Scared myself

poadeleted21

poadeleted21

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Aug 18, 2011
Messages
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On an XC flight the other day. I looked down and the red light was flashing on my A20 headset battery pack. I decided since it was smooth sailing and George was handling the flying, I'd change the batteries. 3 seconds later, I hear this awful noise, I immediately scan the gauges, all good. Door open? Nope. See a spot to put it down? My wife can tell my heart rate is up and I'm disturbed about something. She's saying "What is it, what is it!!!???" I'm saying I don't know!!! where's it coming from???.. Then she kind of looks at me confused and says "Where's what coming from?" I said that noise that just suddenly started?!!!... She said "what does it sound like?" I'm thinking she must be nuts, it went from quiet to "something is very wrong" sounding instantly. Yes, it was just my headset shutting off. I was expecting the background noise to "get a little louder" my brain certainly wasn't wired to expect what happened. She laughed at me the rest of the trip. I had no idea it was that loud and "different" without the ANR. :D
 
You mean you'd never just shut the ANR off before to see what it sounded like???

Did you also not dismantle stuff as a kid, just to see how it worked? I can't imagine living that life. :dunno: :)
 
DaleB said:
You mean you'd never just shut the ANR off before to see what it sounded like???

Did you also not dismantle stuff as a kid, just to see how it worked? I can't imagine living that life. :dunno: :)
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Had the plane less than 3 months. I can assure you an old Bonanza is much louder than an old Cherokee. I have two engineering degrees... We didn't have anything at my house that wasn't disassembled routinely.
 
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chuckle... If you'd just shut them off in a Cherokee before I'll bet that was a bit of a shock, then. :D
 
bartmc said:
On an XC flight the other day. I looked down and the red light was flashing on my A20 headset battery pack. I decided since it was smooth sailing and George was handling the flying, I'd change the batteries. 3 seconds later, I hear this awful noise, I immediately scan the gauges, all good. Door open? Nope. See a spot to put it down? My wife can tell my heart rate is up and I'm disturbed about something. She's saying "What is it, what is it!!!???" I'm saying I don't know!!! where's it coming from???.. Then she kind of looks at me confused and says "Where's what coming from?" I said that noise that just suddenly started?!!!... She said "what does it sound like?" I'm thinking she must be nuts, it went from quiet to "something is very wrong" sounding instantly. Yes, it was just my headset shutting off. I was expecting the background noise to "get a little louder" my brain certainly wasn't wired to expect what happened. She laughed at me the rest of the trip. I had no idea it was that loud and "different" without the ANR. :D
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First time that happened, I had a different reaction. I thought that my Bose had crapped out on me. I was ****ed off. Then I realized it was a $3 "fix" lol!

But yeah, when you're used to excellent ANR, losing it sure sux.
 
The first time my ANR batteries ran out, I began to hear a pulsing noise. In time with my heartbeat. I thought it was the big one...

-Skip
 
I flew a short leg once forgetting to turn the ANR on, got out saying, "Man, why did it seem so LOUD today?" and then realized what I just said, reached for the ANR dongle, and found it was off. :)
 
Losing ANR definitely sucks when you're using a headset with lousy passive protection (cough Bose).
One of the things I love about Lightspeed's old entry-level ANR ... great passive protection.

(Of course, now that I've moved on to in-ear headsets, it's a moot [mute?!] issue.)
 
bbchien said:
Rusty, welcome to the "league of old guy pilots".
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Haha, yes. My version of ANR was to wear earplugs underneath a regular headset. Must have worked because I'm not deaf. Huh, what did you say? :confused:
 
What you just described is exactly why I went David Clark for ANR and not Bose. There is Zero passive protection with the Bose.
 
I have Lightspeed 3G which have pretty good passive protection. I've taken off a few times without turning on the ANR, then I sense something is different, then realize what I haven't done.

One time coming back home from Hatteras, NC at night after a long day ont he beach a passenger in the back seat decided it was a good ideas to take a picture with a flash. I immediately though I had stumbled into a thunderstorm thinking it was lightning. That sent my heart rate up for a few seconds. :rolleyes:

The passenger was.........eliminated. :D
 
It's funny though that when you are using an ANR headset, you hear engine and wind noises that you wouldn't ordinarily hear with a standard headset. That's a little disconcerting sometimes too.
 
Sac Arrow said:
It's funny though that when you are using an ANR headset, you hear engine and wind noises that you wouldn't ordinarily hear with a standard headset. That's a little disconcerting sometimes too.
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That's true... the overall noise level is much lower, especially the harsher frequencies, but I find I can hear many more distinct sounds.
First time I used ANR was in a Stearman, and instead of mostly wind blast and the exhaust, I could hear the airflow over the wires, etc. and the subtler engine sounds very clearly. That's what led me to get an ANR headset (same make and model), even though I have little use for one these days.
 
