Communications Effectiveness when Using the Communications Earplug or Expandable-Foam Earplug with the HGU-56/P Aviator Helmet

摘要

The ability of rotary-wing aircrew to utilize cockpit communications to successfully coordinate missions is impaired by the high noise inherent in the aviation environment and by hearing protection strategies designed to protect the aviators from noise-induced hearing loss. The use of the communications earplug in place of an expandable-foam earplug when using double- protection (sound-attenuating helmet and earplugs) significantly reduces the number of events classified by the CIRCLE measurement technique in the sub-code associated with pilots requesting that a communication be repeated. The sub- codes associated with missed transmissions (i.e., repeated verbalizations caused by an assumed missed transmission) and improper responses (where the response was inappropriate to the message received) did not show statistical significance. However, the relatively low frequency of occurrence of these sub- codes may limit the application of these two sub-coded behaviors.