bushmasters, and Batman.. Smile

Newbie Joined: Sep 12, 2007 Posts: 18 Status: Offline

So does that mean that pilots can customize their helmets? I've seen helmets like Maverick, Goose, and Iceman in Top Gun, but I don't see them like that in real life.

Senior member Joined: Jul 01, 2007 Posts: 368

The Navy does it, the Air Force doesn't.

I'm not too sure the Navy does anymore, but I could be wrong. I think the tape they put on their Navy helmets is just for SAR purposes (glint tape).

When the pilot customizes his/her helmet do they get show a number of designs or can they make in up from scratch?

Back in the early 70's squadrons would put designs on the helmets, I know the 32 TFS had an F-4 streaking across the front.
I found a picture of an Eagle driver on the net, must be from the last few years, that had his marked or personalized.
I guess if the CO is okay with it they can do what they want, but I suspect it must conform to AF standards and all are the same within the unit.

Enthusiast Joined: Jul 17, 2007 Posts: 99 Status: Offline

Back in the "Old" days "you remember this huggy" when we had the big white helmets we could paint or tape designs on them but once we went to the lighter weight gray helmets they started frowning on that as they felt 1. you were taking away from the camo-ness/low vis of the gray you also have less glint off the canopy 2. it's easier for Life Support to clean when they don't have to worry about tape coming loose or scratching paint. The black helmets were initially for the "Stink bug" drivers since they flew at night and were in a semi secret status.
The difference in the black mask vs the gray is that the black you see is part of the combat edge. The mask itself is still gray but you're seeing the metal shell which helps force and keep the mask on your face during heavy G's. So if you see just a plain gray mask that jet doesn't pull as many G's ie A-10, AT/T-38, F-5, F-4, etc.
Huggy nailed the reflective tape on some of the Navy helmets although I think it helps them to be seen on the flight deck at night too.

F-15 helmet with squadron markings, although this maybe the Velcro cover on the visor, Viper guys do that too.

Enthusiast Joined: Jul 17, 2007 Posts: 99 Status: Offline

That's just a visor cover to keep the visor from getting scratched up. Every squadron has thier own design. It's wacky and tough to be looking through a scratched up visor when you're dog fighting or droping iron....not to mention the cost especially the shooters visor and now with the new laser visor. So the cover helps protect it when we put it in our helmet bags and from nicks from bumping into other things, or even when we bang our "Nuggets" on the canopy..!!

Customize this helmet;

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Do pilots have their personal helmet?