THE BOSE A20

An unmatched combination of noise reduction, clear audio and comfort

Pilots demand two things from their headsets. First, these units must provide audio that is clear at all times, 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 premier audio equipment companies, it only makes sense that Bose would tackle the aviation headset challenge and resolve it brilliantly with the Bose A20 Aviation Headset.

“Bose was the first company to bring a commercially available, active noise reduction headset to the market in 1989,” said Hratch Astarjian, Bose Corporation’s manager of global aviation sales, marketing and service. “As we have developed meaningful new technologies over the years, we have brought new headsets to the market that incorporate those improvements and the A20 is one of the latest examples of Bose’s commitment to headset innovation.”

Weighing in at just 340 grams (12 ounces), the A20 is designed to provide 30% greater noise reduction than conventional aviation headsets while also delivering the clearest audio possible using active equalisation and other technologies.

Due to the combined noise from engines, wind rushing by at high speeds and other operational sources, aircraft and helicopters are generally noisy places. For this reason, 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 eardrums.“But contrary to what you might think, noise isn’t the first thing most pilots complain about,” said Astarjian. “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.

But, unfortunately, 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 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 headsets they have worn, but it is also one of the most comfortable,” said Astarjian. “Ultimately, pilots tell us they prefer the A20 because its features and technology add to the flying experience in a meaningful way.”

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 user’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. Compared to traditional headsets offered by competitors, the A20 exerts 30% less clamping force on the user’s head.

That is not all. The Bose A20 Aviation Headset also offers important 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.

• 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 helicopter-specific connectors.

“The A20 Aviation Headset is beloved by pilots around the world and for good reason,” said Astarjian. “It provides best-in-class noise reduction 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 function Bluetooth®, a coil cord cable option, auto-on (for panel powered models), auto shutoff and audio prioritisation.”

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 live event space, where successful live productions like concerts rely on clear and precise communication; 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, Boeing P-8s and KC-135s as well as others. In fact, Bose headsets are standard issue on many transport category military aircraft, including the C-130 and KC-135.

Plus, they are preferred by most leading aircraft manufacturers and are approved for use on the flight decks of several major airlines around the world.

Bose headsets also meet many military specifications, ISO standards, CE standards and the requirements of aviation regulatory groups worldwide, including ARINC and EASA, which grants the European equivalent of the FAA TSO certification.

“Bose has been providing products for mission-critical communications for over 30 years and our customers really value that,” said Astarjian. “The result is that customers can feel confident that the A20 will do what we claim. We do not overpromise and we focus on what really matters to pilots: clear communication, comfort, less noise and, ultimately, a durable and reliable product that will enhance the flying experience for years.”

Available at: boseaviation-EMEA.aero/shops E-mail: aviation_africa@bose.com www.boseaviation-EMEA.aero