Sport pilot and hearing loss

[Unregistered]

What's the standard for hearing under sport pilot rules? I flew with a friend in a light sport aircraft who couldn't understand many of my statements while flying despite both of us wearing headsets and using an intercom. He had the tower repeat things, then sometimes looked at me for help. I ultimately started writing my comments on paper since oral comm was almost impossible. Is this acceptable under light sport rules?

 

[weilke]

Does your state have any hearing requirements to operate a motor vehicle ?

You can even get a 2nd class medical if you are deaf. Requires a ride with the FAA where the pilot has to demonstrate that he can detect engine failure and stall by visual and tactile cues and is able to see the gear warning light bulb.

Being able to hear or communicate via radio is not a requirement for many aviation operations. I think you can't fly into class A or B without 2-way radio, but at a regular towered field, flying NORDO is entirely acceptable.

 

[Geico266]

I would certainly talk to him about the situation and suggest he stay away from busy areas. He doesn't have to, but for all practical purposes being in a high traffic area and not being able to understand instructions, or positions of other aircraft is not a good thing.

Sport pilot's can certainly fly while "deaf", but as with driving they need to be aware of their limitations and adapt.

 

[LDJones]

I would certainly talk to him about the situation and suggest he stay away from busy areas. He doesn't have to, but for all practical purposes being in a high traffic area and not being able to understand instructions, or positions of other aircraft is not a good thing.

Sport pilot's can certainly fly while "deaf", but as with driving they need to be aware of their limitations and adapt.

I concur. After running into a similar situation, I brought along a spare ANR headset the next time I flew with the guy. That seemed to help quite a bit. I STRONGLY urged him to invest in a decent ANR headset. I'd do the same for the OP.

 

[flyingron]

One would hope they could see the gear lights, the horn is purely a reinforcement thing. Most aircraft you can get to the ground under certain circumstances with the gear up and no horn (just takes a little too much throttle).

I agree with good headsets with plenty of adjustment. Some intercoms are a bit feeble and with certain headphones, even I have a hard time turning them up high enough. As already pointed out ANR can get rid of some of the masking sounds that are problematic.

Of course, as far as certification goes, the standards for even a third class is pretty broad. If you can hear normal conversational tones (the AME will stand so you can't see his lips and ask you things) you pass. If you need hearing aids to do it, you'll pass with the "must have amplification" restriction. As pointed out, if you can get a driver's license (and haven't failed a medical) you can fly light sport.

 

[poadeleted20]

Does your state have any hearing requirements to operate a motor vehicle ?

That's the first step, because if you're using your DL instead of a medical for Sport Pilot flying, the FAA requires that you obey any restrictions on your drivers license. In my state of Maryland, there is no hearing requirement for a DL, so that would be no issue.

However, per 14 CFR 61.305(a)(2), being unable to understand spoken English is generally disqualifying for Sport Pilot, in that you must "Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English. However, if you cannot understand spoken English because of medical reasons (i.e., hearing impairment), the FAA may issue the certificate with limitations. The FAA procedure for determining this is described in FAA Order 8900.1.

5-314 COMPLIANCE WITH ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS OF PART 61 FOR PILOT CERTIFICATION. Sections 61.65, 61.75, 61.83, 61.96, 61.103, 61.123, 61.153, and 61.183 have requirements governing competency in the English language as an eligibility requirement for all grades of pilot certificates issued under part 61. All applicants must be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language. Only an applicant who is unable to meet one of these requirements due to medical reasons (e.g., hearing impaired) is permitted to be issued a pilot or flight instructor certificate. In this case, the administrator may place such operating limitations on the applicant’s certificate that are necessary for the safe operation of the aircraft (see 5-326 for limitations to be placed on airman certificates). Only an FAA ASI is authorized to remove the limitation from a certificate. Examiners may not do so unless specifically authorized by the supervising FSDO.

