Bose A20 Helicopter headset
Pilots demand two things from their headsets. First, these units must provide audio that is always clear, no matter how noisy the aircraft environment may be. Second, since aviation headsets must be worn for many hours at a time, they must be comfortable to wear for the long run.
As one of the world’s premiere audio equipment companies, it only makes sense that Bose would tackle the aviation headset challenge and resolve it brilliantly with the A20. Weighing at just 340 grams (12 ounces) on head weight, the A20 is designed to provide the most noise reduction ever offered by an around-ear Bose aviation headset, while still providing the clearest audio possible using active equalisation and other technologies. Compared to traditional headsets offered by competitors, the A20 provides 30 percent more noise reduction while exerting 30 percent less clamping force on the wearer’s head. Comfort is enhanced by the A20 having a torsion spring in the middle of the headband. This ensures that the headset sits comfortably on the pilot’s head and distributes the clamping force evenly. It also ensures that lateral pressure is consistent, regardless of the size and shape of one’s head.
The Bose A20 Aviation Headset also offers features such as Bluetooth® audio and communications interface; a customisable audio prioritisation control that enables either the muting of existing audio for incoming communication or mixing that new audio with the existing audio feed; intuitive ‘plug-and-play’ operation for easy use in all kinds of aircraft; a high-performance adjustable noise rejection boom microphone and an optional coil cord, popular with helicopter pilots. The coil cord version, which provides the cable management that helicopter operators often prefer, can be ordered with the most popular helicopterspecific connectors.
“The A20 Aviation Headset is the best performing aviation headset for helicopter operators we have ever brought to market,” said Patrick Schutterop, Bose Corporation’s manager responsible for sales, marketing, and after-sales support in South Africa.
It provides more noise reduction in louder environments over a broader range of frequencies than our previous models and does so in a very comfortable and easy-to-use way. It also has the features pilots have told us are important, like full Bluetooth® functionality, a coil cord cable, auto-on (for panel powered models), auto shutoff and
audio prioritisation.
“Bose was the first company to bring a commercially available, active noise reduction headset to the market back in 1989,” said Schutterop. “As we have developed meaningful new technologies over the years, we have brought new headsets that incorporate those improvements to the market.”
Due to the combined noise from engines,wind rushing by at high speeds and other operational sources, helicopters are generally noisy places. Therefore, pilots need headsets that reduce their exposure to loud ambient noise by actively analysing that noise and then electronically negating it before it reaches their ear drums. “But contrary to what you might think, noise is not the first thing most pilots complain about,” said Schutterop. “It is comfort. There are many noise reduction headsets on the market today, with some, like the A20, that do a good job of reducing noise. However, most of them trade comfort for quiet. The challenge is to deliver a headset that does a great job with noise reduction, while remaining comfortable over the long haul.”
For that, the award-winning Bose A20 is the clear choice. It has been specifically designed to cancel noise while maximising user comfort, without the traditional trade-offs or compromises. “Our customers routinely tell us the A20 is not only one of the quietest but also one of the most comfortable headsets they have ever worn,” said Schutterop. “This is really satisfying to hear because comfort is one of the design elements, we pay close attention to. There are a wide variety of reasons pilots tell us they prefer our product,” he added. “These range from comfort to audio clarity to having the right features that add to the flying experience in a meaningful way.”
Bose’s success in making aviation headsets is borne out by its other specialty headsets made for other markets where noise reduction and clarity are also top priorities. These markets include the National Football League’s noisy playing fields for coaches; the US and other militaries in a variety of tracked and wheeled, armoured vehicles and in the air on Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules aircraft, C-17s, Boeing Poseidon P-8s, KC-135s and others. Bose also has strong relationships with some of the largest helicopter original equipment
manufacturers (OEMs) in the world, including Bell Helicopter, Leonardo Helicopters, Airbus Helicopters and Robinson Helicopter Company. The A20 Aviation Headset is the kind of quality equipment every pilot need in the cockpit, be it inside a Robinson R44, a Bell 406, a Cessna 172, a Boeing 737 or Airbus A320. “Bose has been providing products for mission critical communications for over 30 years and it seems, our customers really value that,” said Schutterop. “The result is that customers can feel confident that the A20 will do what we claim. We do not over-promise and we focus on what really matters to pilots; namely clear communication, comfort, less noise and ultimately, a durable and reliable product that will enhance their flying experience for years.” Bose Aviation | Improve your flight training experience with the Bose
A20 Aviation Headset - YouTube