Headset music

[Neil Bratney]

Hello all,

I'm getting set for my second solo cross country in training for my PP.
Looking at my headset, my Lightspeed 30-3G has a port on the ANR box
where I can attach a portable CD player for music. The headset is
supposed to automatically mute the music when comm comes in from the radio.

This sounds like a good idea to enhance my long distance flying
experience, but I'm just concerned that I'm going to miss important ATC
instructions. Or worse, that Omaha Approach is going to get an earful
of Foo Fighters or Pearl Jam when I transmit out to them!

So does anyone have experience with headsets like this? Do they work as
well as advertised? Any tips?

Thanks a ton,
Neil Bratney

[Jim Fisher]

"Neil Bratney" > wrote in message
...
> I'm getting set for my second solo cross country in training for my PP.

I had an interesting experience last week.

I was a judge at a regional high school science fair competition recently.
One student's project was to find out if her parents were right about not
being able to concentrate while listening to music. She aimed to prove them
wrong.

She lost.

She had a couple dozen students look at some pictures while listening to
various types of music. The control group listened to silence. Each
subject was given a certain amount of time to study the pictures (of a
toaster, car, cat, dog, etc . . .) and was required to attempt to recall as
many pictures as possible afterwards.

The control group listening to silence scored highest. There was an
insignificant difference between silence and classical music. There was a
much lower score for those listening to pretty much everything else (rap,
country, rock and so on).

Bottom line is that you have plenty to concentrate heavily upon during your
first hundred or two hours. I'm all for rocking-out once you get some
significant experience. But, for now, you need 110% of your brain cells
focused on the many tasks involved with flying your first long solo.

Scrap the idea of in-flight music and come back to it when you've learned
everything.

--
Jim Fisher

[John T]

"Jim Fisher" > wrote in message

>
> Scrap the idea of in-flight music and come back to it when you've
> learned everything.

"Learned everything"? :)

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer
http://www.pocketgear.com/products_search.asp?developerid=4415
____________________

[Teacherjh]

>>
> Scrap the idea of in-flight music and come back to it when you've
> learned everything.

"Learned everything"? :)
<<

There's a controller here who can tell you about that. <g,d>

Jose

--
(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

[Thomas Borchert]

Neil,

> So does anyone have experience with headsets like this? Do they work as
> well as advertised? Any tips?
>

The muting is switchable. Be sure to switch it on. Otherwise, it all works
great.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Bob Martin]

> Bottom line is that you have plenty to concentrate heavily upon during your
> first hundred or two hours. I'm all for rocking-out once you get some
> significant experience. But, for now, you need 110% of your brain cells
> focused on the many tasks involved with flying your first long solo.
>
> Scrap the idea of in-flight music and come back to it when you've learned
> everything.


Don't think it's possible to have learned _everything_... but I would
wait on the music for a while. I remember my first solo xc; I needed
all the concentration I could get (and then some; that's why it took
me the first 40 miles to figure out why the plane kept going
off-course to the left--my left foot was resting on the rudder pedals
and slowly causing me to turn that way).

And regardless, I wouldn't go using music if I had to listen to ATC.
I guess it's only suited for cruising around VFR on a good day--or
when you're taxiing out and decide to play the first part of "Danger
Zone" <grin>

[Richard Russell]

On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 20:36:01 -0500, Neil Bratney >
wrote:

>Hello all,
>
>I'm getting set for my second solo cross country in training for my PP.
> Looking at my headset, my Lightspeed 30-3G has a port on the ANR box
>where I can attach a portable CD player for music. The headset is
>supposed to automatically mute the music when comm comes in from the radio.
>
>This sounds like a good idea to enhance my long distance flying
>experience, but I'm just concerned that I'm going to miss important ATC
>instructions. Or worse, that Omaha Approach is going to get an earful
>of Foo Fighters or Pearl Jam when I transmit out to them!
>
>So does anyone have experience with headsets like this? Do they work as
>well as advertised? Any tips?
>
>Thanks a ton,
>Neil Bratney


I got my PPL last summer and have around 100 hours so this is coming
from a low-time pilot. Also, I don't mean to present this in an "I'm
right, this is the only way it can work" manner.

