FDX 727 noise

[donger]

In anticipation of starting in the next few months and while I still have a disposable income, I was wondering just how bad the noise level is on the 727 and what type of headsets folks use or prefer.

What are opinions on ANR headsets?

 

[b737drivr]

The 727 cockpit is very quiet. You wont need to buy a headset.

 

[Spur]

In the back seat I prefer the FREE ones that come with the airplane. It is louder up front though, and although not required some people get sennheisers (sp?) or bose ANR headsets.

 

[Spur]

The 727 cockpit is very quiet.

True, but the sound of the air rushing around it at .84 Mach is quite deafening.

 

[Falconjet]

Noise, what noise

If I were you I would get used to wearing earplugs. I personally put them in when I get in the crew bus on the way out and don't take them out until I am back in the bus or in the ramp office. It is loud on the ramps and in the jet, although from my seat I can't tell much difference between the noise at .80 and when the clacker sounds (probably due to the fact that I'm wearing earplugs).

The headsets in the jet are fine as long as you are wearing earplugs, otherwise I would invest in a nice set of noise- cancelling headsets like the Bose or Sennwhatevers. Do the walkarounds without hearing protection though and you will go deaf in short order, so unless you want to wear your nice headset while you are doing those you will be wearing earplugs anyway, so you might as well save the money.

Once you get to a window seat it might make more sense to invest in the nice headset as you aren't exposed to the noise of the ramp area for very long.

FJ

 

[C-17->Majors]

As a panel ape I prefer a good set of earplugs (the company provides a clean pair as needed provided you turn in your old set!) combined with the cheap noise amplifying headset that comes standard on our modern fleet of 727 aircraft. A few of the godlike aviators that sit up front have tried to impress me by letting me try on their high quality noise canceling headsets during flight in exchange for a fresh set of batteries from the APLC. Quite frankly, I didn't find any meaningful difference while sitting in my seat. Also, I notice that a lot of the folks up front move one ear cup off the ear in order to hear the other "pilot" crewmember share stock tips and union rumors, thus defeating the value of their $500-$999 noise canceling cones of silence.

My advise, save your money and bid off the panel as soon as possible. I can't imagine that the 737 will be very noisy cruising around at .74 mach. Wear your earplugs at all times and sit in the back and color.

 

[PurpleTail]

Disposable income???

That will disappear before you start IOE depending on your martial status and lifestyle. Then, at the speed of upgrades today, you'll need to do some careful planning for the next 5 yrs.

My advise, invest in a good set of ear plugs and use the company provided Telex 750.

 

[Goose17]

Whoever said the 727 has a quiet cockpit is full of horsepoopie! It is by FAR the loudest plane I have ever experienced. I flew the C-130, which was darn loud, but we had enough sense to use full earcup headsets and the freak'n intercom. In the 727, there is an intercom, but we don't use it for some reason - we just yell, and yell loudly. Each plane is different, there are some noisey jets, and then there are some outrageously noisey jets. The speed does have an effect on the noise, but the biggest variable is the airconditioning system which dumps the air and noise out just above the S/O's head. Some systems will make you deaf.

Honestly, if I could afford the Bose headset, I'd have it already. I think it would be well worth it on the 727. I personnally wear "ear muffs" from a hardware store for my walkarounds. Sticking your head in the wheel well with the APU screaming with anything less will make you deaf. In the plane, I wear the thick white or yellow ear plugs. I load up on these whenever the company has them out. Quite often they have the cheap/thin earplugs that aren't worth anything. But, like I said, in the plane I wear the thick earplugs. The problem is, quite often you can't hear the guys up front since they are whispering sweet nothings at their windscreens. I simple tell them that if I don't respond, it means I don't hear you - speak up. For checklists, I sometimes find my self reading a step, pausing, and reading the next step - since you can't hear the quiet guys' response.

The moral of this long-donkey story is the 727 is FREAK'N LOUD!

Goose17

 

[STL717]

What?? Would you speak up.

8,700 hours in the 727 and we operated the fast ones, Vmo/Mmo 410/.90.

Use ear plugs if you want to have a conversation in 20 years.

 

[viking737]

A 727 crew having a chat after the flight:

Capt : It sure is windy today.

FO: No captain, it's Thursday.

FE : Yeah, me too, let's go get a drink


I am hearing impaired myself after 6000 hrs in the Jurassic Jet.
Great flying airplane though.........

 

[sandman2122]

737 Noise?

How loud are 737's?

When we get 73's next year I'm hoping on upgrading to El Capitan !

 

[Purple Haze]

Heard just this week:

"I don't know why people complain about the noise - as far as I can tell, the Boeing seems to get more quiet each year."

and more quiet...

 

[Spur]

In the 727, there is an intercom, but we don't use it for some reason

Thats because the "window seaters" can't figure out which way to push the switch for intercom vs. radio. I wish I had a nickel for every O2 check I've heard on company freqs. The guard bafoonery is bad enough -- worse than the Navy even

 

[Huck]

I flew CRJ's (a much MUCH quieter airplane) and it was Davey Clark's and hotmikes to 18,000. Same with the BAe-146. But we were just commuter guys - we weren't as cool.

I quite frankly can't believe the FAA lets us get by without using the intercom. You know it was installed (and is still maintained) for a purpose. I bet the original certification pilots would freak if they knew we were shouting the in-range at each other.

And as for headsets - my take home for the first year was $2400 on the short months - and did I mention our wonderful insurance co-pays? I'm still using the La-z-boy Inn as a crash pad - I can't even think about buying a headset.