Helicopter pilots and Tinnitus
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Norwegian Puma Pilot Wins £167000 for Tinnitus
Heard that a Norwegian pilot with Tinnitus won £167,000 in a Norwegian court after a rather lengthy legal battle.
Does anyone have any more information?
What are the North Sea Operators going to do about it??
Does anyone have any more information?
What are the North Sea Operators going to do about it??
Conduct research, and carry out trials using ANR headsets and ear protection devices, collaborating with BALPA. They are already doing so.
Seems a poor decision to me: anyone earning a Norwegian Pilot's salary, who can't figure out that two Makilas sitting above your head doing 31,000 rpm for hours on end might be a bad thing for your ears, and who can't be bothered to spend $500-800 on an ANR headset, needs their head examining, not having large sums of cash dished out.
Seems a poor decision to me: anyone earning a Norwegian Pilot's salary, who can't figure out that two Makilas sitting above your head doing 31,000 rpm for hours on end might be a bad thing for your ears, and who can't be bothered to spend $500-800 on an ANR headset, needs their head examining, not having large sums of cash dished out.
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While the pilot could have purchased an ANR Headset for themself, current ANR headsets seem optimised to filter out the lower frequency range of sounds whereas hearing in the upper frequencies tend to fail and of course turbine engines are high pitched.
Additionally, there may well be a problem of whether an off-the-shelf headset works in the Aircraft - the company isn't going to pay for a mod for a non-company standard headset.
Since a helmet isn't considered acceptable, you are rather stuck if you wish to use something other than the company standard equipment.
As for the ANR headset testing, the last I heard was that they didn't offer as good noise reduction as a standard passive set overall, particularly in the upper frequency ranges, yet I stll hear (the rumour?) of new headsets coming down the pipe.
BG.
Additionally, there may well be a problem of whether an off-the-shelf headset works in the Aircraft - the company isn't going to pay for a mod for a non-company standard headset.
Since a helmet isn't considered acceptable, you are rather stuck if you wish to use something other than the company standard equipment.
As for the ANR headset testing, the last I heard was that they didn't offer as good noise reduction as a standard passive set overall, particularly in the upper frequency ranges, yet I stll hear (the rumour?) of new headsets coming down the pipe.
BG.
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Baron,
You are quite right, the myth that ANR headsets are better at protecting hearing is simply not true. ANR's cannot filter much above a thousand Hz, and the most damaging frequencies are far above that.
It is the sealing and suppression from the ear cup are the protection that one needs, and this is available from plugs and headsets without expensive electronics.
You are quite right, the myth that ANR headsets are better at protecting hearing is simply not true. ANR's cannot filter much above a thousand Hz, and the most damaging frequencies are far above that.
It is the sealing and suppression from the ear cup are the protection that one needs, and this is available from plugs and headsets without expensive electronics.
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vital actions,
I must disagree with you. The company pays for HALF the price of helmets or noise cancelling headsets up to $600, so why would they force crew not to wear something they have helped pay for? I just does not compute.
I can understand compatability issues, but even those should be reasonably easily resolved considering the number of these aircraft flying around.
I must disagree with you. The company pays for HALF the price of helmets or noise cancelling headsets up to $600, so why would they force crew not to wear something they have helped pay for? I just does not compute.
I can understand compatability issues, but even those should be reasonably easily resolved considering the number of these aircraft flying around.
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I agree with ya'll; but, I can't imagine flying a full day ever again without my ANR helmet. Occasionally I unplug it just to remind myself of how it was before. After a few seconds I plug it back in and leave it alone. I have a spare set of internals just in case something quits I can switch them out and send the broke one's in for repair. High freq-low freq, im my mind it (and ears) it makes a differnce.
barryb
barryb
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Sounds fair enough...
Interesting. I gather some marks of Royal Navy Sea Kings have ANR, whilst the Royal Air Force doesn't consider it neccessary in their Mk 3 SAR cabs!
Maybe the cost of ANR is more than the anticpated cost of future claims.
Maybe the cost of ANR is more than the anticpated cost of future claims.
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Quote:
Interesting. I gather some marks of Royal Navy Sea Kings have ANR, whilst the Royal Air Force doesn't consider it neccessary in their Mk 3 SAR cabs!
Maybe the cost of ANR is more than the anticpated cost of future claims.
I can confirm that one variant of RAF C130 has ANR and the other doesn't.
What I can't find is the documentary evidence that supports the widely rumoured inception costs versus compensation cost decision to use one without ANR.
Interesting. I gather some marks of Royal Navy Sea Kings have ANR, whilst the Royal Air Force doesn't consider it neccessary in their Mk 3 SAR cabs!
Maybe the cost of ANR is more than the anticpated cost of future claims.
I can confirm that one variant of RAF C130 has ANR and the other doesn't.
What I can't find is the documentary evidence that supports the widely rumoured inception costs versus compensation cost decision to use one without ANR.
Having done work on this subject, ANR appears not the panacea it is claimed to be. In many respects it does make you feel better, and certainly improves radio/intercom clarity. However, it does not cover all harmfull frequencies that are generated by helo aviation. Thus ANR could, in some circumstances, accellerate your hearing loss by fooling you into spending longer in a noise-harmful environment. The only way to prevent, or delay, the onset of hearing loss is to physically block out the harmful noise as well as the irritating, ie use F1 style moulded ear plugs (which rock musicians & motorcyclists also swear by).
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Well the three A109s on 32(TR) Sqn have some Gucci Bose noise cancelling headsets. Was informed by crew that they're about £1000 a piece! And boy...do they work! Cut out all the whiniing...especially from the two front seats. 
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After my time on Pumas I don't have tinnitus - can't hear a damned thing!
Jordan has started helicopter lessons and has already put in a claim for severe tittinus.
Jordan has started helicopter lessons and has already put in a claim for severe tittinus.
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All L2 pilots will probably admit to suffer from tinnitus to some extent, some more than others. Biggest challenge is that the high frequency noise from the intakes goes right trough the scull, totally bypassing any sophisticated headset. Just flying with a cap on makes a big difference, and lately winterliners for construcionwork helmets has become quite popular to put over the cap.
The L2's in Norway now have sound proofing material in the cockpit ceiling, cutting the noise by a couple of db. I'm currently looking into replacing my Peltor with a helmet, which must be lightweight and comfy.
The L2's in Norway now have sound proofing material in the cockpit ceiling, cutting the noise by a couple of db. I'm currently looking into replacing my Peltor with a helmet, which must be lightweight and comfy.