ATC Medical Hearing Test

moulds80

Well-Known Member
Has anyone struggled with the FAA Class 2 hearing test? I was a bit worried about a hearing test because when a room is silent I can hear a slight but noticeable continuous ringing in one of my ears, but in reading the standards it states that you pass if you can display proficiency to “Demonstrate an ability to hear an average conversational voice in a quiet room, using both ears, at a distance of 6 feet from the examiner, with the back turned to the examiner.”. That seems real easy, does anyone know if they test your hearing with a machine or with a method such as this?
 
Has anyone struggled with the FAA Class 2 hearing test? I was a bit worried about a hearing test because when a room is silent I can hear a slight but noticeable continuous ringing in one of my ears, but in reading the standards it states that you pass if you can display proficiency to “Demonstrate an ability to hear an average conversational voice in a quiet room, using both ears, at a distance of 6 feet from the examiner, with the back turned to the examiner.”. That seems real easy, does anyone know if they test your hearing with a machine or with a method such as this?

My hearing test yesterday consisted of a headshet with R & L that was a little heavy and tight, pretty good at blocking background noise IMO. Then you get a little buzzer like you're on Jeopardy. The machine in front of you will emit tones at different frequencies either in your left or right ear, when you hear the tones you hit the button.
 
Has anyone struggled with the FAA Class 2 hearing test? I was a bit worried about a hearing test because when a room is silent I can hear a slight but noticeable continuous ringing in one of my ears, but in reading the standards it states that you pass if you can display proficiency to “Demonstrate an ability to hear an average conversational voice in a quiet room, using both ears, at a distance of 6 feet from the examiner, with the back turned to the examiner.”. That seems real easy, does anyone know if they test your hearing with a machine or with a method such as this?

The hearing test was a bit crazy in memphis, the "sound proof" booths had to have been developed by the rusty's. I could hear everone outside, anytime someone came into the trailer... yes, trailer. I thought that I bombed my right ear for sure after 4 years in the infantry and another 6 on flight lines with engines roaring in my head. But I made it, I was pulled aside at the end and told by the flight surgeon that I need to be aware to preserve my hearing, it was enough for FAA standards but not by much. If you know you are deaf in one ear, flip the headphones around after the first ear is done while no one is looking.. (wish I would have thought of that before hand). You will be fine man, just listen and push buttons. if you can't hear, keep pushing.
 
The hearing test was a bit crazy in memphis, the "sound proof" booths had to have been developed by the rusty's. I could hear everone outside, anytime someone came into the trailer... yes, trailer. I thought that I bombed my right ear for sure after 4 years in the infantry and another 6 on flight lines with engines roaring in my head. But I made it, I was pulled aside at the end and told by the flight surgeon that I need to be aware to preserve my hearing, it was enough for FAA standards but not by much. If you know you are deaf in one ear, flip the headphones around after the first ear is done while no one is looking.. (wish I would have thought of that before hand). You will be fine man, just listen and push buttons. if you can't hear, keep pushing.

hahaha not a bad idea... props to serving infantry too. i know a lot of people in the service.
 
hahaha not a bad idea... props to serving infantry too. i know a lot of people in the service.

Thanks, it was an accident, it was the one job that the recruiter made most interesting.. But it turned out to be a pretty good gig.
 
another example of the ATC standards being more stringent than for pilots. They go by decibel loss in certain frequency ranges. The test does more than the required ranges and I almost freaked out when I saw 30 decibel loss in one of the high frequency ranges but it wasn't recorded on my medical form
 
another example of the ATC standards being more stringent than for pilots. They go by decibel loss in certain frequency ranges. The test does more than the required ranges and I almost freaked out when I saw 30 decibel loss in one of the high frequency ranges but it wasn't recorded on my medical form

I thought I saw 30 on my print out as well, but on my form it said 0 on all of them. Maybe they're grading on a curve?!
 
That hearing test was crazy imo. You started listening for beeps so hard, I'm pretty sure I got some phantom beeps! Good thing I took my MMPI first, or I would have had to anwser yes for I hear sounds that no one else hears! :crazy:
 
You wear a headset and listen to beeps for the left ear and right ear and then push a button every time you hear a beep.
 