That being said, I cannot imagine any circumstance that I would feel
comfortable interjecting music into my brain while I'm flying. I
require 100% of my available thought processing capability to be
allocated to insuring that the flight is being conducted properly and
safely. I remember when the first Walkman type radios came out I got
one and sat down to read a book. I read the same page over and over
again and it didn't compute. I actually had to learn how to read with
this music being injected directly into my brain. I read all the time
now with headphones on but I will not fly with music. Perhaps someday
I will.

Two things that always amaze me (and make me wonder if my brain is
shortchanging me) are student pilots listening to music and student
pilots snapping photos on their cross country flights, especially
final approach photos. I recommend saving that stuff until you're
old, bold pilots. Fly the plane! Just my $.02.

Rich Russell

[Todd Pattist]

"John T" > wrote:

>> Scrap the idea of in-flight music and come back to it when you've
>> learned everything.
>
>"Learned everything"? :)

"become familiar with *all* available information" FAR
91.103 :-)
Todd Pattist
(Remove DONTSPAMME from address to email reply.)
___
Make a commitment to learn something from every flight.
Share what you learn.

[Jay Honeck]

> That being said, I cannot imagine any circumstance that I would feel
> comfortable interjecting music into my brain while I'm flying.

Go fly 1000 miles this weekend. In most spam cans, that will take about
ten hours, give or take.

The first five hours, fly without music. The second five hours, fly with
music.

If, after this experience, you can still make your statement with such
absolute conviction, I will be very surprised.

On our trip home from Sun N Fun, we pulled a 4 hour leg. Our PS Engineering
CD player makes these kinds of flights MUCH more fun, especially with two
kids in the back seats. (Of course, having to listen to Eminem once in a
while was some sort of penance... :-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Brad Z]

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
news:H1Qhc.2558$aQ6.411038@attbi_s51...

> Go fly 1000 miles this weekend. In most spam cans, that will take about
> ten hours, give or take.

not quite the same as a student pilot solo cross country flight.

[Capt.Doug]

>"Richard Russell" wrote in message I recommend saving that stuff until
>you're old, bold pilots. Fly the plane! Just my $.02.

When you old and bold, pull the speakers out of your flight bag and set them
up on the glareshield. Hook up the MP3 player and crank it up. Led
Zepellin's 'Black Dog' will make a red-eye almost refreshing.

D.

[Richard Russell]

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 13:47:19 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
> wrote:

>> That being said, I cannot imagine any circumstance that I would feel
>> comfortable interjecting music into my brain while I'm flying.
>
>Go fly 1000 miles this weekend. In most spam cans, that will take about
>ten hours, give or take.
>
>The first five hours, fly without music. The second five hours, fly with
>music.
>
>If, after this experience, you can still make your statement with such
>absolute conviction, I will be very surprised.
>
>On our trip home from Sun N Fun, we pulled a 4 hour leg. Our PS Engineering
>CD player makes these kinds of flights MUCH more fun, especially with two
>kids in the back seats. (Of course, having to listen to Eminem once in a
>while was some sort of penance... :-)

Jay,

You missed the point. My major emphasis is on low-time pilots and
students. You are clearly not the target of my advice. Nothing was
stated with absolute conviction (hint: note the word 'I" in the
sentence you quoted. I also stated that this advice was not written
as something that should be construed as "the only way". I stand by
my statements as they apply to students and low-timers. Just out of
curiosity, did you listen to music as a student?

Rich Russell

[EDR]

In article >, Richard
Russell > wrote:

> Just out of curiosity, did you listen to music as a student?

They didn't have headsets and intercoms with music inputs when Jay was
a student. ;-))

[John Galban]

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message news:<H1Qhc.2558$aQ6.411038@attbi_s51>...

> (Of course, having to listen to Eminem once in a
> while was some sort of penance... :-)


That's why they invented the "pilot isolate" switch.

John Galban=====>N4BQ (PA28-180)

[Thomas Borchert]

Jay,

> Our PS Engineering
> CD player makes these kinds of flights MUCH more fun, especially with two
> kids in the back seats. (Of course, having to listen to Eminem once in a
> while was some sort of penance... :-)
>

Don't you have two music inputs, front and back? Don't you have some kind
of portable music player in the household to complement the CD player?
Problem solved.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Scott Lowrey]

Brad Z wrote:
>
> not quite the same as a student pilot solo cross country flight.
>
>

I love to listen to music when I'm doing other things. As a software
engineer, car driver, airplane pilot, snow skier, or whatever, music
usually occupies that part of my mind that seems to need "something".
Relief from boredom, emotional enhancement, I don't know. But it really
helps to keep the thought process and/or enjoyment flowing at times.

