Hearing loss

[shaymey01]

Is it possible to fly commercially with moderate hearing loss in one ear only... correctable with a hearing aid?

[Air Conditioned]

Check your local regs, but it is almost certain that you can be licenced. The attitude of an employer might have to be considered.

I think the ICAO standard permits up to 35dB loss in both ears, and greater loss in one ear is usually allowed subject to test. A typical test is having ATC read a message (IE a NOTAM)in the presence of an Examiner who assesses both the readablity of the message and the accuracy of the candidate.

Aircraft radios have more than enough gain to overcome any moderate deafness, but a greater problem will arise if there is not an adequate interphone system on the aircraft involved. Many operators persist in using ordinary speech across the cockpit, with radio supplied only through one headset earpiece, the other ear being left uncovered for crew speech. This gives a one-eared person a problem in trying to hear both conversation and radio, and requires careful juggling of the headset to half cover the good ear to achieve both functions. The effects will vary between left and right seats. However, none of this is insurmountable and I believe there are a number of professional pilots with little or no hearing in one ear.

If the aircraft is adequately equipped with interphone and an operator (enlightened, IMHO) uses headset for both intercom and radio, there is no problem whatever.

[Captain Numpty]

To be totally honest, I would be very surprised if you could get a Class 1 Med based on what you are saying, however, it may be worth checking out www.jaa.nl (http://www.jaa.nl) & www.earinfo.com (http://www.earinfo.com)

Good Luck

C.N.

[Captain Mainwaring]

A friend recently got a job with a corperate
outfit with reduced hearing to one ear.
The only problem was satisfying the loss of license medical requirements- not of the job itself.
He had to pay for an MRI scan himself to establish that nothing unwanted was growing in his head and causing the hearing loss or thet the nerve ends were knacked !
He had audio test at CAA and they said it was below class one but deemed that it was not sufficient to prevent issue of the medical !
If his hearing had been much worse he would have to take a 'reality' test with appropriate background noise and a variety of messages over the headset.The CAA said they are very reluctant to pull a medical and thereby end your career/livelihood over this.
Hope this helps.

[MaximumPete]

Yes, I agree. In my experience the CAA are very positive with any problems to get you back to work. I've got to have a day with another training captain to ensure my hearing is up to the required standard, which is covered by CAA/JAA regulations