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I am currently working on my private pilot license and am using a headset from the flight school. I am coming up to my first solo and thinking about purchasing my first headset.
There are many different types of headset on the market, so what should I look for in a headset, and how do I go about picking the right headset for me?
First, do not buy any headset without trying it on. Ignore those who say My Brand is the best! Heads come in different shapes and to get a headset that is comfortable for you, you must try it/them on. If possible, borrow a different one for each flight you take before you decide.
Second, if you are at all serious about this flying thing, pay up to get ANR headsets. "Active Noise Reduction" (ANR) comes with different names (ENC is another that you will see) but they all reduce noise by creating "anti-noise" which has the same wave form (but inverted) as the noise you would otherwise hear, thus cancelling it out. ANR headsets cancel the noise in the lower frequencies (engine rumble, exhaust noise, etc.) but permit higher frequencies to come through so that hearing radios, speech over the intercom, etc. is not affected.
Remember, loud noise damages your hearing, and the effect of noise is cumulative over the years. In most cases the hearing loss doesn't really manifest itself until later in life. Act now to protect your hearing. This is the reason that the diminishing number of WWII aviators are almost universally hard of hearing.
The two main purposes of an aviation headset are making the cabin quieter, and making it easier to talk to ATC while keeping your hands free, so in selecting a headset you want to find one that will do both of those things very well.
To figure that out there are three major things you'll want to look at when picking a headset:
Noise Reduction Rating (NRR)
This value, expressed in decibels (dB), indicates how good the headset is at preventing cabin noise from reaching your ears. A higher noise reduction rating cuts out more engine and wind noise (which prevents hearing damage and noise fatigue) and makes it easier to hear radio calls.
Higher values are better - a headset with a 30dB NRR is quieter than one with a 24dB NRR.
Noise reduction ratings may be expressed as a positive or negative number (it's attenuation, so negative is "more correct").
24dBor-24dBmeans the same thing when reading specs.
Headset Style
There are three basic styles of headsets, and one type will probably most comfortable for you.
Earcup headsets have earcups that surrond your ear, like classic David Clarks.
In-Ear headsets have earbuds/eartips that fit into your ear canal.
Over-the-Ear headsets are like headphones and sit "over" your ear (mainly for quiet cockpits).
Earcup headsets tend to be the heaviest - 12 to 24 ounces. Over-the-Ear headsets usually weigh in at 3-4 ounces, and in-ear headsets are generally 3 ounces or less.
Secondary things to consider include:
Ultimately the best way to pick a headset is to try several to see which you like best. You're evaluating them on some objective things ("How quiet is it?") but also a lot of personal/subjective things: "Is it too heavy?", "Do the earcups/eartips fit my ear well?", "Is the clamping force like having my head in a vise?", etc.
Your flight school may sell headsets, in which case ask to try a few different ones on your next few lessons to see which you like best. You can also chat with other pilots and try to get a ride with them to try out their headset (the exception to this often being in-ear headsets -- some folks get grossed out at the idea of having someone else's ear gunk on their tips).
