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Controller complains that an airline has issued headsets to flcs that causes a loud whine when keyed.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 220367 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199209 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dfw |
| State Reference | TX |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : dfw |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 9 |
| ASRS Report | 220367 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Several months ago airline company issued headsets to their flcs. The headsets have a compatibility problem with the radios in their medium large transport aircraft. This causes a loud whine every time the pilot transmits. It makes them hard to understand at best and frequently is physically painful to my ear. When advising the pilots of the whine they reply 'yea, I know its these headsets, I'll change to a hand microphone.' when using a hand microphone they are 'loud and clear.' the whine is present in everyone of their medium large transport's that I've talked to since they issued the headsets. I work at dfw approach (D10) so I get a good sampling of their aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter claims that this problem has been ongoing for about 1 yr. Not all controllers perceive this as a problem. Facility has been advised, but reporter doesn't know if anything has been done to fix it. Reporter states that he has sensitive ears and the loud whine is a distraction. Facility was contacted by analyst and they are unaware of problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CTLR COMPLAINS THAT AN AIRLINE HAS ISSUED HEADSETS TO FLCS THAT CAUSES A LOUD WHINE WHEN KEYED.
Narrative: SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AIRLINE COMPANY ISSUED HEADSETS TO THEIR FLCS. THE HEADSETS HAVE A COMPATIBILITY PROBLEM WITH THE RADIOS IN THEIR MLG ACFT. THIS CAUSES A LOUD WHINE EVERY TIME THE PLT TRANSMITS. IT MAKES THEM HARD TO UNDERSTAND AT BEST AND FREQUENTLY IS PHYSICALLY PAINFUL TO MY EAR. WHEN ADVISING THE PLTS OF THE WHINE THEY REPLY 'YEA, I KNOW ITS THESE HEADSETS, I'LL CHANGE TO A HAND MIKE.' WHEN USING A HAND MIKE THEY ARE 'LOUD AND CLR.' THE WHINE IS PRESENT IN EVERYONE OF THEIR MLG'S THAT I'VE TALKED TO SINCE THEY ISSUED THE HEADSETS. I WORK AT DFW APCH (D10) SO I GET A GOOD SAMPLING OF THEIR ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR CLAIMS THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR ABOUT 1 YR. NOT ALL CTLRS PERCEIVE THIS AS A PROBLEM. FACILITY HAS BEEN ADVISED, BUT RPTR DOESN'T KNOW IF ANYTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX IT. RPTR STATES THAT HE HAS SENSITIVE EARS AND THE LOUD WHINE IS A DISTR. FACILITY WAS CONTACTED BY ANALYST AND THEY ARE UNAWARE OF PROBLEM.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.