Re: Active Noise Reduction Headsets
We used modified Atlantics for a number of years on a modified K out of Boscombe Down. They were excelent, apart from the batery box one and extra wire they had. One battery box lasted around 12-15 hours, so we would change them every sortie. We looked at getting a power socket added to sit next to the standard com boxes, but Boscombe's solution was too expensive.
As said above, if they ran out of juice, then you switched off the ANR function and had a standard Atlantic, all be it a we bit larger and heavier.
The only problem I had was if wearing sun glasses. Even with the wonderfull (?) issued pattern , you could not get a good seal around the ear pieces. This led to vibration induced noise feedback, that could be very bad. This is one of the reasons I think that this model was never issued to all the K fleet.
Of interest, we had a noise survey done by Boscombe in the back of our Herc, and readings over 95dBA were common at various locations. It was noticable on our medicals that over the 10 years I flew, I got a hearing gap at certain frequencies, the MO said was a direct result of flying.