Though noise-canceling headsets have garnered all the attention in the past couple of years, manufacturers have not forgotten who brung 'em to the dance. The less expensive, but still effective, passive noise- attenuating headsets have benefited from a little tweaking here and there, too.
David Clark Co., seemingly the patriarch of the headset industry, put its always overbuilt headsets on a diet and came up with the H10-13.4. The 13.4 represents the headset's weight in ounces. That's about 5.5 ounces lighter than the comparable H10-20 headset. The company achieved the lower weight by using slightly thinner chrome hardware and by trimming the outside dimensions of the ear cups a bit. Like all manufacturers, David Clark computes the weights without the cords attached. Apparently companies that use sturdy cords don't like to be penalized for it in the weigh-off.
Competing in the same category of quality and weight is the S-65 Gold Wing from Sigtronics Corp. Sigtronics didn't need to trim any weight from its products. They have always been sturdy but light. This one weighs in at 12.3 ounces. The most obvious differences between the S-65 and the company's lower cost S-40 and S-20 models is a new pillowed headband, a set of gold wings on the ear cups, and the gold-coated metal components (yes, it's real 14-karat-gold coating).
We've been flying with both headsets for a number of months. Electronically, they have performed flawlessly. Both sets come with foam ear seals installed but with gel ear seals in the box. It's a wonder, given the choice, why anyone would use the foam seals when the much more comfortable and quieting gel seals are available. The manufacturers say they don't install the gel seals at the factory because the weights are based on the lighter foam seals. The gel seals weigh 1 ounce more. Few will notice the difference. The ear seals are a struggle to change, but the gels are worth the effort. Equipped with the gel seals and including the cords, the Sigtronics weigh 17.8 ounces. The David Clarks check in at 19.3 ounces.
The Sigtronics set seemed a bit quieter than the competitor in all the aircraft we flew, from a Cessna 172 to a Beech Bonanza. Sigtronics claims a noise reduction of 25 decibels with the gel ear seals. David Clark says its units reduce noise by 23 dB, but the David Clarks won in the comfort category. That, however, is always a subjective call. The 13.4 headset uses a foam head pad wrapped in a soft flannel covering that is much more comfortable than the corrugated foam pads David Clark used to use. The Sigtronics headband uses two rows of small foam pillows covered with vinyl. In our set, which was one of the earliest off the line, the vinyl was not vented, and the pillows tended to pressurize at altitude. At 9,000 feet msl or so, the pillows became rocks. Sigtronics fixed the problem in later units by venting the pillows, allowing the pressure to escape in the climb. After numerous flights, we also discovered the vinyl covering had torn on one of the pillows. A heavier vinyl on later headsets should take care of that, according to Sigtronics.
Both headsets use high-quality electret noise-canceling microphones that produced good sound. The David Clark mike is attached to a stiff arm that is infinitely adjustable and tends to stay where you set it. Sigtronics prefers the adjustable wire boom, which also works well, though it takes a bit more fussing to get it positioned just right. Each set includes an ear-cup-mounted volume control.
If you're looking for something different in a headset, you could try the Sigtronics. The gold sets it apart from the rest, but it might be considered a bit gaudy by some. A lambskin cover available from other suppliers should take care of any concerns about the foam head pad. Of course, you can never go wrong with David Clark. It has built a reputation for producing rugged, reliable headsets. If yours does break, no one beats the famous David Clark customer service. The prices are competitive, too. The 13.4 lists for $290 ($310 for the helicopter version). The S-65 lists for $285 ($330 for the helicopter). If you prefer a stereo headset, David Clark wins in the price category with a list of $295, compared to Sigtronics' $330. As always, most dealers discount heavily, and you can expect to pay about $200 to $240 for the mono versions at the cash register.
David Clark Co., 360 Franklin Street, Box 15054, Worcester, Massachusetts 01615-0054; 508/751-5800. Sigtronics Corp., 822 North Dodsworth Avenue, Covina, California 91724; 818/915-1993. — Thomas B. Haines
Going south of the border
Perhaps as important as providing the necessary information for traveling abroad, videotaped travelogues like Frank Augustine's Flying Down to Belize help stimulate the very urge to head out of town. In this tape, his second in a series of north and central American travels, following Flying Down to Baja, he covers travel through mainland Mexico into the countries of Guatemala, Honduras, and Belize. There are many stops on the Augustine's travels, including Mazatlan, Cozumel, and Cancun, as well as a tour around the Yucatan Peninsula.
