Using a real helmet

[djsnowboy267]

Hi everybody, I'm starting to get into flight sims more and i've been thinking about using an actual pilots helmet. Obviously, i need a lot of time to think this out and plan if i even decide to do it. I hope I'm posting this in the right place.

 

So I guess my number 1 question is how feasible this project would be? What kind of price range would this be? I don't want to spend anything over around 200-300$ on this. I believe the Chinese TK-2 helmet runs pretty cheap? Just for reference, when I refer to "the helmet" from here on out I don't necessarily mean the TK-2, just any kind of helmet.

 

I want to be able to use track ir with it, so could i possibly get some sort of velcro on top of the helmet and on the track ir clip and use that? This way i could take it off and use it on a hat if I want to.

 

Also, what would it take to be able to get sound from the PC to play through the headset in the helmet? Would I be able to connect it to the PC so I could also use the mic built into the helmet I get? What kind of audio quality would i get from using this? obviously i wouldn't have this replace my headset, but if i am going to be wearing this helmet and talking to people, I really can't wear my actual headset. If all else fails, could I get some sort of clip on mic to wear and talk in to?

 

Thanks in advance everybody! If I posted this in the wrong topic please move it, I signed up for the forums just to ask this, ha.

[Cali]

First of all, what gear do you have....stick, throttle, TrackIR, pedals.....etc? Me personally wouldn't wear a helmet because the wife would make fun of me. Well, that's not the only reason, but I wouldn't wear one. Have you looked on ebay or did a google search? I don't think it would be to hard to add a headset into the helmet.

[Mr_Burns]

Gets too hot here in Aus with a baseball cap for the track clip, and sponge headset ear muff things!

 

No way would I use a real helmet without the aircon on!

[SDsc0rch]

uh yeahhhh

 

"no"

 

 

just.. "no"

[djsnowboy267]

Right now I've got Track IR 5 w/ the hatclip, and a logitech extreme 3D Pro. Planning on upgrading to a Saitek X55 in the near future, and purchasing a set of rudder pedals.

 

From what I'm seeing, this seems to be a silly idea. Now that I think about it, it probably would get pretty hot, the hat is bad enough. I have seen some people who have built sim cockpits and actually wear flight suits and helmets though. Definitely don't plan on taking it that far, but I thought a helmet would be pretty cool. I'm guessing my enthusiasm took over a bit.

[NeilWillis]

I think you need to read through the thread that asks when you7 know you have been playing DCS World too long.

 

I'm all for realism, but I draw the line at helmets, flight suits and real projectiles. A fully functional cockpit however...

[Cali]

The people that wear real flight suits belong in a place with padded rooms. Those people have real problems or dreamed of being a pilot and this is it for them. My wife laughed at me when I first started wearing me hat with the TrackIR.....I couldn't image if she came home to see me in a flight suit! :megalol::helpsmilie::music_whistling::pilotfly: she would think I lost it!

Edited February 2, 2015 by Cali

[Lobinjaevel]

Well, he didn't ask for everybody's personal opinion.

So I'm going to be a little helpful atleast...

 

I've heard that these work with MIL-headsets amongs others:

http://www.flightsounds.com/products

 

If you want a helmet with built in headset and mic, It will probably cost more than $200-300.

There are cheap helmets from China that you probably can mod in a gaming headset.

 

For example one of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GLOSS-CHINESE-AIR-FORCE-JET-PILOT-FLIGHT-HELMET-/380678530260?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Helmets&var=&hash=item58a23564d4

 

Paint it and add a normal 3.5mm headset and you're good to go, without the adapter!

[djsnowboy267]

Well, the thing is, I haven't been playing DCS enough! I've had it for a couple months and played it on and off, but only started getting serious within the past few weeks. I'm actually still learning and getting used to it.

 

I do appreciate all the feedback though guys, criticism is fine too. I would still love to have an actual helmet just for show, and those $50 helmets are enticing... but still, I could spend money in better ways. Such as getting a better joystick, etc.

[Extranajero]

I'd like one to be honest. Not to wear, but just to have on display.

 

Funnily enough my motorbike helmet is one of the fighter pilot styles ( although I actually bought it because it was the only open face type in the shop that fitted me ) - I am tempted to paint it up as a Soviet helmet with a red star, but I don't fancy spending all my time explaining to people that I'm not a communist, I just like cold war combat aircraft...

[SDsc0rch]

pilots wear helmets because they HAVE to - notice airline pilots and GA pilots don't wear helmets

 

they simultaneously provide protection against trauma but also are a mounting point for the oxygen supply, the radio headsets and sometimes optics (am i missing anything?)

 

 

a mock-up cockpit is "nice" i guess, in that it could be quite functional (buttons/switches/displays in the ergonomically "correct" positions) - but i would find an instrument panel at chest level would interfere with my view of the screen (the part that accommodates the game instrument panel - sorta self-defeating imo) ---- but, for me, the mock cockpit is 1) costs too much, 2) is physically too large, 3) takes a LOT of effort, and probably most importantly, 4) bumps far too solidly into the "kook factor"

 

 

for me, i have an obutto cockpit frame - it holds my JS, Th and pedals in just the right ergonomic position -- and i have a headset with the T-IR mounted to it

 

all of this is set in front of a 58-in TV/display

 

at some point, when we get a DCS:F-15C i'll want to setup a touch-screen like what can be done via helios for the A-10C - so as to have access to all the cockpit buttons and switches that i would have in a fully functional cockpit ---- so, software replacing hardware essentially

 

 

perfect - for me (i think)

Edited February 1, 2015 by SDsc0rch

[Sokol1_br]

:)

 

[cichlidfan]

I have a motorcycle helmet (open face) and I would not want to wear it while I fly. :)

[Yurgon]

I want to be able to use track ir with it, [...]

 

Regarding immersion, I'm not so sure about it. Don't helmets usually limit the field of view? That wouldn't work well with TrackIR or at least it would require a very specific and personal TrackIR profile (not a difficult task, but something to keep in mind).

 

Now, I guess the real question is: Are there helmets that are compatible with Oculus Rift? Because in terms of immersion, that would surely bumps things up a notch, further detaching the virtual pilot from the physical world. :D

[dagandolfo]

I have a motorcycle helmet (open face) and I would not want to wear it while I fly. :)

 

Ah the old open faced helmet...aka the potty

 

[BHawthorne]

If I want a good mix between real life and sim I'll use a pair of David Clark H10-13.4.

[RAZBAM_ELMO]

Hi everybody, I'm starting to get into flight sims more and i've been thinking about using an actual pilots helmet. Obviously, i need a lot of time to think this out and plan if i even decide to do it. I hope I'm posting this in the right place.

 

So I guess my number 1 question is how feasible this project would be? What kind of price range would this be? I don't want to spend anything over around 200-300$ on this. I believe the Chinese TK-2 helmet runs pretty cheap? Just for reference, when I refer to "the helmet" from here on out I don't necessarily mean the TK-2, just any kind of helmet.

 

I want to be able to use track ir with it, so could i possibly get some sort of velcro on top of the helmet and on the track ir clip and use that? This way i could take it off and use it on a hat if I want to.

 

Also, what would it take to be able to get sound from the PC to play through the headset in the helmet? Would I be able to connect it to the PC so I could also use the mic built into the helmet I get? What kind of audio quality would i get from using this? obviously i wouldn't have this replace my headset, but if i am going to be wearing this helmet and talking to people, I really can't wear my actual headset. If all else fails, could I get some sort of clip on mic to wear and talk in to?

 

Thanks in advance everybody! If I posted this in the wrong topic please move it, I signed up for the forums just to ask this, ha.