Having said that, things can go the other way. Sometimes I find myself
distracted from the task at hand and *listening to the music*. Then,
the music is not helping to relieve or enhance the task at hand - it's
actually hindering me. As a new pilot, I won't be listening to music
until I get real confident; and then only during the occasional boring
stretch on an XC.

One other thing: I've also noticed the occasional aural fatigue - I just
get brain-tired from constant sound. Maybe I need to turn it down a bit
on those occasions. :-P Wish the 172's came with a volume control... I
suppose that's what ANR is for.

-Scott

[ilana]

Neil Bratney > wrote in message >...
> Hello all,
>
> I'm getting set for my second solo cross country in training for my PP.
> Looking at my headset, my Lightspeed 30-3G has a port on the ANR box
> where I can attach a portable CD player for music. The headset is
> supposed to automatically mute the music when comm comes in from the radio.
>
> This sounds like a good idea to enhance my long distance flying
> experience, but I'm just concerned that I'm going to miss important ATC
> instructions. Or worse, that Omaha Approach is going to get an earful
> of Foo Fighters or Pearl Jam when I transmit out to them!
>
> So does anyone have experience with headsets like this? Do they work as
> well as advertised? Any tips?
>
> Thanks a ton,
> Neil Bratney


If you consider music for the solo xc in the pp course,
I don't want to think what will you try when you have 100 hrs,
maybe a nap in the rear seat while on autopilot ???
Keep your head clear consentrate on the flight,piloting,recalculate
drift,
time your checkpoint,look for traffic,compare ground references to the
sectional chart,checklist your self again and again,check your fuel
burn and
so on,... show a good judgment.
Be safe and you will be around to play with the "aviation toys" long
after
you earn your certificate.

I wonder what your CFI think about it ??

[Cub Driver]

>Sometimes I find myself
>distracted from the task at hand and *listening to the music*.

I recall once, when I was young and stupid, driving down the road
listening to the car radio while smoking a cigarette and thinking
about something else.
all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! blog www.vivabush.org

[Tom Sixkiller]

"Cub Driver" > wrote in message
...
>
> >Sometimes I find myself
> >distracted from the task at hand and *listening to the music*.
>
> I recall once, when I was young and stupid, driving down the road
> listening to the car radio while smoking a cigarette and thinking
> about something else.

Hmmm...sex?

[Neil A. Bratney]

Thanks to all for the advice. I will stash my CD player for a few dozen
more hours and concentrate on details I can work on to become a better
pilot.

Neil

[Dave Buckles]

John Galban wrote:
> "Jay Honeck" > wrote in message news:<H1Qhc.2558$aQ6.411038@attbi_s51>...
>
>
>>(Of course, having to listen to Eminem once in a
>>while was some sort of penance... :-)
>
>
>
> That's why they invented the "pilot isolate" switch.
>
> John Galban=====>N4BQ (PA28-180)

No, that's why they invented the storm window.

--Dave

--
Dave Buckles

http://www.flight-instruction.com

[Jay Honeck]

> One other thing: I've also noticed the occasional aural fatigue - I just
> get brain-tired from constant sound. Maybe I need to turn it down a bit
> on those occasions. :-P Wish the 172's came with a volume control... I
> suppose that's what ANR is for.

Get a pair of ANR headsets. It will be the best money you EVER invested.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Jay Honeck]

> > Just out of curiosity, did you listen to music as a student?
>
> They didn't have headsets and intercoms with music inputs when Jay was
> a student. ;-))

Hey!

Well, they had headsets.

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Jay Honeck]

> Don't you have two music inputs, front and back? Don't you have some kind
> of portable music player in the household to complement the CD player?
> Problem solved.

Yes, but the stupidly designed back-seat jack input (it sticks straight out
from the wall, perpendicularly) guaranteed that, sooner or later, someone's
shoulder or elbow would over-stress the jack.

Sure enough, on this trip my son pushed the plug of his CD player in, and
the jack fell inside the plastic housing. It's an easy fix, but I'm gonna
have to get a 90 degree bend plug to ensure that this doesn't happen again.

Bottom line: On this trip, I listened to Eminem for a while. (And,
actually, if you listen to the words of some of his stuff, he's pretty
clever. I wouldn't call it "music" per se, but it's clever stuff.)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"