The landing signal officer: auditory aspects.

Landing signal officers (LSOs), exposed to high noise levels during carrier operations, do not routinely wear hearing protectors. Noise exposure data obtained during carrier qualifications on the USS Lexington and the USS Forrestal suggested a clear risk for hearing damage. Moreover, a comparison of the hearing of LSO and non-LSO pilots matched for age and number of flight hours, indicated a trend for LSOs to have poorer hearing. Questionnaire data from 225 LSOs indicate they need full access to aircraft auditory cues, which is not attainable with current off-the-shelf hearing protectors. It is recommended that a hearing protector be developed for the LSO which would permit passage of critical auditory cues and, at the same time, provide hearing protection. There should be a redesign or elimination of the UHF handset. If eliminated, a boom-type noise-cancelling microphone in conjunction with earphones integral to the hearing protector should be considered. Additional hearing studies of LSO and non-LSO pilots should be undertaken.