Ha! Similar situation here....after Submarine Engine Rooms, & Nuclear Facilities...I gotta preserve what's left! Though I'm flying the MadDog and I suspect they're a little louder than the Bus....especially low and fast...wow! I, too, wish the intercom was used a bit more than the 'yell across the cockpit' method Especially during cold/allergy season!

I went to Sun-n-Fun and demoed the ANR Telex and DCs...no not the classic "Clamps", but the mini ANR DCs...new model I guess. They all worked great, just need to figure out which would be more conducive to conversation in cruise...likely the Telex. I used Bose-X's in the CRJ, and they worked superbly and were comfy on the 5-leg days. Even though some CAs yanked their headsets at 180, I always opted to stay 'covered' because of the dang noise!

Locomotives...cool!! Always wanted to drive a train! I had one of the best times of my life working on an IMAX film about the Canadian Pacific rail line across the Rockies..."Rocky Mountain Express." Riding, and climbing all over a live 1939 Hudson 4-6-4 from Vancouver to Calgary was a memorable experience!

 

Not familiar with Points East, is that an old airline call sign? No, Sulk is just the beginning of my last name.

Good point about drones tho. Someday soon I could see a single pilot in the aircraft with a drone operator monitoring flight in real time on the ground for airlines. Except prob wont happen cause the drone operator and equipment would cost more than a cheap FO.

Then again the drone operator might be able to monitor 5 flights simultaniously kind of like a dispatcher, so perhaps... ?

 

Headset comfort and technology has come a long way. Personally I'd prefer to wear a quality headset the whole flight. The clarity and hearing protection really do make a difference. Unfortunately the guy in the clip-on tie and cowboy boots that's already half deaf has been doing it a certain way for years and change is a difficult thing for folks in this biz. You'll make do. Nevermind the occasional ringing in your ears. You won't notice it or much else in 15 years. :-)

 

Very interesting career progression yourself. Now I have to see this movie.

Yep, no better feeling than standing on the catwalk of a slow moving locomotive, sun on your face, nice summer day. I miss it sometimes, but it required a lot of brutal night work, and the worse airline fatuigue you can imagine doesn't compare to that of railroading.

Then again, my engineer Pops retired at age 60 after 41 years on the UPRR and he's gettin that fat retirement check twice a month. I'll be flying planes till 65 and then ground instructing till death LOL.

Still, I'll take the office up front at 39,000 if given the choice.

 

Ha! Thanks Barley

 

VERY IMPORTANT HEADSET ETIQUETTE!!!!

If you decide to bring your own headset, please please please please take the time to plug in the factory headset before going home for the day.

I love prepping the cockpit, loading the box, getting ready to push only to reach up and find the headset isn't hanging in the intended location. It is wrapped up tight in the overhead compartment.

Yeah sure after 10 years of flying the bus I should have looked their FIRST, but do us all a favor and plug the damn thing back in if you take it out!

That is all, carry on!

 

My CA on observation ride briefed the same thing! Will do

 

I would also look into the Clarity Aloft headset. It sits very comfortably over the ear with an earplug type earphone. You could leave one in to hear ATC while leaving the other one out to talk to your co-worker.

 

Couple things:

Anything bulky like a Bose makes it very difficult to don the O2 mask.

It's not that noisy with low indicated airspeed at at high flight levels.

The clip on tie is a safety issue. Become an FFDO and you'll never wear a real tie again. Either that or you weren't listening.

 

I do agree....if you use your own set please have the courtesy to plug the default set onboard back in for the next guy. Most of us use them.

That being said I used full ear ANR for 10 years at the regionals and now on the bus use the default set provided. I can't wait to pop em off at 18 as the front is pretty quiet. If the effort of having to use a handheld and speaker is too much for you ya might want to get to the bottom of that level of laziness.........