ORIGINAL: compute42
Most RC engines arn't gonna seriously effect your hearing, starting etc... A screaming Wide open throttle 2-stroke a couple of feet from you will. Be respectfull to fellow modlers, if you are adjusting your high speed needle for more than say 30 seconds, do it somewhere else than right in the pitts. Short bursts of medium/high volume are ok, but for a duration it's damaging. I'm an Audio Engineer by trade, and clients buy my ears, I seriously value them, but don't use earplugs when I'm flying unless I'm adjusting the high speed needle, or breaking in a new engine.
My .02
~Andrew
I quite disagree.
I had my hearing tested a couple years back, and I found out, to my surprise, I had slight midrange hearing loss in both ears. The audiologist looked at my chart and kept asking me if I had been exposed to either very loud gunshot noise or constant low level backround noise for extended periods of time. It turned out to be the latter from noises in the cockpit. According to her, there is no real minimum threshhold for hearing loss. I've always wear noise canceling headsets while flying and I still suffered hearing loss.
People generall don't think twice when reaching for eye protection, but hearing is just like eyesight; once you lose it, you will never get it back.