What can / can't I do with this helmet?

[GabrielKnight]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/peltor-yes-ral...122177004r9952

1. It has a BS6658 TYPE A/FR (fireproof) red sticker. Can it be used for:
a) Car trackday?
b) Motorbike trackday?
c) Car racing?
d) Motorbike racing?
e) UK road car driving?
f) UK road motorbike driving?

2. It has another sticker that reads: MSA - Helmet Approved For Motor Sport, 2002. If I do a good DIY job putting official HANS anchors on, do you think it could be used with a HANS device in an FIA race, even though it doesn't have an FIA sticker? Or could this in fact invalidate my helmet altogether?

http://www.bellracing.info/images/ph...1.1.2009_2.pdf seems to suggest that my red BSI sticker is a 'recognised' standard by FIA, but what does 'recognised' mean? Understood as being suitable for some races or FIA legal for all?

3. The ad says 'with Peltor Built In Intercom & hearing protection'.
a) With a 'built in Intercom' what else would I need to buy to be able to hear the passenger?
b) In a rally, does the driver and the passenger normally both have a mic for two way conversation or just the passenger for shouting out the directions?
c) It's difficult to see but the connector looks like a normal 3.5mm earphone connector but with 3 rings? Can anyone confirm that this means the earphones are stereo and the third ring is for transmitting mono mic?
d) Can a Peltor equiped helmet be plugged into a regular mp3 player / Satnav for stereo music when driving around (not racing)?
e) Does the 'hearing protection' suggest some clever noise cancellation algorithm or just that you'll hear less generally due to big headphones?

Thanks in advance!

[cliorod]

Gabrieknight,
From the MSA year book for 2010
The section for crash helmets is K10 (page173) which states "10.3.1 STANDARDS helmets bearing one of the under mentioned 'standards' may be approved by the MSA subject to other criteria being met
a) INTERNATIONAL EVENTS & ALL MSA EVENTS

FIA 8860-2004
SNELL SA 2005
SNELL SA 2000 *
SFI FOUNDATION 32.1A,31.2A
BS 6658 TYPE A/FR
* May be withdrawn with effect from 01/01/11
It then lists the standards for Karting.

The fitting of HANS device by yourself would invalidate the Helmet for MSA events,and if produced at an event,for scrutineering ~ Rally etc.The scrutineer would impound the helmet~~ He has the authority to do this.
When rallying :-yes both driver/co-driver have the intercom fitted and plug them into an amplifier.
I am not sure that they could be used for a personal hi-fi/MP3 player.

For track days,I do not know what standard of safety equipment is required.
The noise cancelling is something,that ensures all you hear is the voice of the person connected to you,ie alternator interfernce and other mechanical noises.Used if you pick up the power from the cars charging system,required for the amplifier.
The one I have,I use with the PP9 battery option,so these noises do not appear.
Have a look on the PELTOR website and it will explain it more in greater detail.

My advice(for what is worth).If you buy the helmet,LEAVE it has it is.HANS devices are for your safety,and with the greatest respect,the normal bloke in the street is not capable of fitting such a device,to the required standard.
I hope this helps
Rod

[stevie_b]

Track days will let you on with pretty much anything - I've never seen them even check them for type approval. Bike helmets are generally the cheapest way to keep them happy that you have a lid of some sort. Motorsport is different - they will check at every event and if it doesn't have the markings as per the current MSA blue book (the details of which Rod kindly posted above) then you won't be going racing.

I can only reiterate Rod's advice also with regard to fitting HANS. A helmet needs to be designed around the HANS connecting points. There is no way you could safely DIY these fastenings into your helmet without completely destroying its structural integrity.

As a final point Peltors are great helmets, so by all means search out that model, but there is no way I would ever buy a secondhand helmet off an auction site. If a helmet has had a hard knock or been dropped in its life then it could be severely compromised for the purposes of saving your life but it would look just the same from the outside. Now I would hope that noone reputable would knowingly sell on a helmet that has had such an impact, putting someone else's life at risk, but we all know the auction sites can have items on them that have dodgy histories. Even if the seller doesn't know it has been damaged he might have lent it to someone that did - I've seen plenty of lids dropped onto the pit lane concrete and its the reason that I never lend my own lid to anyone as that's the only way I can be 100% certain of what has happened to it.

[cliorod]

As a final point Peltors are great helmets, so by all means search out that model, but there is no way I would ever buy a secondhand helmet off an auction site.

As well as what has been already said,regarding the history of the helmet,very sound advice,unless you know the vendor etc leave well alone.
It may surprise you,but if you pull back the lining ~~ It is easy to do. There will be a Date of manufacture sticker ~~~ I do this every time ~~~Reason I went to a well known Motorsports acessory outlet for "NEW" !!!!
helmet,checked for the aforementioned sticker ~~~ It had been made some 3 years earlier !!!!. .Even the sales assisstant was unaware ~~ the suppliers just move the stock to the retailers as/when
A one time the MSA had a rule that helmets,irrespective of condition,had a "LIFE" of 3 years ~~ and the scrutineers used to check !!!!.Imagine paying £300/£400 for a "NEW" helmet,to have the srutineer tell you it is out of date
When I got my latest ARAI quantum RX-7 CORSAIR,I bought it in the January,checked the label ~~ made in the previous November ~~~ Happy days
A little tip worth knowing,for all Forum users.
Rod.