The tape begins with a tantalizing overview of the 35-flight-hour, 5,000-nautical-mile tour. It quickly gets into the nitty gritty — the paperwork requirements for both the passengers and the airplane. In addition, sources for navigation information — the various charts you will need for the trip — and availability of fuel are discussed. Augustine goes into sufficient detail with the flight-planning requirements of each country to make the first time much easier for the Central American novice. All customs and immigrations details are covered, and Augustine thoughtfully shows you actual copies of the various forms you'll be expected to fill out.
One of the hallmarks of the earlier Current Productions tape was plentiful in-flight footage and actual air-to-ground communications. It helps tremendously to hear firsthand what the controllers will likely say and how best to respond. It may seem a small point, but traveling in a foreign country, under unfamiliar flight rules, can often be quite disorienting; the extensive coverage of flight operations in this tape should be of significant assistance.
Generally the camera work in this production is good, and the editing is tight enough to keep you from reaching for the fast-forward button. Only a somewhat overlong segment regarding the use of a Garmin GPS receiver could be considered a throwaway, especially if you happen to have another type of GPS.
That small glitch aside, Flying Down to Belize provides a masterful blend of information with enough in-flight footage and resort coverage to make the 103-minute tape informative and entertaining. Current Productions sells the tape direct for $39.95, plus $4.50 shipping and handling (with a copy of Flying Down to Baja, the total cost is $69.95, plus $6 shipping and handling). Included in with the tape are Arnold Senterfitt's highly regarded Baja California charts and a sheet describing the current airway and landing fees; this timely information is especially helpful because Mexico's user fees are changing seemingly by the day. Current Productions, 5104 Smoki Drive, Prescott, Arizona 86301; 800/841- 1252 or 602/776-7768. — Marc E. Cook
Staying alive in the mountains
After 90 minutes of watching Preston Westmoreland's video Staying Alive: A Guide to Survival in Mountainous Areas, I decided never to have a forced landing on a mountain, foothill, hummock, or knoll.
Aimed primarily at automobile drivers, especially off-road vehicles, it shows how to dig yourself a snow cave and snack on pine nuts and roasted ants until help arrives. Pilot-specific information includes a description of the 60-pound survival pack Westmoreland carries in his Piper Saratoga.
The Phoenix radio-talk-show host interviews bear, plant, and snake experts, which gives you an idea of just three of the many interesting ways you can die in the mountains. Don't forget hypothermia, falling through the ice, falling off a precipice, or starving to death.
It's valuable information, but as the tape notes, it is only an overview of mountain survival techniques. Additional study and training will be required to gain expertise in survival skills. A disclaimer at the beginning of the tape, for example, warns viewers that many edible plants look just like the deadly ones and must be identified by well-trained eyes.
If you live in the mountains or fly over uninhabited, inhospitable land, the skills shown in this tape may help you stay alive in the event of an accident or forced landing.
Staying Alive is available for $24.95, plus $2 shipping, from Westmoreland Productions, Post Office Box 5610, Carefree, Arizona 85377; 602/488-9508. — Alton K. Marsh
In search of the $100 hamburger stop
Aerodine's National Fly-In Restaurant and Entertainment Guide grew out of a 12-page newsletter written some years ago by Kenneth J. Keifer. Boy, did it ever grow — to 776 pages. The newsletter proved popular, so Keifer added a new product, a pamphlet called Prop Stopper, listing neat places to fly in five states. The pamphlets were, once again, a hit, so he wrote a 256-page guide covering nine states. Now we see the results of all those years of warm-up efforts, a guide covering all 50 states.
Keifer, a draftsman and graphic artist, began the project originally as a way of paying for his flying. It is a massive research effort based on questionnaires sent to every airport in the country.
What better way to test it than to look for favorite fly-in restaurants I visit most often around the East Coast. He found the all- time great one, the Kent Manor Inn near Bay Bridge Airport in Stevensville, Maryland. The survey method of research has its drawbacks, however, because another favorite spot, Tangier Island, Virginia, in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay, got no mention at all. But you can bet it will be in the next edition. Keifer plans to build on this terrific first effort by including tips from those who buy the book.
A book like this has been needed for years, but the research effort was just too massive. Thank goodness Keifer took it on. It makes a perfect gift for pilot types.
