Boeing Flight Interphone

[FlapsOne]

Why, when we are blessed with stereo hearing, is it the 'norm' to operate in a noisy flt deck environment with one earpiece raised and ignore the existence of intercom facilities?

If there's a genuine technical reason please tell me.

[Phoenix_X]

I fly one of those noise environments as well, and often wonder about thesame thing.... :rolleyes:

[Air Conditioned]

Silly, indeed. There are even pilots who have demanded Active Noise Reduction headsets and still fly around with an ear uncovered.

Pilots are more than a little fixed in their ways and those brought up on this method will not change. It probably originates from the time that intercom boxes only had a single volume control and there was a continual battle for all the crew members to get the radios plus interphone to a commonly accepted level. It was easier to give up on the I/P, just use the box for radio, and shout across the cockpit for intercom.

Even with the current, competent, audio boxes the Boeing R/T - I/P switch is a pain, out of sight under the yoke horn, and easy to misuse. The first time a youngster accidentally transmits cockpit conversation (probably about a hostie or the Ops Manager) on radio, the skipper will re-instate non-electronic conversation across the cockpit. The R/T - I/C switch found on UK and some European aircraft is a better gadget as it can usually be seen to be in position and it has a distinctive locking feel as it goes to the I/C position.

Flight safety would be served much better if the use of interphone was standard.

[QAVION]

"Silly, indeed. There are even pilots who have demanded Active Noise Reduction headsets and still fly around with an ear uncovered."

Not so silly when you've read the reports on noise reduction headsets.

Airline crews are reporting that they're not hearing aural warnings (e.g TCAS) as a result of wearing them . I know of at least one airline which has instructed their crews not to wear them below a certain altitude. (Note: On the Boeings I work on, most aural warnings are not fed into the headsets).

Also, crews have reported feeling dizzy when wearing these headsets on one ear only. Not 100% sure, but I think it's called "positional vertigo".

Regards.
Q.