Hearing Loss in Civilian Airline and Helicopter Pilots Compared to Air Traffic Control Personnel

This article reports on a study of hearing loss in civilian airline and helicopter pilots, conducted to determine whether hearing loss occurs as a consequence of aviation noise. The authors completed a comparative analysis of audiometric data from Norwegian Air Traffic Control (ATC) personnel (n = 182), comparing pilots of fixed wing aircraft (n = 51), helicopter pilots (n = 81), and ATC personnel (n = 50). Two audiograms with a 2-3-yr interval were analyzed for each individual. For all three groups, mean hearing threshold levels were worse than anticipated (based on ISO 7129 predictions) for most frequencies. As anticipated, hearing thresholds increased with age in the group as a whole. Looking at the 3-, 4-, and 6-kHz frequencies in particular, all groups had small but highly significant increases in hearing thresholds at 4 kHz between the first and second audiogram. The authors consider the potential role of communication noise, to which all three groups are exposed, to explain why the ATC personnel experienced similar hearing loss to their pilot colleagues, the latter whom are exposed to more direct aircraft noise. The authors conclude by noting that the fact that helicopter pilots had similar hearing loss as their other aviation colleagues indicates that current hearing protection for these pilots is effective in counteracting the increased noise levels in helicopters.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00956562
• Authors:
  • Wagstaff, A S
  • Arva, P
• Publication Date: 2009-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 857-861
• Serial:
  • Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
  • Volume: 80
  • Issue Number: 10
  • Publisher: Aerospace Medical Association
  • ISSN: 0095-6562
  • Serial URL: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/asma/asem

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air traffic control; Aircraft noise; Auditory perception; Aviation; Hearing loss; Helicopter pilots; Noise; Noise control
• Uncontrolled Terms: Hearing protection
• Geographic Terms: Norway
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Safety and Human Factors; I84: Personal Injuries;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01165616
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 25 2010 7:42AM