Which regionals require TSO'd headsets?
 

I apologize if this has been answered before, but I've looked around and have not found my answer. I'm curious which regionals require TSO'd headsets. I'm most interested in knowing about Skywest. Thanks.

SK no tso required.

The FAA position is that all headsets must be TSOd, even if the airline does not specify it in their OPSPEC or FOM.

I wouldn't worry about this.....

Until you come across a dick inspector. And we all know the FAA would never hire one of those.

Then you use the shipsets for a leg.

Exactly. If this is a criteria in picking an airline then you need to reevaluate your job search....

Unless your company is too cheap to provide them. Same for flashlights.

SKYW, does not provide headsets nor flashlight, but requires both. They do provide Radio Shack earmuffs for the observer.

Pinnacle requires a TSOd headset as per our Flight Ops manual.

Colgan did not require one, so I got a nonTSO uflymike. I wasn't about to get a whole new one once I transferred over to the other operaton, and now nearly 3 years after moving over to 9E I have't had a problem yet. I've had dih inspectors before and they don't seem to care and have yet to ask if they are TSOd.

9E does Not provide heasets. THey do have observer headsets though. The observer headsets in ll of our ac were Telex 750s... For some reason, somebody it was a great idea to replace all of those 750s with some crappy abomination that a pre-private student would show up holding. They were coing through the fleet one day in DTW collecting all the 750s to literally throw away. I may or may not have rescued a few from live as dumpster filler.

So what you are saying is, you are conciously violating your Employers Flight Ops manual requirements. At least SKYW doesn't specify🙈

I'd be careful with that. At TSA all was well and good until our POI caught some guy with a non TSO headset and yanked our ability to use any headset but the one specifically listed by Embraer as approved for the 145 so now we are stuck using company headsets unless you want to go out and buy this particular headset. Company has been trying to get back to using TSO headsets for a while, and hopefully will soon.

Not my criteria for picking an airline, but instead criteria for picking my headset to avoid problems later down the road if the ones I'm looking at require it.

Thank you to everyone who answered.

Is this common knowledge or was it spelled out in some publication?

Just tell anyone asking its for hearing protection, and you don't plug it in.

FWIW I've had two Feds on the Jumpseat use a Uflymike without fancy stickers, just like mine. None of us said anything.

Now that I'm back on probation I sent the rig in for its sticker upgrade. Mine was an older model that the website says can't be TSO'd, but after emailing found they can upgrade it by changing a circuit board for an extra $13.

The requirement for TSO'd headset lies with the concept of operating, the FAA observes from the jumpseat. The TSO is a standard for which a piece of equipment meets, since the headset(boom mic),interfaces with the radios and enable communications and is required by FARs the preponderance of inspectors "doing/saying nothing" is anecdotal at best. Why take a chance on the dick inspector?

I will put it on here on a public message board that I violate my companys FAA approved Flight Manual Part 1 which stipulates that you may not have ANY items protruding from your pockets. Like so many other pilots, I usually have a pen or two. I also do not wear the company approved jacket - just a near identical one that all our CPs have not even recognized. I am fully aware of this and continue to do it.

Wise choice, make it easier for the Borg to assimilate you! You are quite the rebel, a pen in your pocket!, does your wallet have the chain to attach it to your belt too? I bet you hang the toilet paper the wrong way too!

That is not the FAA position.

Well that answer is pretty obvious. Buy a TSO headset because, once again, which headset is used should be the least of your concerns in a job search.

This is:
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/...rpretation.pdf

Interesting. If you go to the last paragraph of the second page which continues on to the top paragraph of the third page, it says that if the batteries were to discharge and you were unable to use the headset (and not just lose ANR functionality) then it would not be an approved headset.

The QC15 and UFlyMike then would not be an approved combination. The QC25 and the new UFlyMike (when it comes out) seems that it would be approved as the QC25 allows audio with dead batteries. This is, of course, assuming the UFlyMike when released works this way with ATC as well.

No TSO required so your lightspeed zulu 2 is safe. I would hate to sell mine because this rule.

Again:
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/...rpretation.pdf

QC15 is legal, especoally with the "earbud backup" nobody uses. The legal interpretation only lists that as a "concern", so if you have a way of mitigating the concern (at least one you can explain) it's less of an issue than people think.

No worries, since there is a concern, its all good until until something happens, whatever that might be.

So, if you don't use the "earbud backup" is it still legal?

That makes sense why they sell the earbuds now! Thanks!

Overhead speakers, diligently checking your battery level before a flight (you know, like that thing you do with fuel), and any other amount of common sense. Unless it's spelled out as a regulation or in black and white it's not (technically) illegal.

Horizon requires TSO and flashlights but does not provide either. But as stated above, no one ever checked.

What a bunch of CHEAP airlines out their.

At least CHEAP A$$ LASA provides flashlights and three Dave Clark head sets in every aircraft!

701EV