Hey folks, hope all is well for you!

 

Got a question for y'all. I am deaf with a little bit of hearing when using hearing aids, and am an active licensed private pilot. I fly either out of uncontrolled airports with no radio comm (nordo), OR out of controlled airports with prior telephone arrangement and radio transmissions on my part only, with no receiving. I get return communication via light gun signals.

 

Works fine for me... however I am always trying to think of ways to enable me to use full, two-way communication with such a severe hearing loss.

 

I recently got my hands on some new digital hearing aids, along with a bluetooth streamer that streams audio directly to my hearing aids via bluetooth. I can either pick up bluetooth signals (such as from my iPhone/iPad, or from any other bluetooth audio sources), which then get transmitted to the hearing aids, OR I can plug in a wired audio input, and the streamer then transmits clean audio directly to the aids.

 

Here's my concept: What if I adapted the aircraft's headset audio output, which is a 1/4" jack, into a standard 3.5mm jack (the size that is most commonly found on audio outputs for headphones and the like)? I could then plug my streamer into that 3.5mm jack to recieve radio transmissions directly to my hearing aids and not through headset speakers. I would still wear the headset with the mike plugged in so I could make my transmissions without needing to resort to the handheld mike.

 

There are 1/4" to 3.5mm adapters - they are plentiful actually. What I am wondering is, before I go all-out on trying this out, can anyone tell me what they think of it and any issues they might think would come up? I think that it, at least in theory, should work pretty well. Especially since, with the streamer, I have the ability to shut off all outside noise and have the only sound coming into my ears be the radio communications (or whatever audio the streamer is working with).

 

What do you guys think/

2.5mm to 3.5mm is very common as you said and should work without any extra special attention. I hope your plan works, that would be awesome!

Might very well work!?!

 

One of the best investments in flying I ever made was the purchase of an active noise cancelling headset. Would this make a difference with a hearing aid? I have no idea!!!

 

But I do know that it transformed my african bush flying experience...if I'd known how good they were, I would have bought one years earlier...they are expensive but worth every dollar!!!

 

regards Russ.

The standard aircraft headset jack on most US civilian aircraft is .21 inches--it looks close to 1/4" but it's not, so I'm not sure that a 1/4" adapter will work.

 

Most US civilian aircraft radios/intercoms are designed for a high (300 ohm) impedance headset. Your streamer is probably using a line-level input, which should present a load impedance in the 5000-10000 ohm range. So in theory it might work OK, but with weak audio, but only if the mechanical connections work out. To do it right, you'd need an audio transformer to match the output impedance of the radio/intercom to the line level input on the streamer.

 

One potential issue though...is the streamer's bluetooth RF transmitter certified by the FAA for inflight use?

Wow, nice to see that someone actually made it to a PPL license while deaf. As much as I love flying I am a bit hesitant to do this over what schools would accept me given that I am nearly completely deaf in both ears apart from when using my bone anchored hearing aid. I think what you are saying is possible however whether there is an already existing solution for this may be the question.

 

I also interested in limitations with this, would it lift regulations with flying in/out controlled airports and getting other licenses such as a CPL.

Wow, nice to see that someone actually made it to a PPL license while deaf. As much as I love flying I am a bit hesitant to do this over what schools would accept me given that I am nearly completely deaf in both ears apart from when using my bone anchored hearing aid. I think what you are saying is possible however whether there is an already existing solution for this may be the question.

 

I also interested in limitations with this, would it lift regulations with flying in/out controlled airports and getting other licenses such as a CPL.

 

I knew someone that got their license being completely deaf and they were flying regularly out of Boeing Field.

One potential issue though...is the streamer's bluetooth RF transmitter certified by the FAA for inflight use?

 

I've seen the ADF needle play around a bit with an oldish (early 90's I suspect) KI-227 ADF head when some buddies were playing with bluetooth audio on their iPods. I have no idea if it was getting screwed up in the head or in the ADF itself. That's the only thing I'd really be worried about. For Day VFR, it's not a huge issue. TI-83's play around with the ADF as well.

 

Deaf Pilot, I applaud you for really working through, and it's an ingenious idea. The only thing I'm worried about is if you begin to rely on your hearing aid+bluetooth setup and something goes amiss (battery..etc). You may be a enforcement/regulatory pickle if you are operating as a normal radio aircraft in controlled airspace for example, and then suddenly lose the bluetooth set-up. Granted I guess you could follow through with standard lost-comms procedures but they may not be happy when following-up; only to find that it wasn't the aircraft equipment that failed, but rather your hearing-aid/bluetooth streamer.

 

I have no experience with the FAA or American licensing (I'm up in Canada and only familiar with the TC stuff). Is there any restrictions on your medical regarding your hearing?

 

Installation wise, I wouldn't get too worried about it. There's so many bluetooth rigs now installed in amateur-built category aircraft operating without issue. I'd check Aircraft Spruce or Aviall for some lower impedance audio set-ups that may work. Of course, that stuff comes with a price $$$$.

 

EDIT: quick google search turned up this. Not sure if this stuff will work for you http://www.aircrafts..._bluetooth.html. None of this stuff comes with a Form 1/8130 so I'm not sure if it's much help outside amateur-built.

Google Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners. This sets out the FAA's requirements.

onetoavi8:

 

Noise canceling in this instance is not what I am looking for. Like I explained in my post, the streamer has the ability to shut off all external sound and input ONLY headset sound - i.e. the ultimate "noise canceling". This works because without my hearing aids, I am completely deaf - so therefore all it has to do is turn off the external sound microphones and it renders me completely deaf except for radio communications.

 

w6kd:

 

Thanks for the input... I will see if I can find a .21 to 3.5mm adapter. I did order a .25" to 3.5mm to give it a try but if it doesn't fit very well, then now I will know why. As for FAA certification - I will be completely honest with you: I don't really freak out about electronics being used in aircraft in my control. I am a VFR/GPS pilot (I am very familiar with the use of radio naviation and I still use VORs as waypoints, even when flying GPS), so even if an instrument or two were to go haywire, it wouldn't make a difference to me. If I lost EVERYTHING in the cockpit, it would basically make me say "huh... okay well I guess I better get on back home." I am not one to let the government control everything I do when it is not necessary. (i.e. a single electronic device on board a R172K on a perfectly clear VFR day...)

 

Movieman162:

 

There are actually over 200 deaf pilots in the country. It is not as uncommon as one might think, and it is not as difficult as most think, either.

No worries about Bluetooth when TSO'd headsets for airliners have it built in anyways. As long as you get the 1/4" adapter for the headphones part and you are able to turn your radio and/or intercom volume up to overcome the impedance problem. One thing that I might think of being a problem is that 99% of intercom and radio systems in aircraft are output as mono so sometimes recorders and converters get screwy when you only have one speaker input.