Narrative:

The quality of headsets at ZAU is unacceptable. I have had 8 headsets fail in 8 weeks, 3 in 1 day. Nearly all were transmit problems. In 3 instances my headset failed (to transmit) in the midst of an O'hare inbound rush, where seconds counted for safety. Luckily I was able to use the foot pedal. The current headsets have either been repaired so many times that they are no longer reliable, or they are not being repaired at all. We need headsets with walkman style headphones, so that we can hear the pilots in both ears, while stiill being near those around us. That would also solve the problem of having an ear-piece breeching the ear canal. We need transmit buttons that can handle being used every few seconds.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CLAIMS HEADSET PROBS PRIMARILY WITH XMIT FEATURE. NOT RELIABLE, FAILED TO XMIT DURING INBOUND RUSH, USED FOOT PEDAL.

Narrative: THE QUALITY OF HEADSETS AT ZAU IS UNACCEPTABLE. I HAVE HAD 8 HEADSETS FAIL IN 8 WKS, 3 IN 1 DAY. NEARLY ALL WERE XMIT PROBS. IN 3 INSTANCES MY HEADSET FAILED (TO XMIT) IN THE MIDST OF AN O'HARE INBOUND RUSH, WHERE SECONDS COUNTED FOR SAFETY. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO USE THE FOOT PEDAL. THE CURRENT HEADSETS HAVE EITHER BEEN REPAIRED SO MANY TIMES THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER RELIABLE, OR THEY ARE NOT BEING REPAIRED AT ALL. WE NEED HEADSETS WITH WALKMAN STYLE HEADPHONES, SO THAT WE CAN HEAR THE PLTS IN BOTH EARS, WHILE STIILL BEING NEAR THOSE AROUND US. THAT WOULD ALSO SOLVE THE PROB OF HAVING AN EAR-PIECE BREECHING THE EAR CANAL. WE NEED XMIT BUTTONS THAT CAN HANDLE BEING USED EVERY FEW SECONDS.

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.