In 1963 the navy gave me a helmet; it was an offence to be on deck during flying stations without hearing protection so I was safe from hearing damage wasn't I? But that certain friendly interservice rivalry usually ensured that a 105mm howitzer would let fly beside you as you attemted to land anywhere interesting. Handed back the helmet in 1968 with slight damage to the eardrums.
BAH issued the early Clarke (protection factor nil); followed some time on 61's and Chinooks here and there. By now high tone hearing has virtually gone and the audiometrist is smirking knowingly at me as I attempt to second guess his idiot test. BA Medical Centre tested us and found slight deterioration but of no concern. Chinook pilots were unable to properly hear their clearances for return into ABZ after 5+ hours and on landing would collapse into a speechless huddle in the corner of the crewroom for an hour or so; the ringing in the ears would only finally go away that night.
From that point onwards in my life I have suffered from "loss of noise discrimination" as it was politely described; exactly as others have stated on this thread. In the pub you have no idea what the man in front of you is talking about (unless he's buying); for me I'm sad that my music collection sounds like my dog.
My final years on the lovely 76 probably sealed my eardrums for good... there was a thread on this last year (S76 Noise I think) which many of the pruners on this present thread contributed to. I can only say that I consider hearing damage to be only one of the factors needing to be addressed for you present day helicopter pilots; what about back problems, noise and vibration related stress problems etc?
Profile of the old helicopter pilot?... blind, deaf, toothless, irreverent and permanently in search of a free meal or beer. There's no help for us.
I hope you younger ones aren't like that.