Telex Airman ANR 200 headset
You can consider the application of active noise reduction in one of two ways. One philosophy has the electronic sleight of hand applied to conventional-weight headsets, making devices that are already pretty quiet even more so. Another tack is to apply the noise- rebuffing circuitry to lighter headsets, relying upon the ANR magic to make them adequately quiet.
While most of the activity has been in the full-size headset arena, Telex has explored the lighter end — first with the Airman ANR, an active set that looked like an audiophile's headphones; this model has ear pads that rest on the ears but do not surround them. Telex has been careful to position the Airman ANR for pilots of quieter airplanes.
Now there's the Airman ANR 200, a revised version intended for louder cockpits. What's new are the ear seals. While still considerably smaller than those found on conventional full-size headsets, they are much bigger than the previous Airman's. A pliable rubber backing pad supports lightly padded vinyl seals; both left and right assemblies are free to pivot on the mounting stirrup. A softly padded headband joins the two sides through height-adjustable stems. The microphone attaches to one side through a rotatable arm and a flexible boom; the mike can be worn either right or left. A single cable mates the headset to the control box.
Much of the interior of the control box is taken up with four AA batteries. A power switch and stereo/mono selector are on the box, as are power-on and low-battery indicators. A spring clip on the box works with two lapel clamps — one on the cord from the headset to the box, and the other between the battery module and the aircraft plugs — to secure the apparatus to the pilot or to something in the cockpit.
Among the Airman 200's greatest assets is its light weight. Claimed to tip the scales at 8 ounces, the 200 is just 1.7 ounces heavier than the smaller-earpad Airman ANR and about half the weight of conventional closed-back headsets. In place the 200 feels lighter still, with what little mass there is gently spread over the ears and scalp. At first the padding seems too soft, too light. But after a few hours under the 200, you'll become convinced that the soft padding is not a miscue.
By itself the Airman 200 wouldn't be terribly quiet. But with the electronics engaged, low-frequency noise fades and the overall effect is quite impressive. (With full-size active sets, the cases themselves damp some of the noise, so the transition from passive to active noise reduction isn't so dramatic.) Telex says that the ANR circuitry takes care of noise from 30 Hz to 1,200 Hz, with some passive effect at higher frequencies.
We tried the Airman ANR 200 in a variety of settings and can report excellent results in moderately noisy cockpits. Cabin-class twins would be a good application for this headset, as would reasonably hush-hush singles. In the Aerospatiale Trinidad TC used for some of the testing, the ANR 200 was at the limit of its noise- cutting abilities. For short hops, the headset was adequate in the Trinidad, but it was too noisy for longer trips.
Chuck Kissner, a San Jose, California-based businessman who uses his Piper Malibu extensively on business, was offered the chance to use the ANR 200. He's an ardent opponent of conventional headsets, labeling them too clunky and too uncomfortable. Kissner says, "I have tried every imaginable way to avoid wearing headsets." In fact, he owns a set of the original Airman ANRs but thought that they would be improved by larger ear seals. "When I saw the ANR 200, I suspected the folks at Telex must have been reading my mind. For the cabin noise of the Malibu, I have never seen a more perfect arrangement. The noise level is great, battery life is long, and comfort is exceptional."
Fortunately, the Telex Airman ANR 200 is as easy on its battery supply as it is on the ears. In our test set we had a set of Duracells that showed no signs of flagging after 35 hours. Telex estimates that the batteries have a minimum life of 40 hours.
For the right application, we can find nothing to fault with the ANR 200. Pilots of noisy airplanes are advised to keep flipping catalog pages — the Airman is by design too light for high-noise environments — but pilots of cabin-class twins, quieter singles, and turbine equipment might well find the Airman ANR 200 to be the ideal compromise between comfort and quiet. Current street price is about $380.
For more information, contact Telex Communications, Inc., 9600 Aldrich Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 54420; telephone 800/328-3771. — Marc E. Cook
Briefly Noted
Managing a small flying club or large partnership is never easy, especially the part about scheduling. K&S Products has an answer in the form of its new Schedule Master computerized scheduling system. What's different about this system is the implementation. Subscribers are given an 800 number to call for scheduling; a computer voice-mail system prompts for specifics such as date of the proposed flight and airplane choice. An Internet connection is available for viewing the usage calendar, and you can also use the system's built-in fax-back method. Costs start at $25 a month per airplane, but they vary according to the total number of airplanes in the group and the scheduling loads. For more information, contact K&S Products, 800/986-8000. — MEC
Computer-based simulator training is coming of age; and with any maturing field, consumers often watch carefully for the costs to come down. They are starting to do so already. Precision Flight Controls, maker of yokes and control systems for PC-based flight simulators, has introduced a lower-cost series called Cirrus. At less than $1,000 for a yoke and throttle quadrant assembly, the new Cirrus undercuts Precision's own Flight Console set considerably. The Cirrus' full-size yoke is attached to a mechanism that offers more realistic feel than the usual computer joystick, while the power quadrant console relieves the computer pilot from having to use the mouse for changes in power, prop, or mixture settings, as well as changing gear or flap position. For more information, contact Precision Flight Controls, 11500 Sunrise Circle, Suite D, Rancho Cordova, California 95742; telephone 916/638-1310. — MEC
It's the classic airplane problem — make a wonderful cross-country trip to some out-of-the-way location, only to find there's no ground transportation. For years, pilots have turned to folding bikes, some with rudimentary engines attached. Badsey Industrial Group suggests an alternative, the Badsey electric scooter. Available in stand-up and sit-down versions, these scooters weigh about 100 pounds each, and the hottest model can travel faster than 30 mph. With a folding steering column, the scooter can be broken down into a manageable package. Prices start at $1,500 for the basic Cruiser sit-down model and top out at $2,995 for the high-performance Super Sport. For more information, contact Badsey Industrial Group, Inc., 3411 Maywood Avenue, Santa Ana, California 92704; telephone 800/957- 6374. — MEC
A combined audio panel and intercom, P.S. Engineering's PMA6000, has been approved under TSO C50c. With a monaural six-place intercom mated to a sophisticated audio panel, the PMA6000 enables pilot and copilot to communicate on different radios, as well as allowing crew and passengers various levels of isolation and separate music channels. Priced at $1,095 without the integral marker beacon receiver, or $1,395 with it, the PMA6000 is designed to be plug-compatible with the Bendix/King KMA 24 audio panel, which the company says will make installation easier. For more information, contact P.S. Engineering, Inc., 9800 Martel Road, Lenoir City, Tennessee 37772; telephone 800/427-2376. — MEC
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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