USAF F-16 Mask/Helmet

[C420sailor]

I was nerding out, watching some jet porn, and I noticed an odd hose between this F-16 drivers O2 hose and helmet. Does anyone have any idea what it is? I was thinking maybe some type of oxygen monitoring system...?

 

[insanebikerboy]

It's the jet equivalent of this

 

[Renegade One]

Just because of where it attaches to the helmet...new style (e.g. "over-engineered) comm cord?

 

[C420sailor]

Just because of where it attaches to the helmet...new style (e.g. "over-engineered) comm cord?

Perhaps it has the JHMCS harness in it as well?

 

[Renegade One]

Perhaps it has the JHMCS harness in it as well?

Well, his helmet/visor combo doesn't seem to include that capability...but you may be right...a "future growth" cable that came to the helmet before the visor system...

 

[Brett327]

Comm cord.

 

[jtmedli]

I was nerding out, watching some jet porn, and I noticed an odd hose between this F-16 drivers O2 hose and helmet. Does anyone have any idea what it is? I was thinking maybe some type of oxygen monitoring system...?

I was told by our PRs that, in an ejection seat A/C, the helmet wasn't allowed to have the elastic bands on the visor. Has to be the sliding down/tracked kind that locks in place. Is that BS or does the AF just allow their guys to do this on their helmets?

 

[squorch2]

That style of helmet/visor is cheaper than the sliding kind.

In an entirely unrelated development, it's what everyone is going to start flying with in flight school soon. (TINS, announced at last month's safety meeting.)

 

[RadicalDude]

Every hornet dude has elastic bands. They're BSing you.

 

[nittany03]

I have yet to see anyone in jet land not fly with the elastic visor. That track thing is nothing more than a PITA and another piece of potential cockpit FOD.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Every hornet dude has elastic bands. They're BSing you.

This. I had to have my helmet completely retooled when I started flying hornets. Also don't believe them when they say the old mbu-12 mask doesn't work with jhmcs. It does, but they bought a contract for these shitty masks and that's what they have parts to support now.

 

[usmarinemike]

Same in Harriers-ville. They pulled the tracks and everything off of all of ours. My guess would be that the tracks don't work so well with the NVG mount. Everybody ditches the tracks after flight school, so if they are starting to issue the elastic stuff at CNATRA, then good.

 

[pourts]

Comm cord.

That looks way more inconvenient than the pigtail.

 

[C420sailor]

Also don't believe them when they say the old mbu-12 mask doesn't work with jhmcs. It does, but they bought a contract for these shitty masks and that's what they have parts to support now.

The -23 does suck balls. If your PR shop is trying to claim that they can't get parts for the -12, they're not being truthful.

 

[pilot_man]

I use the old school mask, JHMCS and all. It may be harder to find, but it's still around. My nose doesn't like the combat edge.