What is Required of Helmet Safety for Pilots?
Your flight helmet is one of your essential pieces of gear. They protect your head during turbulence, reduce noise levels, and provide a place for equipment mounts like radios, sun visors, and NVGs. But what exactly are the standards for helmet safety for pilots? AVI Evolution is a recognized expert in this field. Let us guide you to safe helmets that are up to government standards.
United States Government Aviation Helmet Standards
On November 12th, 2019, the Department of the Interior and United States Forest Service released version 4.3 of the Aviation Helmet Standard document. The Office of Aviation Services (OAS) established general requirements for all aviation helmets for rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. OAS outlined four primary ways helmets would be verified to meet their standards. These include:
- Inspection verification without the use of special laboratory appliances or procedures. May include a visual examination, simple physical manipulation, and/or mechanical and electrical gauging and measurement.
- Analysis Verification that utilizes established technical or mathematical models or simulations, algorithms, charts, graphs, or other scientific principles and procedures.
- Demonstration Verification that involves actual operation, adjustment, or reconfiguration of an item under specific scenarios. Items may be instrumented and quantitative limits of performance measured.
- Test Verification involves thorough exercising of an item under specified conditions with instrumentation and data analysis accomplished in accordance with a set of applicable test procedures.
Under this regimen, the manufacturer/distributor is responsible for:
- Establishing their own manufacturing and process controls to produce helmets in accordance with requirements.
- Performing or having performed all inspections and testing.
- Generating and maintaining sufficient evidence of conformance.
- Submitting helmets and supporting deliverables that conform to requirements.
- Using recognized corrective action and process improvement practices.
The Tests
Each helmet line is put through a rigorous testing process by the manufacturer. There is a specific sequence that must be followed. In order:
- Retention System
- Positional Stability Testing
- Impact Attenuation Testing Retention System
- Static Strength Testing
- Heat Exposure Testing
- Adhesion of Shell Edge Covering Testing as necessary
- Sound Attenuation Testing as necessary
- Communication Equipment Talk-Listen Testing as necessary
Helmet Configuration and Components
Under OAS, all helmets must include specific components to meet the required standards. These include:
- Helmet System with Shell, Optional Edge Covering, Liner, and Comfort Padding
- Visor System
- Retention System
- Ear Cup and Sound Attenuation System
- Communication Equipment
- Instruction Manual
- Certifications
- Labeling
- Vision
- Weight Objective
Helmet System
According to standards, the helmet system must include a shell, liner, ear cups with optional edge covering necessary to provide impact protection, noise attenuation, and support for the retention system, visor(s), and communication equipment. The optional edge covering is required if the edge of the shell where it may contact the user is sharp (defined as something likely to cut skin if contacted). Each helmet shall have a protective surface (shell) of continuous contour at all points on or above the test line.
Visor System
The helmet shall include one or two polycarbonate visors. The visor assembly shall allow the visor lens to remain in position when placed in either the fully deployed or fully stored position. When deployed, the visor shall provide the wearer an unobstructed view of the aircraft instrumentation while providing glare protection for the view outside the aircraft.
Retention System
The helmet will have a retention system for the positioning of the ear cups and securing the helmet to the wearer.
Ear Cup/Sound Attenuation System
The helmet shall have a system to provide sound attenuation to the wearer. The acoustic protection system is typically composed of ear cups with headphones and soft ear pads for comfort. The ear cups ensure proper acoustic protection and are fixed inside the helmet shell.
Communication Equipment
The communication equipment includes a headset and microphone assemblies.
Instruction Manual
The manufacturer/distributor shall furnish an instruction manual with each helmet. This manual shall provide operation and maintenance instructions for the helmet.
Certifications
The manufacturer shall furnish a document certifying that the helmet model and size were tested in accordance with and meets this specification and that the sample tested accurately represents the helmet model purchased, including construction, materials, and components. Upon successfully completing the testing in the standard, the test lab shall issue a certificate of compliance to this standard. The certificate of compliance includes information on the manufacturer, product, test information, a compliance statement, lab test information, and lab test certification.
Labeling
Each helmet shall have a permanent type identification label applied to the helmet or liner that includes: manufacturer, date of manufacture, model type, and discrete size.
Vision
The field of vision of the user shall not be significantly altered when wearing the helmet. With the visor fully retracted, the helmet shall provide peripheral vision clearance of at least 105° to each side of the mid-sagittal plane when the helmet is seated on the proper headform. The brow opening shall be at least 25 mm above all points in the basic plane that are within the angles of peripheral vision.
Weight Objective
The weight of the complete aviation helmet assembly ready for use including visors, sound attenuation, and communication equipment, should not exceed the recommended helmet system weight of 2.27 kg (5 lbs.) to prevent neck strain and fatigue. The expected maximum weight of a single visor system is 0.25 kg. The expected maximum weight of a dual visor system is 0.35 kg. The expected maximum weight of the ear cups and communication equipment is 0.35 kg.
All Helmets From AVI Evolution Helmets Meet These Standards
When choosing your flight helmet, you wouldn't settle for anything less than the best, and neither does AVI Evolution Helmets. With decades of experience in the aviation industry, we know our helmets, and we know our pilots. AVI Evolution Helmets provides fully customizable helmets for pilots that meet all government standards outlined above, including tests. So make your next flight an evolved experience. Choose AVI Evolution Helmets.