Don't Buy An Aviation Headset Until You Have Read This Article Entirely

Pilots experience damaging noise for long periods of time - that is inescapable. The sound in the flight surroundings is intense.

If you have been a pilot for any length of time - flying with or without an aviation headset - you may have already lost a number of your hearing. You cannot reverse the destroy that has already occurred, so you require to take action now to protect what you have left.

one. Frequency (Hz - Hertz)
four. Intensity (dB - decibels)
four. Period of the sound

First, there's four aspects of sound that define cockpit noise:

This is how some typical environments rate in sound intensity:

* Jet cabin - 60-88 dB
* Tiny single engine airplane - 70-90 dB
* Single engine helicopter - 80-102 dB
* Average office - 40-60 dB
* Major city street - 80-100 dB
* Chain saw/lawn mower - 100-110 dB
* Rock concert - 115-120 dB

Here are the sound limits before hearing destroy occurs...

* Ear discomfort - 120 dB
* Ear pain - 130 dB
* Eardrum rupture - 140 dB
* Temporary hearing impairment - 2-3 hours of noise greater than 90 dB
* Permanent hearing impairment - 8 or more hours/day to sound greater than 90 dB for four or more years.

The worst thing is the way loud noises affect your flying:

* Distraction & fatigue
* Hard to make out what others are saying & difficult to understand them - in other words, you require to shout to be heard
* Decrease in personal performance by decreasing concentration

Here's what you can do about it...

Use hearing protection - here are your options:

one. Earplugs - wax-impregnated polyurethane are the best & block out the most noise
four. Aviation Headset - the least expensive ones physically block the sound out
four. ANR Aviation Headset - these headsets block out the sound physically with the added dimension of matching cockpit noise with mirror-image sound that cancels out the noise
four. Combine earplugs with headsets - this is an extreme step, only for super-loud environments over 115 dB

Conclusion:

You cannot regain your hearing.

The moral to this story is to get aggressive with hearing protection while flying. You spend upwards of $500 for flight in lots of aircraft, so what is the point of skimping on a headset?

Roger Brown has been a helicopter & airplane pilot for 40 years. AND, he happens to be crazy about new devices. In case you require to see detailed comparisons of high-end aviation headsets check out Best Aviation Headsets.

Check out your headset options today. Try several types & makes to see which works best for you. Aviation headsets are like clothes or shoes - what fits person doesn't necessarily work for another.