Pilot Headsets

[Denholm]

Hello everyone,

Recently I've started flying small aircraft in attempt to earn my private pilot certificate. However, I've run into a dilemma when selecting a headset. I've seen headsets from $100-$1,000 which have a variety of features. Although features are nice, I want to buy something which adjusts to fit my head comfortably, has great exterior noise reduction, has a voice-activated microphone generating good quality sound, and has speakers with good sound quality (possibly an adjustable volume level, too). I'm also looking for headsets which come with some form of a 3+ year warranty.

So, fellow pilots, what do you use and what do you recommend? I would prefer to buy something which doesn't cost more than $300. Thanks in advance!

[eagl]

In general, light weight and gel earcups are a good thing.  Best advice - visit a shop that has different brands in stock, and try them on for a while.  Put the demo model on your head and walk around the store like a goofball, doing the rest of your must-have aviation gear shopping while you have the headset on your head.  I've found that a poorly fitting headset will begin to hurt in as little as 10-15 minutes...  That's a lot of browsing but a couple of hours spent looking like a weirdo in the pilot shop can save you many many headaches.

You probably won't get active noise cancellation in a cheap headset though, unless you buy an aftermarket add-on box that connects inline between the headset and intercom/radio.  Last, the military uses david clark headsets.  Yea they're expensive but the quality is up there and people seem to like them.  What you really want to find is a headset that looks/feels like a david clark, yet saves money by skimping on features you don't care about.  Good luck...  I know lots of guys who tried 2 or 3 different cheaper headsets before giving up and buying the david clarks they wanted in the first place.

[Selino631]

I have a David Clark headset, it works very well

[MachFly]

I have a David Clark headset, it works very well

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  Thous are good

[Denholm]

Yet another question... I'm mainly training in a C172SP, would stereo headsets operate fine in those planes or would it be wasted money?

[eagl]

Yet another question... I'm mainly training in a C172SP, would stereo headsets operate fine in those planes or would it be wasted money?

I used a 4-port intercom whenever I flew a plane that wasn't "good enough" for my headset.  Velcroed a push to talk switch onto the yoke, plugged the headset into the intercom (nowadays I'd probably also plug in my ipod) and plug the intercom into the com panel on the plane.  Yea some planes have full intercom setups but they make/sell reasonably cheap and small intercoms that will make it "worth it" to use a nice headset in any plane.  If the plane has a good intercom, use that.  If not, use your own intercom and plug the intercom into the plane.

[Denholm]

Alright, based on the kind suggestions from everyone, I'm currently eyeing the David Clark H20-10S:
http://www.sportys.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?DID=19&Product_ID=6503&CATID=94



The specifications suggest that you can switch between mono and stereo. I'll try to locate a local retailer selling the headset and will give them a try.

[Russian]

if you put one of those on, it will increase your pilot stats 10 fold.

[Dago]

David Clarks are good headsets, but I never found them very comfortable when worn for a long period.   The crowd buys David Clark, I was never one to follow the crowd, I did my own research and bought the ones I liked.  Never regretted it.  If you want spend some bucks on the best, get Bose.

[Golfer]

I had zero issues with David Clark H10-13.4 when I used them regularly.  I bought a cheap Softcomm set for about $100 when I first started which never had an issue either.  They worked great and with no complaints as my passengers or spare set in case a student forgot theirs.

David Clark has exceptional customer service as well.

There aren't any headsets comfortable for a long period of time.  Even the Telex 850's we keep in our airplane suck after a few hours but they do work well.

[Serenity]

I bought myself David Clark when we bought our plane, and I LOVE them. When I went to Nebraska to fly for CAP and all they had was cheapo headsets, I almost asked my parents to mail me my headset. When it comes to comfort, I have never found anything better than David Clark, but I actually avoid noise-canceling. We used them on the G-1000 C-182 in Nebraska, and it was more trouble than it was worth IMHO. However, after letting an ROTC cadet borrow MY headset this last weekend when the cheap right-seater we have was too uncomfortable for her (I know, I shouldn't have, but she was cute!) she managed to break one of the gel-cushions. I tried flying without it and while the sound was still crystal clear and easily heard over the engine, I think it broke the cartilage in my ear. Lesson of the post: Buy David Clark and don't loan them to a girl no matter how cute she is!

[trigger2]

Honestly, if you're willing to spend a little bit of money, the Lighspeed Zulu is an OUTSTANDING headset, and their company's customer support is great.

[avionix]

Go with a GCA-ANR/II.  Only $249 and they are ANR.

http://gca.aero/detail/5990/Headsets/GCA/GCA-ANR-II/

We have had alot of good luck with these as they are made by Lightspeed.  It does have a stereo/mono switch as well as a cell phone/music input.  Also auto shutoff so you aren't constantly replacing batteries.  You will get about 30-40 hours out of one set of the batts as well.  The David Clark are going to give about 23 dB of nois cancellation just from the passive cancellation.  With the ANR/II you get an additional 12-13 dB.  Pretty good for a headset that is less than the 13.4.  I have flown with David Clarks for years and you will find that they are a vise grip.  You need more info, give me a call at the shop, 800-474-9714   ask for Matt.

 

[cpxxx]

David Clarks are good headsets, but I never found them very comfortable when worn for a long period.   The crowd buys David Clark, I was never one to follow the crowd, I did my own research and bought the ones I liked.  Never regretted it.  If you want spend some bucks on the best, get Bose.

I have David Clarke's 13.4s. I find them comfortable, sometimes it's to do with the shape of your head because I know some people don't find them particularly comfortable. I should mention that I'm a skydive pilot so have worn the thing for up to eight hours a day but more often four to six hours. In fact, I'm about to head off for an afternoon's diver driving as soon as I finish posting this.

 I think eagl's suggestion to go to a shop and try them on is a good idea. I agree though a pair of noise cancelling Bose would be nice. Hopefully my next headset will be noise cancelling or hopefully my next job won't need a heavy headset.

I would always advise against buying cheap DC clones, DCs are popular for a reason. They last well. At a flight school, I know they simply got rid of all their cheaper headsets because quite simply they broke a lot and were hard to fix. DCs on the other hand last well and have a good after sales service.

Incidentally I use my DCs while playing Aces High online, via an adaptor. I just kept breaking all the other PC type headsets. It also has the advantage that I can't hear my wife while I'm playing

[Reaper90]

if you put one of those on, it will increase your pilot stats 10 fold.

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That looks just like the mosquito I killed this morning.....