What irritated me is that I could hear every breath I took, needless to say I was holding my breath most to the time. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the testers walking in/out of the trailer, laughing and talking the whole time.
 
I'm right on the line for FAA approval. I recently had an extensive test done in a truly controlled environment. The FAA criteria is:

no more than 25db loss up to 2000hz. and you must have no more than 20db loss in the better ear.

I'm -25db right at 2000hz in my left ear. That was the results of my extensive test... Then I walk into the FAA's hearing/vision trailor. I could hear the hum of the generator powering the trailer in the headphones, and the people conducting the test are walking around (thunder) and cutting up (also audible).

I really do wonder if they grade on a curve because I'm pretty sure you're supposed to hear more than 4 beeps (total) in each ear.

Anyway, this test was my biggest concern. Didn't get to look at the results.

Oh and pilots can have no more than 35db loss at any frequency... ridiculous...:bandit:
 
What irritated me is that I could hear every breath I took, needless to say I was holding my breath most to the time. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the testers walking in/out of the trailer, laughing and talking the whole time.

Yeah tell me about it I was concentrating soo hard I wish I had a picture of the face I was making. I kept swallowing and I could hear the spit in my mouth and my breath louder than most of those tones. I tried to sit completely still and not breath or swallow, lol.
 
I just did a hearing test at work 2 weeks ago, in the booth with handheld clicker button, I wonder if I could just use the certified results of that. The hardest part is trying to listen for the tones in the headset and not get drowned out by your breathing.
 
That hearing test was crazy imo. You started listening for beeps so hard, I'm pretty sure I got some phantom beeps! Good thing I took my MMPI first, or I would have had to anwser yes for I hear sounds that no one else hears! :crazy:
I did this for my flight physicals in the AF too and always dreaded it. I heard those damn phantom beeps and just kept pressing......then the computer told me not to press the button when there is no beeps and it freaked me out a bit so i stopped, then it told me i need to press the button when there were beeps!! I thought i failed it for sure but somehow passed. I did much better during the FAA physical
 
WEAR EARPLUGS THE NIGHT BEFORE YOU TAKE THE TEST AND KEEP THEM IN UNTIL YOU GO INTO THE BOOTH!!!! You may look stupid, but who cares??

This is how I pass the tests. My hearing isn't that great when it comes to tests. I barely passed them to get into the ANG ATC. I wore earplugs and passed it with no problems. The initial hearing test is WAY more stringent than the ones you get once you are in. The doc and ZKC told me that when I was getting my test.
 
WEAR EARPLUGS THE NIGHT BEFORE YOU TAKE THE TEST AND KEEP THEM IN UNTIL YOU GO INTO THE BOOTH!!!! You may look stupid, but who cares??

This is how I pass the tests. My hearing isn't that great when it comes to tests. I barely passed them to get into the ANG ATC. I wore earplugs and passed it with no problems. The initial hearing test is WAY more stringent than the ones you get once you are in. The doc and ZKC told me that when I was getting my test.

:yeahthat: When I was MX in the Air Force I was subjected to a lot of noise so they made me do a hearing test every 6 months. Wear Earplugs for 24 hours before, and remember this: "beep beep beep, Push, Pause..... beep beep beep, push, pause.... repeat." the spacing is very uniform on almost all the tones so you can usually just time them and get it right....... according to the Air Force I have only at most a 10 dB loss at any frequency. but with over 8 years literally laying right under turbines running at full military power, I am sure it is much worse.....
 
and remember this: "beep beep beep, Push, Pause..... beep beep beep, push, pause.... repeat." the spacing is very uniform on almost all the tones so you can usually just time them and get it right....... .

Funny you mention this. This is how I started the test... I waited for all three beeps then pushed the button. Then for some reason I decided to just hit the damn thing as soon as I heard the first beep and when I did, it wouldn't do the other two beeps. Then I started panicking thinking that "Oh crap! Was I supposed to be hitting it during the beep or wait until the beeps were done".

I thought I failed it, but alas, I didn't. So I don't know which way is right.
 
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