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Soundproofing Engine Cowling and Firewall

edmondthx1138

edmondthx1138

Member
I am interested in reducing sound and vibration levels as perceived in the cockpit. ANR headsets are fine, but hearing loss occurs over a long period of time being exposed to noise.

I would like to add soundproofing material to the cowling of my RV-12iS.

I also would like to add soundproofing material to the firewall and avionics bay. I suspect this would be best accomplished inside the cockpit as much as possible to facilitate condition inspections, etc.

For overall soundproofing, the cowling seems a logical and relatively easy solution, as there is room for the material.

Other than added weight and recalculating the W&B, does anyone have any thoughts on this topic?
 
edmondthx1138 said:
I also would like to add soundproofing material to the firewall and avionics bay. I suspect this would be best accomplished inside the cockpit as much as possible to facilitate condition inspections, etc.
Click to expand...

Please read the many posts of actual tests done by DanH, on the fire danger of cockpit side firewall insulation.

The easiest and best solution to your problem is to wear earplugs under your ANR headsets.
 
I agree with BobTurner above..... I have LightSpeed Zulu3 ANR and wear Bluetooth hearing aids. I have a special program for the hearing aids that I turn on via cell phone app. The hearings aids go into 'Mute" so they act like an earplug but they also function with Telecoil loop that allows EMF induction from the voice coils in the headset to present as real-time high-fidelity audio without background noise or feedback. The end result is concert hall fidelity with a soft turbine-like engine noise. Pretty much like sitting in first class on a 747. Very pleasing and works charm....
 
+1 for what Jim said. The other day I forgot to turn on telecoil and the difference was remarkable. ANR still working but engine noise much louder.

Jack
 
My Apple Watch has a pretty sophisticated hearing protection and sound-measuring function and I’ve occasionally had it warn me about cumulative low-frequency noise exposure when on my tractor…some implements more than others. OTOH, I’ve never had any notifications about noise exposure in the cockpit of my airplane, even on a long flight. You can set the exposure levels according to your preference. The watch will warn you if you exceed a set threshold for more than three minutes. Mine is set for 80db I think.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209593

As Bob said…a pair of earplugs with a sound brake, such as Surefire Sonic Defender, worn under noise cancelling headphone will work well in reducing noise exposure if one is concerned about that. I do that routinely under my electronic ear protection in competitive shooting events, depending on firearm, caliber, and indoors vs outdoors. I’ve never found it necessary when flying. If the user finds that it impairs ATC communication then they could always open the brakes, which will still contribute to good noise reduction but improve hearing of voice frequencies.
 
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I use the 3M E-A-R Classic Plus ear plugs under my ENC headset (currently a DC ONE-X). I buy them by the box. They are slightly longer than their regular Classic ear plugs which makes them easier to insert. They have an NRR of 29 dB to 33 dB. I've been using headsets in conjunction with ear plugs since the mid-80's. Especially helpful in very noisy towplanes.
 
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