AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2016 - 36

PILOT BRIEFING
PILOT PRODUCTS

ANR for less
FARO's G2 ANR, PNR offer two levels of hearing protection
BY JILL W. TALLMAN
ACTIVE NOISE REDUCTION head-

sets are great, particularly for
flights lasting longer than
an hour, but the price
tag can be prohibitive. If you've been
on the fence about
ANR headsets,
there's a new option.
At $389.99, the
FARO G2 ANR is a fine
alternative to higher-end ANR
headsets. FARO also offers a passive model, the G2 PNR.
Two AOPA staff members tried the models over several flights
in four aircraft and one helicopter. Both appear to be sturdy and
well-constructed. Both are shipped with padded over-the-ear cups
and headband cushions.
The G2 ANR weighs in at 19 ounces. That's heavier than higherpriced competitors, but I didn't find the additional weight to be
uncomfortable.
Noise reduction was good. FARO claims it to be up to 52 decibels.
An included audio cable allows you to listen to auxiliary audio
on your portable device. Auxiliary audio can't be muted during

radio communications, so you will need to adjust the volume
accordingly.
The unit operates on two AA alkaline batteries. It doesn't
feature Bluetooth capability or automatic shutoff, but those are
nice-to-haves that a lot of pilots won't miss.
The G2 PNR weighs 13 ounces. Noise reduction was very good
for a passive headset, and sound fidelity was reasonable. The
noise-reduction rating is claimed to be up to 26 db. The PNR also
has auxiliary audio-a nice feature for a passive headset.
We did find that the microphones in both models were sensitive to boom position, affecting transmissions over the intercom
more so than radio transmissions.
Even so, these are nice options for the pilot who wants to try
out ANR or seeks a new passive headset for personal or passenger
use. FARO offers free shipping on orders over $100, free returns,
and a three-year total warranty.
Two additional models-the G3 ANR with Bluetooth and
automatic shutoff, and the AIR in-ear aviation headset-became
available in November 2015.
PRICE: $389.99 (G2 ANR); $189.99 (G2 PNR)
CONTACT: www.faroaviation.com
EMAIL jill.tallman@aopa.org

Extreme Glare Sunglasses
Polarizing performance
YOU HAVE A PROBLEM. You want the glare reduction of polarization but still want to see the screens in your cockpit. Extreme Glare
Sunglasses has what it says are shades that perform better than
polarization without the associated blank-out effect. We tried their
lenses and found them to work well in a variety of light conditions.
There are dozens of style options in both rose and gray lenses,
or you can send the company your favorite frames and have it make
custom lenses. This is the most cost-effective option, and it gives

you great frames
with great lenses.
Rose gives excellent definition to the outside
world, and gray keeps the rays at bay.
-Ian J. Twombly
PRICE: Varies by style
CONTACT: www.extremeglaresunglasses.com

LIGHTSPEED GOES CORDLESS
Lightspeed has added the Tango wireless aviation headset that transmits aircraft audio from
a panel interface to the headset. The system
can interface with other devices as well for inflight music. Introduced in November 2015, the
headset is $800. The headset has active noise
reduction. The link to the panel is neither Blue-

36 | AOPA PILOT January 2016

tooth nor Wi-Fi. Lithium batteries power both
the panel interface unit and the headset, and
are the same battery model. The batteries can
be recharged in two hours for a full charge and
will power both units for 12 hours. The headset
ships with a two-port wall charger to charge both
batteries at the same time. Also included are

cables to link personal devices to the headset.
Should a battery fail in flight, the transmitter
unit can be linked by cable to the headset. The
headsets are in production now and are available
for pre-order.
WEB

www.lightspeed.com

http://www.faroaviation.com http://www.extremeglaresunglasses.com http://www.lightspeed.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2016