A. Standards and Testing. Several questions have been raised concerning the standards and the testing to determine whether an applicant can read, speak, write, and understand the English language (refer to AC 60-28, English Language Skill Standards Required by 14 CFR Parts 61, 63, and 65). While there are no practical test standards (PTS) established to ascertain the applicant’s English language ability, the following examples may be used as guidelines in this evaluation:

1) An ASI may ask the applicant to listen to a tape recording of an air traffic control (ATC) clearance or instructions, then ask the applicant to speak and explain the clearance or instructions back to the examiner in the English language.

2) An applicant may be asked to write down in English the meaning of an ATC clearance, instructions, or a weather report, then asked to speak and explain the clearance, instructions, or weather report back to the ASI in the English language.

5-326 OPERATING LIMITATIONS FOR HEARING AND/OR SPEECH IMPAIRED.

A. Operating Limitations on Pilot Certificate. This paragraph specifies the required operating limitations to be placed on the pilot certificate of persons who are hearing and/or speech impaired due to medical reasons. Persons who are unable to read, speak, write, and understand English because of inadequate fluency or comprehension for nonmedical reasons are not addressed in this paragraph and will not be issued a pilot or instructor certificate until the English fluency requirements are met.

B. Part 61 Specifications. Part 61 specifies that an applicant for pilot certification must be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language.

1) Persons who are unable to meet the requirement to speak or understand the English language because of hearing and/or speech impairment due to medical reasons must have the medical reason confirmed and documented on the person’s application for airman medical certification by the designated Aviation Medical Examiner (AME).

2) The designated AME will inform a person who is hearing and/or speech impaired, that he or she must submit to a special medical flight test (see Volume 5, Chapter 8, Section 1). The special medical flight test will determine if an applicant is eligible for a medical certificate and Statement of Demonstrated Ability (SODA).

3) The following limitation will be placed by the Federal Air Surgeon, an authorized FAA medical representative, or a designated AME on a person’s medical certificate where the person is hearing and/or speech impaired and on the SODA: “NOT VALID FOR FLYING WHERE RADIO USE IS REQUIRED.”

C. Operating Limitations on Persons. Operating limitations for persons who are unable to meet the part 61 requirement to speak or understand the English language because of a hearing and/or speech impairment due to medical reasons.

1) A person who is hearing and/or speech impaired may not serve as a PIC or as a required pilot crewmember for any flights requiring the use of a radio. For flights requiring radio use, an appropriately qualified pilot must act as the 14 CFR part 1, § 1.1 PIC for the flight. That PIC must meet all the part 61 pilot certification, medical certification, and recency of experience requirements. The PIC and any other required pilot crewmember must not be hearing or speech impaired.

a) Has final authority and responsibility for the operation and safety of the flight;

b) Has been designated as PIC before or during the flight; and

c) Holds the appropriate category, class, and type rating, if appropriate, for the conduct of the flight.

2) A person who is hearing and/or speech impaired may not serve as a required pilot crewmember aboard an aircraft that requires more than one pilot crewmember by the aircraft’s type design or by the regulation, and may not serve as a safety pilot for the purpose of § 91.109(b).

D. Ratings and Limitations Section. Persons who are hearing and/or speech impaired must have the following operating limitations placed on their pilot certificate in the Ratings and Limitations section (i.e., XIII):
XIII.

MAY NOT SERVE AS A PILOT IN COMMAND OR A REQUIRED PILOT CREWMEMBER FOR FLIGHTS REQUIRING THE USE OF RADIO COMMUNICATIONS.

MAY NOT SERVE AS A REQUIRED PILOT CREWMEMBER IN AN AIRCRAFT THAT REQUIRES MORE THAN ONE PILOT CREWMEMBER BY THE AIRCRAFT TYPE CERTIFICATE OR BY REGULATION, NOR SERVE AS A SAFETY PILOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF § 91.109(b).

NOT VALID FOR FLIGHTS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES.