Hearing below CAA standard

[Captain McDuff]

Hi Everyone,

I have a problem in that I used to work for BA security. No that wasn't the problem! On one paticular day I was guarding Concorde at Victor 14 and was outside with no ear protection when it started up. Two weeks later my hearing in my left ear went and hasn't come back since. This was about 5 years ago. In this time, I have researched through the CAA website and have also contacted them anonomously about my chances of flying commercially and they have told me that unless rules change drastically I would have no hope. The hearing in my right ear is perfect with no loss at all but my left ear is very poor. There seems to be a cosiderable loss in the higher frequencies. I have recently had this looked into privately and have been told that the nerve endings at the back of my cochlea have become seperated and there isn't anything anyone can do to help.
This is proving to be a problem now as I have a had a compulsion to fly commercially since the age of 9. I have started to look into ways of getting a Class 1 medical but it seems I can only do this in the States. Being British, I was wondering what options are now available to me now that I have been told that I am unable to pursue a career in aviation in this country. I am willing to travel to Fiji if need be to get where I need to be be but I am unsure about rules/regs that are involved in this sort of thing. Don't know much about immigration either so any advice in this matter would also prove valuable.
Thank you all in advance for any advice.

Captain McDuff - Oh Yeah

P.S I am a PPL holder at the moment and hold a Class 2 but this runs out later this year. ( I was hoping to get this to Class 1 when the time came to renew but this is now very much on hold!!!) :{

[Captain McDuff]

My hearing in my left is: 0db at 250, 5db at 500, 65db at 1000, 65db at 2000, 110db at 4000 and 80db at 8000.

As you can see, there is quite a considerable amount of hearing loss in the higher frequencies. The hearing in my right is perfect with 0db in all frequencies which is is why I can hear as well as I can.
I have done the test (over and over again to ensure that I can pass it) where I am placed 2 metres away from someone with my back turned to them and haven't got a problem, but this is because I am being tested using both ears and not individually.
It seems that if I am to fly in this country then I guess I'll have to wait until the CAA fall in line with the rest of world!

Captain McDuff - Oh Yeah!

[paddyboy]

Mc Duff,

Prob shouldn't say this and if it gets taken off then fair enough, but.....

When I had my Class One at LGW I could clearly see the nurse, albeit at 90 deg's to myself, working the audio controls.

However, toward the extreme lower end of the spectrum, I had my doubts as to whether I was actually hearing the tones or just observing her movements. This I cannot confirm although I passed with flying colours.

One worrying factor:

Why were you airside with no ear protection???

If not supplied then surley this is an issue to take up with your employers/unions.

If supplied.... need I say any more?

I wish you the best of luck anyway.

PADDY
:ok:

[BBK]

Capt McD

I'm sorry to read of your problems with your hearing. Having failed the RAF medical on eyesight grounds I can appreciate your disappointment. Whilst I am not an audiologist/physician I used to work in acoustics and there are few points I'd like to make.

From the figures you have given you do, indeed, appear to have a serious hearing loss in one ear. It seems to me that this loss would be unusual if all that occurred was you were close to Concorde on start up. Incidentally, were you provided with hearing protection as required when working airside? The high loss at 4kHz is consistent with noise induced hearing loss (as opposed to that caused through old age). However, have you consulted an audiologist as to whether there is another cause of your symptoms.

I would suggest that you consult an audiologist and also an Aviation Physician to determine if you can 'realistically' pass a Class 1 medical. By that I mean you would not want to pass on a 'fluke' only to be grounded later - perhaps after paying thousands of pounds for commercial training. Lastly, in my opinion, it can be difficult enough to hear ATC and remember it's often the case that commercial pilots often fly with only one earphone on so as to allow comms with the other pilot.

Good luck and I sincerely hope you can resolve the situation.
regards
BBK

[Captain McDuff]

Hi Guys,

Many thanks for your views so far.

Paddy, you do bring up an interesting point and certainly is something I am going to consider before jetting off to warmer climates. The reason why I was airside with no ear defenders was because my job was that I was given a vehicle, a radio and a list of BA aircraft registrations and I was to board them at given times to check people's passes on the aircraft. One paticular day, I had pulled up at Victor 14, checked peoples passes on Concorde (yes I was on that gorgeous, very much missed even though it took my hearing from me marvel of aviation) and then do the same with the people on the ground. While I was doing this, I chatted for a little while with a refueller guy and then went to the top of the jetty to watch what was happening for a little while. By this time, Concorde was starting up. I watched and unfortunatley listened to the almighty roar it makes when the engines are started. After what only appeared to be a few seconds, I realized this is too much for mere mortals and returned to the car where my ear defenders were stored. Realising I was behind schedule now, I returned to my duties.
What bugged me the most from this was that if I turned up for work without safety boots, then I would be sent home but if I was to turn up without ear defenders then I would be expected to carry on with my normal duties. A little arguement I had when I left but because it is over 3 years now I am unable to do anything legally about this. I know that if this is the cause of my hearing loss then it is my own silly fault.

BBK, I`m sorry to hear you failed your medical. My current job is working in a call centre. In this enviroment, we wair headsets that are similar to those worn in commercial aviation. They only cover one ear so you can communicate with others around you. I don't appear to have a problem with hearing what people around me are saying which is why I dont believe I would be a risk in the commercial world. I consider myself to be a competent pilot and have no problems with communication even in the relatively noisy enviroment of a Cessna. Because of what my hearing test results say though, I dont think the CAA will believe me. The only 2 things I haven't done at the moment is checked out my hearing in the cockpit of a commercial aircraft, and tested what my ears would be like at altitude. The highest I've been to date is 6,000ft. I descended quite quick but didn't have a problem in clearing my eustacian tubes. My hearing if anything improved after this.

Many thanks guys :ok:

Captain McDuff - Oh Yeah!

[mad_jock]

I am with the watch the womans fingers brigrade.

10 years working on heavy engineering things, driving plant, grinders, running around firing rifles, firing Pack Howiters and 101 light gun and the like I expected my hearing to be ****e but passed no problems.

Go and speak to them. The medical dept I have found to be the nicest in that whole building. They really do want people to pass the medical. Lets face it the more people that pass the more repeat business they get :=


And if you think your hearing is bad you should try speaking to a heli pilot.

MJ

[Captain McDuff]

Hi MJ,

Wow, you must have ear drums of steel!!! The impression I had from my instructor when he sat his medical was that they were quite stringent on their rules. Reading a lot of posts in here, that doesn't appear to be the case. I think I shall join the finger brigade and bite the bullet so to speak. I am a bit worried about giving them £411 so they can turn me inside out but then once it's over with, I'll know one way or another what my options are.
Many thanks guys,

Captain McDuff - Oh Yeah!

[Captain McDuff]

Hi Guys,

Just wondering if anyone can give me anymore info on the hearing test for the initial. If anyone has undergone it recently, does the finger brigade still apply or is it more stringent than this.
Many thanks

[2close]

Hi Captain McDuff,

I had to have an audiogram as part of routine testing for a dizziness condition and the ENT specialist recommended strongly that I had my ears syringed prior to the audiogram.

It may be worth considering before your next test but I'd check with the medics first in case syringing could cause any other problems with your own circumstances.

Best Regards,

2close