mattcob Posted March 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 it was me!!!!!only kidding!!! mattcob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlo22 Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 dlo, Aviation is full of all kinds of different people. Knowing the aircraft and the equipment we use to the most detailed level we can get only helps us operate more effectively and make well-informed choices. Linc, I can respect that, and from reading your posts, sounds like you know a thing or two about helmets, I guess if I was considering buying a helmet, I would want to know all of the goods and bads of each choice I was considering, Now I have a question, since you probably know a thing or two about headsets,,, Do you really think the bose noise cancelling headset is really worth the 1,000 dollars they charge for it, or do you think the cheaper david clarke headsets work about the same????????? I have only worn the bose headsets for about a half hour flight or so and couldn't really see if it was worth all that extra money. yes it was quieter, but how much, I couldn't really say>>>>.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linc Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 Actually, I don't know much about headsets. We have DCs that we buy for the ground crew to do their system checks in the aircraft, but they aren't used so much that they require maintenance. Not to mention that the mechanics tend to claim ownership and protect them. Noise protection is primarily what you're looking for with a headset. The higher the noise reduction (NR) rating (also seen as NRR) the more protection that the headset will provide you from the ambient noise of helicopter operation. It becomes a quieter background noise. Active Noise Reduction (ANR) or Electronic Noise Cancelling (ENC) headsets attempt to cancel out the background noise, as if the engine wasn't running and the rotor wasn't turning and air wasn't rushing past the aircraft. So, I would evaluate the NRR without the ANR capabilities and make sure it had adequate operation without a secondary power source (when the batteries run out). Quality of the communications is something else to think about. If you don't mind tinny sounding voices or lots of background noise in the intercom transmissions, a cheaper headset will probably fit the bill. Finally, go to a pilot store and try them on if you can. If two products are comparable, comfort and fit would drive me on which headset to pick. P.S. I did a quick search and haven't been able to find NR data on ANR headsets. I'll keep looking. The Army did do evaluations on Gentex and Bose ANR modifications to the HGU-56/P and they decided, based on the evaluations that the Communications Ear Plug (CEP) was the best option for weight, and quality of communications. I know that there are similar options for headsets, and that may be the cheap, effective option you're looking for. The guys who fly commercially on here may have more information on that kind of configuration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gomer Pylot Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 I've been wearing headsets (and helmets, way back when the SPH4 was first being issued) for a long time. I don't think the ANR models are that great, when you can get better noise protection for far less money. IMO the best noise protection comes from lightweight in-the-ear headsets, which use earplugs in the ear. You get the NRR of the earplug, whatever it is, and the ones I like have a NRR of 33, which is higher than any ANR headset. They are also far more comfortable than any standard headset, along with having higher audio clarity. They use the same speakers as entertainers use for in-ear audio monitors onstage, just different plugs, although you can buy custom earmolds for them. I've flown with several pilots who had the Bose headset, and it seems very fragile for something that expensive. You can throw DC headsets in a bag, on the floor, or under the bus and it will keep working, but you have to be careful with the Bose models. If a DC headset breaks, they fix it, period, even if you ran over it. I've also seen great customer service from Quiet Technologies for their lightweight headsets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franky17 Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 I'm gonna start wearing a helmet when I drive my car, too. I fly every where, people driving are way more nuts.... But glad to hear you are ok, and most of all, you are here to tell us what not to do next time, you must have done somthing right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linc Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 Gomer, What is the price range for the in-the-ear headsets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gomer Pylot Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 (edited) $350-$500. Quiet Technologies' HALO or Auricomm models are the cheapest, mainly because they don't have cell phone/mp3 input. Clarity Aloft has an input, and is about $100 higher. Lightspeed Mach1 is the most expensive, and IMO the poorest performer. I've tried them all, and currently own both a HALO and a Clarity Aloft, having returned the Lightspeed after trying it. I may be selling one of mine eventually, because I can't use either in my current job. Edited March 16, 2007 by Gomer Pylot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
permison Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 If ever there was proof of the value proper gear use can bring. Great timing for this article to come out! http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/ind....xml&coll=1 Permison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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