The guide is available for $34.95, plus $5 for postage and handling, from Aerodine Magazine, Post Office Box 247, Palatine, Illinois 60078, or call 708/358-4355. — AKM
Briefly Noted
Sometimes the KISS principle really does work. Altitude alerters come in all forms, from electronic (and sometimes expensive) beeping and flashes devices into which you enter barometric pressure to stone-simple stick-on reminders like the Alta-Tude Alert. The Alta-Tude Alert consists of a small clear suction cup with a short yellow wire attached to the center. Stick the cup to the center of your altimeter, and spin the wire around until it points at the altitude you've been cleared to. If you have a proper instrument scan going, the device will easily remind you when it's time to level off — no knob turning or button pushing or even a manual to read. The Alta-Tude Alert is $3.95, plus $2 shipping. — TBH
CD-ROMs, those compact disk readers now becoming near-standard equipment on new computers, can provide a data fix for even the most voracious info junkie. The 4.75-inch plastic disks hold millions of bytes of information. In the aviation business, that means that you can now store all of the FAA airworthiness directives in a handy, easily searchable database instead of tedious microfilm or microfiche. Avantext, Inc., is now shipping its AD disk. The disk contains all of the AD files, including airframe, engine, propeller, and accessory manufacturers of both large and small aircraft. Complete ADs can be accessed quickly by manufacturer or AD number, or an index by AD number shows a short description of each directive. The complete AD and its illustrations can also be accessed from the description. For those without a CD-ROM drive, the company makes an abridged version that fits on a 3.5-inch floppy disk. The smaller versions contains only the brief description of each AD. The price for the CD is $399 for 26 updates a year or $99 for a single copy. The floppy-disk version is $199 for 26 updates or $39 each. The AD disk is currently available for only IBM-compatible computers. A Macintosh version was expected within a few weeks. Avantext also produces the Aviation Data CD that we've written about previously. That product, which is DOS and Macintosh compatible, contains information on all U.S. and Canadian aircraft and U.S. pilots, mechanics, airports, flight schools, and other information. A Windows interface was expected in a few weeks. Aviation Data is updated quarterly and costs $99 per disk. Avantext, Inc., Post Office Box 366, Honey Brook, Pennsylvania 19344; 215/273-7410. — TBH
Forget to close your flight plan? Save the Civil Air Patrol some trouble by developing a reminder for yourself, or send $8.95 ($1.75 shipping) to Forward Horizons for its Prevent-A-Search banner. The 9.5 x 1-inch banner and clip can be attached to an ignition key or door handle inside the airplane. When exiting, clip the banner to your shirt pocket, car keys, or some other conspicuous place to remind you to call flight service to cancel your flight plan. Forward Horizons, 19684 Lakeshore Drive, Three Rivers, Michigan 49093; 616/279-2540. — TBH
Owners of older airplanes know just how difficult it can be to find accurate operating data for their models. The flight manuals of airplanes prior to the mid-1970s were not standardized, and finding specific information took much searching, and frequently, it wasn't in the manual at all. Comanche owners have lucked out, though. Doug Killough, owner of a PA-24-250, has succeeded in getting FAA approval for his Pilot's Operating Handbook for several models of Comanches. He currently has approved manuals for most all Comanches models. He expects the balance to be approved within the next few weeks. The manuals are organized in the same manner as modern POHs and contain updated and more accurate data than the originals, thanks to Killough's interviews with former Piper test pilots and verification of original flight-test data. The price is $35, plus $3.50 shipping. Aircraft Publications, Post Office Box 500031, Austin, Texas 78750; 512/250-9350. — TBH
Sporty's Pilot Shop's video collection is growing almost at the rate of the Book of the Month Club's library. Recently, Sporty's has launched a video course for recreational pilots, a single-tape version of its popular four-tape set on aviation weather, a free video sampler showing parts of its flight training videos, and also recently added closed captioning to its flight training videos. The captioning is designed to help pilots whose first language isn't English. The words spoken by the narrator appear on the screen, if desired by the viewer. All televisions manufactured since last July are equipped to display the captions. Older sets can be connected to a converter. Meanwhile, the four-volume recreational pilot course covers such subjects as the first few hours, practicing landings, first solo, and the recreational pilot test. The set, which runs about 10 hours, costs $180. The Aviation Weather — An Introduction video uses excerpts from the Sporty's Academy Weather Videos to fill the gap between what a pilot learned about weather to pass the FAA written and what he needs to know to fly in the real world. The tape is 55 minutes long and sells for $22.50. The 27-minute Sporty's Video Sampler is designed to show prospective buyers the quality of the company's videos and the extensive amount of in-flight footage it uses in its productions. It shows scenes from the private pilot and instrument courses, the advanced helicopter flying series, the air traffic control tape, and the weather series. The free sampler isn't completely free. There is a shipping charge of $4.95. Sporty's Pilot Shop, Clermont County Airport, Batavia, Ohio 45103-9747; 800/SPORTYS (776-7897). — TBH
Unless otherwise stated, products listed herein have not been evaluated by AOPA Pilot editors. AOPA assumes no responsibility for products or services listed or for claims or actions by manufacturers or vendors. However, members unable to get satisfaction regarding products listed should advise AOPA. To submit products for evaluation, contact: New Products Editor, AOPA Pilot, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701; telephone 301/695-2350.
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