head sets

[klasmartin]

If you intend to fly both fixed wing and helicopters, you're going to have to use an adapter, one way or the other. You can get a helicopter headset, and use an adapter to GA, or you can get a GA cord on the headset and use a helicopter adapter. I think the helicopter cord, with GA adapter has a slight advantage, but it depends a lot on which you think you'll be flying the most. Either adapter works OK.

 

With noise cancelling david clark headsets you can get the individual cords for heli and ga that plug into the batt. module. But there is a big difference in price, $100 david clark cord vs. $40 adapter.

 

Thanks for the info Gomer.

[RotorWeed]

I purchased the 10-56HXL ENC head set new this year for use in the helicopter. I must say I am disappointed with the audio quality of the head set. I have sent it back to DC once and had the speakers replaced, (still not very good). I use it both in GA and in the helicopter (with the $100 cord). If I were buying another head set I would spend the extra $200 and get the Bose X, it has much better active noise reduction in the helicopter in my opinion then any other ENC head set if have tried.

Another option is to buy the 10-13XL and install the head set inc “ANR” conversion. I own one of their head sets and it has better audio then my 10-56HXL at half the price.

My 2c.

 

RW

[flingwing206]

If you plan to do a lot of swapping back and forth, I'd pony up the extra $$ and get the DC modular cord - it's the most elegant solution. Otherwise, go with the helicopter cord on the DC and the heli to FW adapter. Going the other way (FW to heli) leaves you with a mess of cords in the cockpit of the helicopter.

[Witch]

I have the converter, F/W to Heli, for my H10-30. $38 and some change. Works well and no, I don't have cords all over the cockpit.

 

One of these days I'm gonna buy a coiled cord and replace the straight cord. Not really necessary, but I think it'll be better in the long run.

 

Might anyone here hear of a band called "Tokio Hotel"?

 

Later.

[HH60Pilot]

I agree with fling, get the helicopter headset and a r/w to f/w adapter. I fly both and got a f/w headset with a r/w adapter and didn't like having to zip-tie the extra cord while in the helo to keep it away from the collective. However, having a coiled cord is fine in an airplane and no extra cord to mess with.

 

Doug

[Nuke]

My list of assignments is as follows:

 

Fresno ANGB, Fresno, CA

Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX

Lowry AFB, Denver, CO

Tyndall AFB, Panama City, FL

McGhee Tyson ANGB, Knoxville, TN

Mather AFB, Rancho Cordova, CA

Holloman AFB, Alamogordo, NM

Kingsley Field ANGB, Klamath Falls, OR

Ft Rucker, Ozark, AL

Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, NM

NAS Moffett Field, Mountain View, CA

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (undisclosed location )

Kuwait (another undisclosed location )

HQ ARPC, Denver, CO

 

I've also spend a great deal of time (months) TDY to the following locations:

George AFB, Victorville, CA

NAS Pensacola, Pensacola, FL

 

Hope that answers your question.

 

Doug

Doug,

I was also stationed at Fresno and Moffett.

Back in the mid 80's until 91 when i was recalled to active duty. FE on HH-3's at the time. Prior to that FE on HH-53's at McClellan in Sac.

Our paths may have crossed.

Mike

[HH60Pilot]

Doug,

I was also stationed at Fresno and Moffett.

Back in the mid 80's until 91 when i was recalled to active duty. FE on HH-3's at the time. Prior to that FE on HH-53's at McClellan in Sac.

Our paths may have crossed.

Mike

I was enlisted at Fresno from 79-84 and then an F-4 Weapons Officer until I transferred to Moffett in 87 to fly helicopters. I have a feeling that we probably know one another. Send me a PM with a way to contact you.

 

Doug

[Scarab]

I've had the Lightspeed 30's with ANR. After two years I'm still satisfied. Love the input for music and cell phone. I'd have gone Bose but they didn't offer and sort of interface like the lightspeeds

[HH60Pilot]

I've had the Lightspeed 30's with ANR. After two years I'm still satisfied. Love the input for music and cell phone. I'd have gone Bose but they didn't offer and sort of interface like the lightspeeds

 

I have the Lighspeed 15's w/ANR for flying f/w and love them. They are by far the most comfortable headset that I've used in 27 years of flying. I have an XXL head and pretty much any other headsets starts feeling like a vise after an hour or two. The only thing more comfortable that I've flown with is a custom molded helmet.

 

Doug

[PhilJ]

Does anyone have any experience using the headsets which are like earplugs (cep, clarity aloft etc), The attenuation figures seem much better than conventional headsets. Do these headsets feel quieter, do teh plugs stay in place through long flights, are there any circumstances which make them unsuitable for helicopter use?

[Gomer Pylot]

Like I've said above, I've been using that type headset for some time. I currently have the HALO from Quiet Technologies. They're very quiet, very comfortable, and I haven't found anything negative about them. The plugs that come with them aren't the best, but I make my own using standard foam earplugs and some .133" vinyl tubing. I just stick a tool through the plugs lengthwise to open a hole, and thread the tubing through them, and the tubing fits the attachments on the headset. Cheaper and works better than the ones they sell. Better attenuation at all frequencies than ENC headsets, according to the published specs for the plugs and the headsets I've checked. When I get out of the helicopter to load pax and baggage, I can put hearing protectors over the in-ear plugs if I want, and get even more protection, but I don't usually feel the need. I'll never go back to domed headsets.

[PhilJ]

Cheers Gomer, do they fit under a helmet? did you try various types and find the halo the best?

[Gomer Pylot]

No, none of them will fit under a helmet. If you want to use a helmet, you need the CEP kit, and I have no experience with those. For the lightweight headsets, yes I tried a few. I tried the Lightspeed Mach 1 and the Quiet Technologies Auri 2.5, and prefer the HALO. The Lightspeed just didn't seem to fit securely in my ears, and was twice the price. The Auri 2.5 is OK, but the mike moves around more than I like. The Clarity Aloft is very similar to the HALO, but again twice the price, and I didn't try it out.

 

Most of the online vendors offer a 30 day money-back guarantee, so it's easy enough to try them out and return them if you don't like them. You'll likely be out shipping charges, but they're not unreasonable. $10 or so to try out a headset seems ok to me. They do all have GA plugs, though, so you'll need an adapter. I replaced the GA plugs on mine with a U174 after I decided on a model, and that works a lot better. You need some soldering skills to do that though.

[PhilJ]

A bit of soldering is certainly not a problem, think I may give them all ago, if the bank balance is still healthy at the end of CFII it will be interesting to try a few side by side and then return the losers.

 

Its good to hear(pun not intended) that someone is successfully using them in a helicopter a while ago I rang one of the popular pilot stores which sends out monthly catalogues about the impressive claims for attenuation and wether they were suitable for helicopter use to be told they were "only for use in the quieter cabins"

[Autorotator]

Funny thing, I was going to reply that I realy like my AVComm unit...but I figured I would be laughed out of the room. David Clark has the name, but really, they aren't anything special. I love the AVComm disconnect, I can plug into a helo or airplane...or a firetruck/rescue unit all with the same headset just using a different cord....pretty cool and worth the money, especially for training. What would you rather have...another 5 hours in your logbook or a bose headset ?? !!

 

A Bose headset.