Beyond a headset. How to reduce speaker noise?

[Uncle Fred]

For takeoff and landing I have worn a Telex in the 767,777, and 400 to redcuce the various noises and it has worked quite well.

The problem is when the other pilot takes out his earpiece and decides to "go to speaker." As many of you know, the poor quality of the speakers in a Boeing make it quite loud--particulary if the pilot is deaf. After asking a few times f he/she could turn it down I try to resort to earplugs AND the headset but that never seems to cut the sound of the speaker. Works on everything else, but not the speaker unfortunately as does not seem to quell any of the power of that noise at all.

Is there anything out there that can help in this area? Some dudes are seriously hard of hearing and I hate to harp about it but there must be some way to cut the sharpness out of the opposite speaker.

[Viper-NL]

I wear earplugs when flying the 767. When I leave the headset of and the other pilot is deaf (wich is often...) I ask them to turn the volume of the speaker down.
Sometimes it is so loud that it hurts on your ears, but wearing the headset again won't help. I just keep on asking or just turn the volume down on their comm panel.

Nothing you can do. Just keep on asking, or suggest to wear the headset.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Tell him to keep his hat on! Happens in ATC too. When I worked at London Terminal Control, with lots of controllers sitting together some would use speakers and it drove me almost potty. Heaven knows why they do it, but it's very selfish. I wore my hat all the time so as not to disturb anybody.

[411A]

The problem is when the other pilot takes out his earpiece and decides to "go to speaker."

Not in my airplane, he doesn't.
As I'm the Commander, rule number one is headsets only, except on very rare occasions, whilst on the ground.

If the others complain, I tell 'em to refer to the Chief Pilot.
As I AM the Chief Pilot, this does no good.

Heaven knows why they do it, but it's very selfish. I wore my hat all the time so as not to disturb anybody.

My opinion exactly.

I have been known for many years to give First Officers maximum leeway with their ops...their sector, their way, but....headsets only thank you very much.

PS: In nearly forty years, not one F/O has complained.
Not one.

[L337]

Cannot agree more with 411A.

The speaker drives me up the wall. We have ANR Headsets. Use them. Your medical will love you for them when you get old grey and grumpy.

[BelArgUSA]

As usual there are those who only use headset...
And those who are lovers of blasting speakers.
xxx
Now a bit of education as it appears required.
Suppose you use only one source, call it "speakers only"...
If speaker fails, and dont have the earset (one ear) you might not know about a failure.
Or vice versa. I personally recommend low/comfortable volume on both in case one fails.
xxx
Of course, I am deaf as any pilot who spent in excess of 10 years in airline cockpits.
But the way you kids blast your ears with modern music I believe your ears wont be better...
xxx
:}
Happy contrails

[cortilla]

There's one guy at my company who goes off headset on the longer cruises which means i have to uncover one ear so i can hear him properly. Also means i miss alot of calls (and before you bash my hearing at my last medical i heard everything between 1-8 khz between 0 and 5 db) and it does my head in. The only problem is he's a captain and i'm just an FO. Also he's an extremely nice captain and very knowledgable and one of those guys i trust sitting next to me. So i guess i'll have to wait till i'm in the LHS and insist on headsets all the time (there are some exceptions, 3 hours on headset can hurt lets be fair)

[Uncle Fred]

First of all - thanks for the replies. I am glad I am not alone on this one as I thought I must be the only guy in an airliner that prefers not to have the inside of my brain rattled by exploding voices! I prefer to protect my hearing although I am sure that I have lost some over the last few thousand hours though.

It is just that the speaker is really annoying but I hate to harp on the other guys about it as particualry the deaf guys seem to get the hackles up when you ask them politely for the 373rd time to try to bring it back down to the 130Db range.

I tried at one point shooter's earplugs (more clay than anything else it seemed) under my headset. That did absolutely nothing for to block this atomic energy beam of sound pouring across the cockpit. I just throught that there must be something to stop the sound in that range.

My airline only require an earpiece until 18K and then it is usually unfortunalely a full wall of sound. Fortunately most of my flying is over the deep briny and so that cuts down on it a bit.

Waiting for the day that we are CPDLC everywhere we go expect for arrival and departure :)