Ha very nice! :rofl: In my head I seen the same look on my wife's face "What it it!?!? haha
 
It was interesting to find out what a cabin active noise canceling system could sound like when it went crazy. The system started producing a sound like one prop was way out of sync, another thought was that there might be an engine problem. We turned the system off and all of the bad sounds went away. Next flight everything was fine. We believe that one of the seat microphones were covered up and tricking the system out.
 
bartmc said:
On an XC flight the other day. I looked down and the red light was flashing on my A20 headset battery pack. I decided since it was smooth sailing and George was handling the flying, I'd change the batteries. 3 seconds later, I hear this awful noise, I immediately scan the gauges, all good. Door open? Nope. See a spot to put it down? My wife can tell my heart rate is up and I'm disturbed about something. She's saying "What is it, what is it!!!???" I'm saying I don't know!!! where's it coming from???.. Then she kind of looks at me confused and says "Where's what coming from?" I said that noise that just suddenly started?!!!... She said "what does it sound like?" I'm thinking she must be nuts, it went from quiet to "something is very wrong" sounding instantly. Yes, it was just my headset shutting off. I was expecting the background noise to "get a little louder" my brain certainly wasn't wired to expect what happened. She laughed at me the rest of the trip. I had no idea it was that loud and "different" without the ANR. :D
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BTDT. Ted's 310 at takeoff is amazingly loud if all you're wearing is a Zulu that just had the batteries go dead.

In your Bo -- it's either your headset batteries or the gascalator drain door just popped open which also makes enough noise to concern.
 
My flow after starting "avionics master - on, bose anr - on"
 
rottydaddy said:
:rofl:

Sorry, rusty, but...

:rofl:
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:yeahthat:


:rofl:


That reminds me of the time I was flying along in my RV-3 and the canopy flew open. It opens like a clam shell, so needless to say it got my attention. Noise, wind, debris flying everywhere, maps, coffee cups, pens. It was like being in a hurricane. The latch broke so I had to use one hand to hold the canopy closed and one hand to fly. :eek:

It takes two hands to run the controls. :eek:

I flew over the airport and cut the engine. Dead sticked it in holding onto the canopy.

Went home and took a nap. :yesnod:
 
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Geico266 said:
:yeahthat:


:rofl:


That reminds me of the time I was flying along in my RV-3 and the canopy flew open. It opens like a clam shell, so needless to say it got my attention. Noise, wind, debris flying everywhere, maps, coffee cups, pens. It was like being in a hurricane. The latch broke so I had to use one hand to hold the canopy closed and one hand to fly. :eek:

It takes two hands to run the controls. :eek:

I flew over the airport and cut the engine. Dead sticked it in holding onto the canopy.

Went home and took a nap. :yesnod:
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Should have bought a certified plane :D
 
Flying the cub on Saturday I had a similar experience. I flew around for 40 minutes or so and landed. There was maybe a 10kt crosswind so I decided to go back up for a few laps in the pattern and get some practice. I fired up, taxied, did a run up and as soon as I hit the throttle the plane started making this awful noise! It passed the mag checks and seemed okay but I could not take off with it making this strange noise. About to taxi back to the hangar when I realized the ANR was off. Switched on and 'problem' solved.
 
jesse said:
I put my headset on and turn ANR on before I start.
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opposite for me. I start, taxi, run-up with ANR off and one earcup pulled back behind my ear, so I can hear anything odd that might be happening. Headset back in place and ANR-on starting takeoff roll.
 
JHW said:
opposite for me. I start, taxi, run-up with ANR off and one earcup pulled back behind my ear, so I can hear anything odd that might be happening. Headset back in place and ANR-on starting takeoff roll.
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IME you can hear a lot more "odd" things with ANR on then off. I've pointed out noises to owners before that they never noticed at all because they don't have ANR. I've heard things vibrating in the cowling that weren't properly secured with ANR that you couldn't hear whatsoever without.

It's amazing the small details you can pick out with good ANR, like the little knob on a trim wheel vibrating.

IMO you're better off with ANR on, especially during start, as you can hear the sounds that matter much better.
 
I expect that's very headset dependant. I can't make out squat with mine on
 
jesse said:
Which headset do you have?
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DC's. With the ANR on there's a little headset-induced white noise. there's no catching small sounds from the airplane with it.
 
JHW said:
DC's. With the ANR on there's a little headset-induced white noise. there's no catching small sounds from the airplane with it.
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I see. Well I have a Zulu 1 which really seems to improve my ability to hear problems.
 
jesse said:
I see. Well I have a Zulu 1 which really seems to improve my ability to hear problems.
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I like those when they work but they're useless when the batteries give out. The DC's are not the best ANR nor the best passive reduction, but a good enought compromise that i kept them.
 
JHW said:
I like those when they work but they're useless when the batteries give out. The DC's are not the best ANR nor the best passive reduction, but a good enought compromise that i kept them.
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Indeed which is why I carry spare batteries.
 
My original primary instructor didn't believe in headsets in the 150. It was a couple of years before I bought my first passive set. When I got my first set of Bose X I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.
 
Gerhardt said:
My original primary instructor didn't believe in headsets in the 150. It was a couple of years before I bought my first passive set. When I got my first set of Bose X I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.
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What other kinds of idiocy were you taught during primacy...sheesh. When I first called up my uncle and told him I was starting to fly, his first words were "buy the best headset you can and always wear them. This is a guy who started flying in WWII and you have to yell at him even when his hearing aids are on full.
 
denverpilot said:
I flew a short leg once forgetting to turn the ANR on, got out saying, "Man, why did it seem so LOUD today?" and then realized what I just said, reached for the ANR dongle, and found it was off. :)
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One of the best features of my Zulu.2 headsets is the ANR comes on automagically when the intercom powers up. Freaked me out the first couple of times....thought I was losing my memory!
 
Gerhardt said:
My original primary instructor didn't believe in headsets in the 150. It was a couple of years before I bought my first passive set. When I got my first set of Bose X I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.
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He must have liked going home hoarse every night. If my students don't yet have a headset I loan them a set of ANRs. They all end up buying an ANR set, usually by solo.
 
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