Who is writing this guide?
On hearing, I write wearing two hats: that of the airline pilot who spends his days in a cockpit, and that of the former nurse who knows what a hair cell cannot do: grow back. It is also, more personally, the story of a former rock guitarist who understood early on that you don't play around with capital that cannot be replenished.
In brief
In a light piston aircraft, cabin noise often exceeds 90 dB(A) (in commercial aviation, the recorded range is lower: 70 to 90 dB(A) in cruise): a level which, with repeated exposure, damages hearing irreversibly and cumulatively. According to Fabian Voncken, airline pilot (ATPL) and former nurse, a good headset is not a comfort item but protective equipment: it primarily reduces low engine frequencies, the most harmful ones. The rule: protect yourself early, because lost hearing does not come back.
Why the cockpit is a high-risk environment
Flying is noisy, and this noise is not insignificant. In commercial aviation, published measurements place the cockpit between 70 and 90 dB(A) in cruise depending on the aircraft (Zevitas 2018). In light piston aircraft, the level is typically higher: it often exceeds 90 dB(A), and several studies point to levels above this threshold in regular flight. On light single-engine aircraft, one study showed that even the quietest of fifteen tested aircraft produced potentially damaging levels.
At 80 dB(A) over 8 h, the risk remains low (lower action value of Directive 2003/10/EC). From 85 dB(A)/8 h it becomes significant: it is the upper action value, the one where hearing protection is required, and also the recommended NIOSH limit. 87 dB(A) is the exposure limit value; beyond 90 dB(A), the risk increases sharply.
And in propellers, this dangerous energy is concentrated in low frequencies, precisely where ANR is most effective.
What noise really does to the ear (the mechanism)
Sound damages the hair cells of the inner ear. Unlike a tired muscle, these cells do not regenerate in humans: the loss is permanent. Chronic acoustic trauma initially affects high frequencies (typically around 3-6 kHz), often without the person realising it at first: hence the trap. A study on airline pilots has also highlighted a more pronounced damage to the left ear with age (asymmetry documented in pilots; its exact causes remain debated, position in the cockpit, radio use), at frequencies 3, 4 and 6 kHz.
Your ears are not just for hearing: pressure
The ear has a second function, crucial in flight.
Passive or active (ANR): what to choose for protection?
Two families of protection.
Earmuff headset without electronics, or earplugs: mainly attenuates high frequencies, effective and robust, but less efficient on low engine frequencies.
Active noise reduction: electronically targets low frequencies, exactly the most harmful part in a propeller aircraft. This makes it a prevention tool, not just radio comfort.
Honest nuance: ANR slightly reduces high-frequency attenuation, but it's a good compromise because the residual high-frequency noise in the cabin is already low and not very dangerous.
Hearing protection in flight: passive vs ANR
| Criterion | Passive (earmuffs / earplugs) | Active (ANR) |
|---|---|---|
| Low frequencies (engine) | Limited attenuation | Strong active reduction |
| High frequencies | Good attenuation | Slightly reduced (acceptable compromise) |
| Prevention role (noise dose) | Fair | Optimal for frequent flying |
| Robustness / simplicity | Excellent | Good (electronics to manage) |
| Necessary radio volume | Higher | Lower (hearing benefit) |
| Pour qui | Vol occasionnel, passager, budget | Vol régulier, protection maximale |
Repère d'exposition : la protection s'impose dès 85 dB(A) sur 8 h (valeur d'action supérieure de la directive 2003/10/CE, limite recommandée du NIOSH) ; 87 dB(A) est la valeur limite d'exposition, et au-delà de 90 dB(A) le risque augmente fortement.
Good protection habits (checklist)
-
01
Wear protection on every flight, even a short one. The dose is cumulative.
-
02
Check the seal: glasses frames that break the seal = leak = degraded protection (to be detailed in the future headset comparison).
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03
Do not turn up the radio volume to cover the engine: you are adding noise under the headset. A good ANR precisely allows you to lower the volume.
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04
Protect passengers too (especially children): a passenger headset is not a gadget.
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05
Monitor the signs: tinnitus after a flight, "cottony" ear sensation → talk to a doctor, and review your protection.
Hearing and fitness: the link with the medical examination
Hearing is tested during the medical examination, and a loss can have consequences on fitness (numerical standards in class 1/2). Protecting your hearing also means protecting your licence.
Frequently asked questions
Is noise in a light aircraft really dangerous for the ear?
Can hearing loss caused by noise be recovered?
Does an ANR headset protect better than a passive one?
Are earplugs sufficient?
Can I fly with a cold?
I have tinnitus after my flights, is it serious?
Can my hearing cause me to lose my fitness to fly?
The pilot's point, why I fly with ANR
If I always fly with an ANR, it's not for comfort, it's the logical conclusion of everything else. When you know that hearing does not come back, you don't take off without serious protection. A cockpit is a very noisy environment, whatever the aircraft: in a piston, it's the propeller and engine, right in front of you; in a jet, it's the wind pounding the windshield at 900 km/h. Two different sources, the same result for the ear. Personally, I fly with a Bose ANR headset (the A20, and soon the A30), which I clearly prefer for the comfort and isolation on long legs. And in a cockpit, hearing well is not a luxury: alarms, autopilot, landing configuration, navigation alerts, everything plays on the ear as much as the eye. A headset that protects and lets you hear clearly, it's safety, not a gadget. That's exactly why, in the comparison, I don't classify headsets by price but by real usage: the right headset is the one that fits your way of flying.
Protecting your ears is your career. The exam is in three months.
This page plays the long game. The guide plays on your next appointment: the retro-planning dated from D-90 to the morning of the exam, the stations seen from the inside, and what you need to have gathered before entering.
Plus your country's annex: who examines, where, what costs observed, what deadlines. Reviewed four times a year, yours for twelve months.
See the guide, 59 €