 

Do whatever makes you feel more immersed. I'm making a dedicated pit so i wanted full immersion. I personally found a cheap chinese leather cap and put some old head phones into the ear slots and wired a mic into the O2 mask. I made a RHINO style flip mount on top for Oculus ( which I'm waiting for the commercial version) but for now uses the track IR. Its your experience and it doesn't really matter what other people think because they aren't sitting there watching you play. As far as the wife goes, mine personally loves that i get into my gaming, she supports my hobbies and I pay....er i meant fully support hers!

[Extranajero]

I might just paint a Grach on the back of my bike helmet ( to clarify, I don't wear it when 'flying' - unless I fall off that is :D )

[drhyed]

MIL-headsets

 

Whats a MIL headset? The airforce usually gets Bose and everyone else David Clarks, having spent a few thousand hours flying wearing a helmet, they aren't terrible after you spend a bunch of extra money on a different liner and ear cups from Oregon aero... Really pointless to wear while playing a computer game though...

[firefly111]

Hi there.

As a former collector of flight helmets I can shed a little lite on this for you and hopefully help you out a little bit. About the only place that you can get helmets that I have experience with is E-bay, That is where I bought mine. (before getting married and buying a house, now I don't have the cash to throw at it) Cost depends on what your looking for, some of the Russian helmets can be pretty reasonable cost wise. If your looking for a good quality US helmet and mask set up, you can expect to spend between $300.00 and sometimes up to $700.00 dollars. They can even go for more than that depending on squadron decorations and such. You also have to be pretty careful do some research, there are folks out there who will make a motorcycle helmet look like the real deal when its total garbage.

 

Firefly.

[jcbak]

Aside from the obvious issues with you wanting to wear a helmet......The weight of the helmet would get uncomfortable. I've done some training (law enforcement) wearing a helmet and I can't wait to take it off after awhile. I like the idea of saving your cash to upgrade an element of your gaming system.

[Lobinjaevel]

Whats a MIL headset?...

 

Military headset, using U-174 plug for an example.

Probably not the correct term, but that's what I usually call them. :)

[drhyed]

Yes they do, found that out when I went for my first ride in a cessna

[Sierra99]

Hi everybody, I'm starting to get into flight sims more and i've been thinking about using an actual pilots helmet. Obviously, i need a lot of time to think this out and plan if i even decide to do it. I hope I'm posting this in the right place.

 

So I guess my number 1 question is how feasible this project would be? What kind of price range would this be? I don't want to spend anything over around 200-300$ on this. I believe the Chinese TK-2 helmet runs pretty cheap? Just for reference, when I refer to "the helmet" from here on out I don't necessarily mean the TK-2, just any kind of helmet.

 

I want to be able to use track ir with it, so could i possibly get some sort of velcro on top of the helmet and on the track ir clip and use that? This way i could take it off and use it on a hat if I want to.

 

Also, what would it take to be able to get sound from the PC to play through the headset in the helmet? Would I be able to connect it to the PC so I could also use the mic built into the helmet I get? What kind of audio quality would i get from using this? obviously i wouldn't have this replace my headset, but if i am going to be wearing this helmet and talking to people, I really can't wear my actual headset. If all else fails, could I get some sort of clip on mic to wear and talk in to?

 

Thanks in advance everybody! If I posted this in the wrong topic please move it, I signed up for the forums just to ask this, ha.

 

As a person who has worn a Custom Fit HGU-55P helmet in flight for extended periods of time...Ya might want to reconsider. First, they are expensive...they are designed to protect your melon and you pay for that protection. Second they are not as comfortable as you might think and finally, properly mounting Track IR and getting the audio to work with your PC might pose a challenge...

 

You could go this route to see if you like what youre getting into before spending money on the real thing:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Jet-Pilot-Open-Face-Motorcycle-Helmet-S-M-L-XL-/260733769734?pt=Apparel_Merchandise&hash=item3cb4f19806&vxp=mtr

[Kegetys]

Are there helmets that are compatible with Oculus Rift?

 

My GSH-6 works fine with it: http://junk.kegetys.fi/dcs_valmius.jpg :D ;)