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Bart
Laughed at your description. When I am working in ag operations, I wear
my custom Kevlar helmet from FlightSuits LTD ($700+ with all the
avionics and now 20 years old), a nomex flight suit, nomex gloves, and
boots (not steel toed).

Rocky; Actually I own a bright orange kevlar outfit too, I usually wear it
when its colder and on a long flight where I'm feeling like I'd like to be
rescued faster. Later on in the same trip I had to change into much warmer
clothes, I went from 85F - 20 something F in the same day. I was taking the
chopper from Key West to PA to get some work done last week. I was in a
buttload of turbulence in the Carolina mountains and actually saw a 100+
knot headwind component at 8000 feet. (the mountain was 6000 feet). The
thing was yawing all over and certainly more bumpy than anything I've ever
felt before. I never thought I was gonna hit my head though. I can imagine
that ag-ops are a lot more threatening than 1500 agl straight n level.

Morgans; Too funny. How did you know I needed to take my shoes off count
past 10?

John Smith; Yep, the pilot side vent is closed. I had both windows open and
the co-pilot vent open. I leave the pilot vent closed so that I can read
charts without having them flapping all over the place in the breeze.
There's no middle ground with Bell's vents, theyre either off or hurricane.

Don W; Yes, I am flying with my left hand. Trust me, if anything had
happened I'd have been all over that collective in a heartbeat. Over the
course of a 12 hour ferry flight you're gonna have to let go of the
collective now and then to do stuff. (Flying with your knees is not unheard
of either if a task takes 2 hands.)

Stu ; The ECT debate has been going on for years, Im in the no ECT camp. I
figure Im in the "Safest single engine aircraft in the sky" and the extra
weight and discomfort would add to to the fatigue of long days. I think the
ECT might unnerve passengers too. I suppose if I was nap of the earth in an
experimental machine I'd consider different attire.

Kevin; Yes that my Jet Ranger and my feet. I usually wear slip on boat shoes
because theyre great for walking around on wet aircraft too and they don't
leave scuffs. I kicked em off for a sec to take that pic. When I cross the
gulf of mexico (like that day) I wear stuff I can swim in. I also had vest
with an 406 EPIRB, flares, strobe, and a marine radio.

Thanks all,

Bart

The helmet looks like it has been to the wars
and back and has saved me many hard lumps and lost skin from banging
around in turbulence, it has helped to save my hearing and even then I
wear earplugs under the helmet. The nomex suit is more for warmth on
cold early mornings up in northern MN and it saves on my street clothes
getting helicopter filthy. The nomex gloves I use for warmth as well as
giving me a more positive feel on the controls especially when my hands
get slippery from perspiration when the temps get up there.
I did take some birds thru the windscreen one time while flying in
Egypt and they left a feather smear on the side of my helmet. I don't
use a visor though.
Rocky