Quick Headset Question

[TheMattAttack17]

This one should be quick and easy. Just wondering at what point in your flight training would it be wise to invest in your own headset?

[bLizZuE]

First headset should be good and cheap. When you feel that you're committed to the flying, maybe find a used one for less than $100. Spend money on hobbs time, not headsets to start off.

[Pietrantonio]

Originally Posted by TheMattAttack17

This one should be quick and easy. Just wondering at what point in your flight training would it be wise to invest in your own headset?

Best time would be when you really know that flying is what you want to do. For flight training, just invest in a cheaper headset, like a Telex Echelon or something...something that works, and gets the job done. The way I look at it while training, is that a $300-$900 dollar headset can get you ~1.8 hours to 5.6 hours of dual recieved. (Based off a/c @ $110 and Flight Instructor @ $49). I'll take the hours during during training, and later on down the line, I will invest in a nice headset when I don't have to pay for flight time.

Just my $0.02

[Duck_Twacy]

There's a couple different ways to approach it. Most places around here rent headsets for $3 per lesson/flight. So you could conceivably spend $70 on headset rental, whereas you can find new ones for a comparable amount:

(My first headset)

http://www.pilotstore.com/store/item...ARTMENT_ID=114

Then, when I got my instrument, I upgraded to an ANR, and kept the cheapie for my passengers. It has held up great (and is comfy), but if it hadn't, it was only $100.

The flip side is, if you get 20 hours into it and you decide it isn't for you, you probably won't fetch more than $20-$25 for the cheap-o on eBay, although someone out there would at least take it off your hands.

YMMV

[MidlifeFlyer]

If your only option is no headset, immediately.

If you can rent from the FBO, when you are pretty sure this is what you want to do.

[ZachH]

I would buy one ASAP, Even if you buy a cheap-o.

[Nihon_Ni]

I bought my first headset from my CFI for $25. My school had rental headsets for $2 per flight, but even at that price it only took 13 flights to pay for itself. Like others, I upgraded later on, but I recommend a used headset to new pilots.

Put up a sign at your local FBO saying you're looking for a headset. Someone there has one they don't use anymore and will part with it for a few bucks.

[TheMattAttack17]

Thank you everyone! I appreciate all the opinions and responses. So I guess it would be safe to say in the beginning of flight training it's not too big of a concern.

[Sled14]

Also depends on how good the ones are that your FBO has (if any). The ones I borrowed were really uncomfortable, staticy, and a couple times had problems equalizing pressure in my ears. I got my DC 13.4's at about lesson 10 or so and not having to worry about the headset hurting your head or whatever else was great.

[PatrickCPS]

I would invest in a quality ANR headset when you know that this is going to be something you'll be doing a lot of. While the money for a good headset could be put into flight time, consider the investment to save your hearing. The reduction in noise from a good ANR headset is dramatic over a non ANR set.