Avionics Magazine Article on Headsets - Interesting!

[mblackey]

There's a great article about headsets just published in Avionics Magazine, authored by Mitch Whatley, AA B737 captain and attorney.

It's a short article, but well worth reading!

If your air carrier has gone ballistic over headsets recently, guide them here:

http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/cate...ary/18859.html

Mike

[Airbubba]

The UFlyMike product enables an external source to provide music playback into the QC2 headphones without priority muting or control of received aircraft radio, air-traffic control directions or cockpit intercom communications. This design may allow music to mask critical cockpit communications.

Bose also does not recommend this type of usage with the QC2 headphones because no incoming audio will be heard with a discharged or improperly installed battery. This shortcoming could result in the potential of missed air-traffic control communications while piloting an aircraft.

I have to agree with Bose on this one, don't get one of these gimmick gizmos, get a real airline headset.

I've seen these hotwired plugs so folks can play their DVD audio over the interphone, one wrong button push and you're transmitting 'Top Gun' on guard. I'm not big on watching movies in the cockpit anyway but have seen pilots set a notebook up in front of the thottles so everybody can see the screen, but not the EICAS. I rode on a US Air jumpseat a while back and one of the pilots brought computer speakers to put on the glareshield to have some mood music for cruise. All you have to do is catch one of the wires on a throttle or fuel cutoff as you get out of the seat to hit the head. They were playing CDB so maybe it was a former Piedmont crew.

[mblackey]

Think you're confusing this with something else. It's got nothing to do with music or video in the cockpit.

[Carrier]

Bose states regarding the Bose Aviation Headset X: “It is engineered to withstand the altitude and temperature conditions common in non-commercial aircraft.” Non-commercial presumably means it is only suitable for use in puddle jumpers and is of no use in transport category aircraft. Bose does not mention any headset suitable for big iron. Presumably Bose does not have such a product available.

What ANC headsets on the market are suitable for use in transport category aircraft, such as noisy medium to large turbo-props and medium to large jets?

[Zorst]

“It is engineered to withstand the altitude and temperature conditions common in non-commercial aircraft.”

Nope; to me, that means that it's suitable for cold, low pressure environments such as found in unpressurised aircraft at altitude. What 'altitude and temperature' considerations are there in airliners? Normal room temperature and about 8000ft PA...

I've used many headsets in many aircraft, and the X is defintiely my headset of choice in both big and little jets and a variety of other things that I fly, without any problems.

My one criticism is that when changing seats, it's a faff to swap the mic boom over - I'd prefer a swing-over design, but that would mean the ear pieces weren't profiled for each side. This is a particular pain when swapping seats part way through a training day on a short turnaround.

[Airbubba]

Think you're confusing this with something else. It's got nothing to do with music or video in the cockpit.

Well, the 'article' does say:

...The UFlyMike product enables an external source to provide music playback into the QC2 headphones...

Surely no one would use this in flight, right? You sure wouldn't need the UFlyMike to listen to an iPod on the ground. I can see where the feds might have a problem with this non-TSO'd kludge gadget.

[Dream Land]

The Ufly headset works quite well in the Airbus, doesn't squash my head like the company Sennheiser.

[mblackey]

The article and the headset are not about media input, although Bose would like to make it look that way. Part of their campaign for the Bose X. The Feds have no problem with it, just a concern over battery power. Where they get that paranoia, no one knows.

There are many ways to put "entertainment" in the cockpit: ADF, newspapers, inputting through a jack in the cockpit, earbuds, etc. Media and phone inputs on headsets are showing up in a number of new headsets. We shouldn't blame a device for poor judgement.

Singling out a single product to blame doesn't make sense, either. I don't blame USA Today for pilots reading newspapers in the cockpit. I don't blame Rush for pilots listening to the ADF.

Mike