Flight helmet
Encyclopedia
A flight helmet, sometimes nicknamed a "bone dome", is a special type of helmet
primarily worn by military aircrew
.
A flight helmet can provide:
The design of a flight helmet may also consider:
Helmet
A helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries.Ceremonial or symbolic helmets without protective function are sometimes used. The oldest known use of helmets was by Assyrian soldiers in 900BC, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from...
primarily worn by military aircrew
Aircrew
Aircrew are the personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of the crew depends on the type of aircraft as well as the purpose of the flight.-Civilian:*Aviator** Pilot-in-command** First officer** Second officer** Third officer...
.
A flight helmet can provide:
- Impact protection to reduce the risk of head injuryHead injuryHead injury refers to trauma of the head. This may or may not include injury to the brain. However, the terms traumatic brain injury and head injury are often used interchangeably in medical literature....
(e.g. in the event of a parachute landing) and protection from wind blast (e.g. in the event of ejection). - A visorVisorA visor is a surface that protects the eyes, such as shading them from the sun or other bright light or protecting them from objects....
to shield the eyes from sunlight, flash and laser beams. - Noise attenuation, headphonesHeadphonesHeadphones are a pair of small loudspeakers, or less commonly a single speaker, held close to a user's ears and connected to a signal source such as an audio amplifier, radio, CD player or portable Media Player. They are also known as stereophones, headsets or, colloquially, cans. The in-ear...
and a microphoneMicrophoneA microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
(except when included in a mask). - A helmet mounted displayHelmet mounted displayA helmet mounted display is a device used in some modern aircraft, especially combat aircraft. HMDs project information similar to that of head-up displays on an aircrew’s visor or reticle, thereby allowing him to obtain situational awareness and/or cue weapons systems to the direction his head...
, mounting for night vision gogglesNight vision gogglesA night vision device is an optical instrument that allows images to be produced in levels of light approaching total darkness. They are most often used by the military and law enforcement agencies, but are available to civilian users...
and/or a helmet tracking system (so the aircraft knows where the pilot is looking).
The design of a flight helmet may also consider:
- Comfort - including the weight, centre of gravity and provision for cooling and ventilation.
- Compatibility with an oxygen mask (for high altitude flight and NBC protectionNBC suitAn NBC suit is a type of military personal protective equipment designed to provide protection against direct contact with and contamination by radioactive, biological or chemical substances, and provides protection from contamination with radioactive materials and some types of radiation,...
).
External links
- Images
- USSR fighter pilot helmet
- Helmet Design Criteria for Improved Crash Survival (1966 technical report by US Army)