Yeah, a work buddy of mine that sat next to me actually realized he had hearing loss because he realized he couldn't hear me as well in one ear. It was pretty weird/felt sorry for him when he was like "holy shit/son of a bitch." I guess he's entitled to some kind of compensation for it but you'd think they might think of 5-cent earplugs for the guy sitting right under where the catapults are (IIRC his job was operating them or similar).
Double hearing protection is required topside on Carriers and our gator freighters during flight ops. Earplugs AND earphones. We would also pack the earphones with tp or paper towels, too.
A U.S. Navy Carrier flight deck is THE LOUDEST place on Earth. 180-220 dbs during flight ops, sometimes louder depending on the plane. When we had the Tomcat, Nimitz registered 235 DBS when launching just two. It's so loud, that the 1JC (flight deck loud speakers) can be heard miles away. And we could barely hear that over the noise. Your whole body vibrates for about an hour after flight ops, too, because of the noise.
And we don't wear those shitty ear plugs giving the grunts issues. We use yellow foam ear plugs. You can squish them, then insert them, and they mould to your ear canal's shape. It was the first time I ever encountered memory foam.
DAMN. I knew it was loud but I would not have guessed that loud. There's only so much you can do as that kind of level is going to go straight thru the bones too anyway.
I have a new appreciation for yet another variation of sacrifice our military types must endure.
(Not everyone is aware - decibels are a log scale so the 200 range is so far off the chart from what we normally consider loud it might as well be infinity practically, at least in a what-you-perceive sense.)
Yeah. It's something you have to experience for yourself to fully appreciate. I thought my A School instructors were lying to us, playing up the safety aspect, until I got to Nimitz. Flew on in a SH-53 Sea Stallion. Navy's version of the CH-53, and they only gave us a cranial with earphones. But once we landed and the hatches opened up, it was painful with just one layer of protection. My ears rang for the rest of the day.
Yeah this all makes sense, just never thought it all the way thru. I used to work next to Tulsa airport and the ANG F-16s would take off twice a day, full afterburner every time. That was pretty loud from in our building....
I presume you've looked at various tinnitus remedies? Apparently even though "uncurable" there are some tricks, or are those bogus? We've got a lot of alternative-medicine aware pedes on here, I'd be curious....
My youngest brother flew Dolphin helicopters in the CG for 20 years. He has hearing loss and gets a nice check from the government over and above his pension.
I'd expect if they were on flight deck or even below they may not help enough? Like best earplugs are what 35 dB? This guy was below deck and basically never thought too much of it other than it was loud....
Yeah, a work buddy of mine that sat next to me actually realized he had hearing loss because he realized he couldn't hear me as well in one ear. It was pretty weird/felt sorry for him when he was like "holy shit/son of a bitch." I guess he's entitled to some kind of compensation for it but you'd think they might think of 5-cent earplugs for the guy sitting right under where the catapults are (IIRC his job was operating them or similar).
Double hearing protection is required topside on Carriers and our gator freighters during flight ops. Earplugs AND earphones. We would also pack the earphones with tp or paper towels, too.
A U.S. Navy Carrier flight deck is THE LOUDEST place on Earth. 180-220 dbs during flight ops, sometimes louder depending on the plane. When we had the Tomcat, Nimitz registered 235 DBS when launching just two. It's so loud, that the 1JC (flight deck loud speakers) can be heard miles away. And we could barely hear that over the noise. Your whole body vibrates for about an hour after flight ops, too, because of the noise.
And we don't wear those shitty ear plugs giving the grunts issues. We use yellow foam ear plugs. You can squish them, then insert them, and they mould to your ear canal's shape. It was the first time I ever encountered memory foam.
DAMN. I knew it was loud but I would not have guessed that loud. There's only so much you can do as that kind of level is going to go straight thru the bones too anyway.
I have a new appreciation for yet another variation of sacrifice our military types must endure.
(Not everyone is aware - decibels are a log scale so the 200 range is so far off the chart from what we normally consider loud it might as well be infinity practically, at least in a what-you-perceive sense.)
Yeah. It's something you have to experience for yourself to fully appreciate. I thought my A School instructors were lying to us, playing up the safety aspect, until I got to Nimitz. Flew on in a SH-53 Sea Stallion. Navy's version of the CH-53, and they only gave us a cranial with earphones. But once we landed and the hatches opened up, it was painful with just one layer of protection. My ears rang for the rest of the day.
And now the tinitus keeps me up at night.
Yeah this all makes sense, just never thought it all the way thru. I used to work next to Tulsa airport and the ANG F-16s would take off twice a day, full afterburner every time. That was pretty loud from in our building....
I presume you've looked at various tinnitus remedies? Apparently even though "uncurable" there are some tricks, or are those bogus? We've got a lot of alternative-medicine aware pedes on here, I'd be curious....
Harriers are bad. Loud AF when hovering or taking off as a VTOL.
https://www.millerandzois.com/combat-arms-earplug-lawsuit.html
:O
Also - wait - you mean lowest bidder might not be the ideal way to go about procurements?
My youngest brother flew Dolphin helicopters in the CG for 20 years. He has hearing loss and gets a nice check from the government over and above his pension.
Well I think my brothers wore earplugs. Maybe not, not sure about that but yes you do get disability pr however that works when you retire.
I'd expect if they were on flight deck or even below they may not help enough? Like best earplugs are what 35 dB? This guy was below deck and basically never thought too much of it other than it was loud....
They were on the flight deck.