Headset for the Classic

[Draginass]

Telex ANR-500

 

[avbug]

In the 747, I've found that the lightweight Telex headsets work okay, but my hearing is far enough gone that I sometimes have a hard time understanding everything. I don't do well with hearing in one ear only, so a headset which reaches both ears is a big plus.

The Bose X works great in the Classic 747, and the battery life is no problem at all. Cocking one earcup off the ear slightly isn't a problem, and just moving it slightly to one side is enough to hear conversations in the cockpit.

A headset with which I've been very impressed is the Uflymic, used with the Bose Quiet Comfort QC-2 or QC-15 noise cancelling headsets. I have one and use it with a QC-15. It works very well. Battery life is on the order of 30+ hours for a single AAA battery. It's a compact arrangement that can take up very little space in a flight bag. It's also very affordable.

I picked up a Bose X on ebay some years ago, and it's seen all kind of abuse around the world in piston cockpits, turboprop cockpits, and in turbojets. It's suffered in the heat in the sun in the middle east, and been bounced off canopies in the mountain west, and still works like a charm. The only complaint was a ticking in one ear, which went away with a new set of ear seals. In fact, I stopped by a Bose booth at Sun & Fun a few years ago, and was talking to the factory representative about how well the headset had held up in the abuse of a blazing hot cockpit in the middle east...and the bose rep handed me two new ear seals and told me to try them, see if they improved the little ticking noise...no charge. They worked like a charm.

The uflymic arrangement is nice because it's extremely light weight, very clear, and reduces fatigue on long flights. It can be used when riding somewhere as a passenger just by inserting a different cable, that comes with the headset. The mic has a music input, or one one can order the mic with a backup set of earbuds which are fully TSO'd. I carry the extra earbuds. It's proven to be a very reliable, very comfortable, very easy to use headset with far better sound quality and clarity than any other headset I've used.

 

[urflyingme?!]

UFLYMIC translates to GIVEMEHEADACHE Make sure you tune it for your Aircraft. Lots of them have a ton of background noise with intercom setups...

 

[Booster]

I flew 100/200's for five years.

750's work just fine. Hey you are a freightdog use earplugs all the time. They work just fine and are normally free. You will not have the 750's/ANR's on that for that long during the flight but you can wear the earplugs throughout the flight.

Remember you need the $$ for the bar etc.imp:

 

[avbug]

The uflymic has provided the clearest transmission and reception (with the QC-15) of any headset I've used, including the bose X.

 

[Kruger Stellman]

The uflymic has provided the clearest transmission and reception (with the QC-15) of any headset I've used, including the bose X.

Just remember that the QC-2's & QC-15's are not TSO'd headsets. Some company's are requesting that they not be used in the cockpit!

K.S.

 

[avbug]

It's largely a matter of semantics. The Uflymic is TSO'd. It can be purchased with earbuds that are TSO'd. I carry a set in my bag, and will plug them in if someone throws a fit. I've heard one person whine about the QC-15, who was then caught shortly thereafter with the same headset. Go figure.

While some companies do stipulate a TSO'd headset, one is splitting hairs. The uflymic is TSO'd, the earbuds are TSO'd, and if one uses both, the presence of the noise-cancelling QC-15 becomes superfluous...little more than a device to make things quiet. Under the regulation, a TSO for the headset isn't required. Only various company requirements stipulate as much.

I find that the combination of the two works very well, and have found very little need to drag the earbuds out of the flight bag.

http://www.uflymike.com/id19.html

 

[Kruger Stellman]

It's largely a matter of semantics. The Uflymic is TSO'd. It can be purchased with earbuds that are TSO'd. I carry a set in my bag, and will plug them in if someone throws a fit. I've heard one person whine about the QC-15, who was then caught shortly thereafter with the same headset. Go figure.

While some companies do stipulate a TSO'd headset, one is splitting hairs. The uflymic is TSO'd, the earbuds are TSO'd, and if one uses both, the presence of the noise-cancelling QC-15 becomes superfluous...little more than a device to make things quiet. Under the regulation, a TSO for the headset isn't required. Only various company requirements stipulate as much.

I find that the combination of the two works very well, and have found very little need to drag the earbuds out of the flight bag.

http://www.uflymike.com/id19.html

Original Uflymic's were NOT TSO'd We were issued a voice mail from the chief pilot not to use them. Lot of guys still do. I personally use a Plantronics MS 50 with a custom molded earpiece. Have for 25 years and still have some of my hearing left. What he say?

 

[avbug]

I had a plantronics MS-50 for a while. I used it with an earpiece, rather than the over-the-head band. The microphone transmitted well enough, but without being able to hear in both ears, I found it difficult to use.

My hearing is far enough gone that I have a hard time making out what's being said unless I can hear it with both ears, and can concentrate on what's said. I could get away with the Plantronics headset domestically, but internationally, and in the Northeast US (which might as well be a foreign country), I found that listening with both ears was necessary.

I used the airman 750 headphones, and keep one as a backup, but it doesn't cut out enough sound to really improve on communications. I don't believe that ANR is necessary, but it's a nice feature.

All of the uflymic have met the same standard of construction and meet the requirements of the TSO, but only more recent ones have the sticker. The folks at uflymic will TSO the older micsets if required.

 

[blingair]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'm going to stick with my Bose X for my first trip and think about switching to the 750 is it doesn't work out. And it seems that the common thread between most pilots is we are all deaf or going deaf. What?