Originally Posted by Curveball

Well actually, we DO have an intercom on the 73. The problem is most Captains I fly with (can't speak for other FO's) won't use it. There's a switch on the yoke and one on the comm panel by your outboard thigh. Not that hard to use really, but most don't like it. What we don't have is "hot mic". The newest 900's do, but I doubt there will be a retrofit.

I am a year 1 guy, so I use the free headset with an earplug in my headset ear, and a loose one in my "Captain" ear. It's not crazy loud, but some phases of flight are worse than others. Add a lot of "senior" pilots (great guys, though, and I hope to live that long), and you end up with some loud conversations...