Hi guys,
just reading through the discussion and didn't realize hearing protection was a real issue in this hobby,
though I guess it should be when a 2 stroke is screaming next to you WOT as you warm it up.
Though I am used to loud noises, been out of school almost 3 years and was dabbling in heavy diesel
mechanics (Tractor heads, forklifts, crane trucks etc..) before I got out of school. I now drive big
diesel trucks, so I'm used to noise.
I have never used any hearing protection, but have noticed some deterioration of my hearing, I
guess I should look into ear protection now that the topic has been brought up.

- Kristen

It's kind of funny that we are just starting to realize the need for hearing protection now when close ups of rock bands show that many of the players were wearing ear plugs years ago.
In spite of having run engines from 020 to 35 without mufflers for almost 15 years before going into the air force, I still had mostly normal hearing according to my hearing charts. After 4 years on a flight line working around ground support equipment with 150 to 200 hp unmuffled engines, SA-16s, F100s, F105s, F-4s, C-130s, KC and RC97s, my chart looks like a cross section of the floor of the pacific ocean. Luckily, by the time I got in, not wearing ear protetion on the flightline was a court-martial offence.
Some of the club members used to make fun of one old-timer who always wore ear muffs while starting and adjusting his engines. Took them off when the plane was in the air. A former Contol line speed and racing pilot from before mufflers were even readily available. Sharpest ears in the club at 75. He could hear sounds that even some teens can't.
Few of our mufflers do enough sound reduction to spare us from damage from long term exposure.

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.

I dunno. I flew helicopters for 15 years and never used ear plugs. I only used the issued helmet. The noise levels were supposed to be in the damaging range. I did try them a few times, but couldn't hear the turbine wind up/down, etc, and decided that flying nights without hearing the engine was more hazardous than risking hi freq hearing loss. I had my ears checked every year and never had a drop up up until I retired in 1995.

I think that part of the noise factor is where you are around the plane. I always get to the other side of the muffler before going WOT. I throttle up near wide open, but not for long.

The Air Force did extensive studies a number of years ago on noise and its effects . It is not just the level (Decibels) but exposure time as well . even a relatively "low" amount of noise over a protracted time period will cause fatigue and irritability and possibly some hearing loss. even if below 90 db can cause loss over a time period. you almost certainly lose some hearing in the upper ranges.by the time you realize it it will be way too late. I met a fellow yesterday , late 20's , already hard of hearing.too bad