Avionics News June 2018 - 23

Years ago, headgear became de rigueur, initially to protect
the heads and ears from prop blast and cold. Subsequently,
that headgear enhanced the ability to communicate.
Today, most pilots and their fortunate passengers wear some
style of headset or headphones, combining a boom-mounted
microphone with two, sometimes one, earpiece with a speaker
to help the pilot hear. And today's variety of models, features
and protection levels spans dozens of models and a stunning
array of price and performance points.
Today's pilots enjoy a range of choices covering old-school
passive protection, new-school electronic noise canceling,
and relatively new models without ear cups, some wired,
some wireless, and all offering a level of hearing protection -
always worth its costs.

We've seen many results of this lack of sound attenuation in
the hearing aids worn by many veterans of the second World
Wars and Korea. Veteran aviators of those conflicts share a
high incidence of wearing supplemental hearing assistance.
As protection for hearing, however, aviation headsets came
into their own only in the last 50-odd years. And today, the
aviation headset is indeed de rigueur, with the variations on
type, utility and, most of all, protecting pilots' hearing.

In the beginning, hearing
protection came second
Early aviation helmets offered relatively little in the way
of hearing protection. Sound enhancement became a feature
after aircraft radios became standard
equipment in some aircraft - mostly
In the beginning
commercial and military. In the
WHERE AVIATION HEADSETS
The Wright brothers lacked fancy
beginning, hearing protection wasn't
ARE CONCERNED, THE
hearing protection when they made
the concern.
two flights each in their Wright
From the first World War into the
PROSPECTIVE BUYER
Flyer at Kitty Hawk in December
second, pilot headgear evolved from
SHOULD FOCUS ON
1903. The use of cotton balls,
leather "helmets" designed to protect
PERFORMANCE,
twisted and pushed into ears, was
their heads and to shelter ears from
the dominant sound protection of
the cold and wind of flight through
the early 20th century. Before long,
the innovation of headsets offering
inventors and innovators began to
a few decibels of passive sound
develop protection against engine
attenuation, and on through today's
exhaust noise.
modern state-of-the-art in hearing
The evolution of the aviation
protection: the active noise reduction,
headset began in 1910, when
or ANR, headset.
Stanford University student
The options today range from better
Nathaniel Baldwin developed the first example. For a couple
passive headsets to ANR headsets, with choices that include
of years, Baldwin's best efforts failed to land backers for mass
monaural - one sound channel - to stereo. Today's offerings
production.
also include wireless headsets that eliminate the occasional
As Europe edged closer to the start of the first World War,
cable entanglement problem.
however, the American military recognized the potential of
So listen up as we explore the options and sound out their
Baldwin's invention and ordered 100 sets. Although most
various strengths and weaknesses.
pilots in World War I flew sans communications headsets -
early aircraft sported no radios - the headsets used gained
Headset types: passive
great popularity. The dye was cast.
versus active noise reduction
From those early models through the 1930s, headsets aided
The two dominant general aviation headset styles differ
cockpit communications, but offered precious little protection
little and share much in their construction.
against the din of unmuffled engines firing hot gasses past the
Two ear cups, or shells, mount to a headband that holds
speed of sound. Hollow ear cups with speakers but no sound
them over the ears. Typically, a speaker element resides inside
insulation prompted some pilots to put cotton balls or cigarette
each shell, along with some form of sound-insulating material.
filters into their ears in hopes of a small amount of sound
attenuation.
Continued on following page

AS WELL AS
COMFORT AND
COSTS.

avionics news

*

june

2018

23



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News June 2018

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Avionics News June 2018 - No label
Avionics News June 2018 - Cover1
Avionics News June 2018 - Cover2
Avionics News June 2018 - 1
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Avionics News June 2018 - 3
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Avionics News June 2018 - 5
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Avionics News June 2018 - Cover3
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