David Clark H10-30

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Fallsrider

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Fallsrider
For you flying gurus...

Four or five years ago, a gentleman I know passed away from cancer. I had gotten to know him some at church before his death. I knew him as an auto mechanic, but in his earlier life, he flew jets for American Airlines to Brazil. I guess he enjoyed all my questions, conversations, and curiosity about his flying, because a few months before he died, he surprised me at church one day and gave me his H10-30 headset. It has sentimental value, but how good a headset is it? I will always keep it, but if it is a good quality headset, I will also plan on using it during future training. Just curious if it would make a good first headset? Thanks.
 
Just bought myself a pair for my PPL Flight Training. They are 'The Best Budget Aviation Headset Money can buy' according to many I have spoken to. They are passive reduction of sound which means there is no electrical system in the headset for noise reduction, but they are comfy and have a nice wrap around the ear to protect hearing
 
I still have a couple sets in my garage. As good as it gets for non-ANR headsets. Gel ear seals are miserable in the cold but other than that they’re keepers. You can improve noise reduction with an Oregon Aero hush kit, and that includes leather ear seals.
 
If you look at the picture to your left you will see my D.C's.

They work just fine for me - happy to wear them on 7 hour cross countries.
 
For a PNR headset, they’re good. Pretty comfortable too.
 
David Clark still makes and sells that model. I think it's the most economical one available from them.
I have two of them I have owned for decades. Good, durable units, but have been surpassed over the years by lighter (H10-13.4) and more advanced noise-cancelling (H10-13XL and the One-X) David Clark models.

Perfectly good headset to use if you are training to fly.

My two sets of H10-30s are now used for the back row passengers in my Aztec.
 
Stewartb said:
I still have a couple sets in my garage. As good as it gets for non-ANR headsets. Gel ear seals are miserable in the cold but other than that they’re keepers. You can improve noise reduction with an Oregon Aero hush kit, and that includes leather ear seals.
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+1 for the Oregon Aero headset upgrade accessories.
I slip a set of their $11.00 cloth covers over their ear seals in winter.
 
GRG55 said:
David Clark still makes and sells that model. I think it's the most economical one available from them.
I have two of them I have owned for decades. Good, durable units, but have been surpassed over the years by lighter (H10-13.4) and more advanced noise-cancelling (H10-13XL and the One-X) David Clark models.

Perfectly good headset to use if you are training to fly.

My two sets of H10-30s are now used for the back row passengers in my Aztec.
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That's good to know. I knew they were not ANR, but it's good to know they are still pretty decent quality. Aside from the sentimental component, it would be great to use them for real. And yes, if it works out, it is also nice to know they can be used for wife/passengers at some point. Thanks everyone.
 
They've been around for years, you can get the little cloth covers and I know there used to be someone that sold a sheepskin headband for the top.
I bought my set in '84 and will never give them up, they've been through too many miles and memories.
 
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I've had mine for 34 years... Just recently I converted both sets to ANR (active noise reduction) So I expect to use them for the foreseeable future as well...
 
It's encouraging to hear what you all are saying about them.
 
Fallsrider said:
For you flying gurus...

Four or five years ago, a gentleman I know passed away from cancer. I had gotten to know him some at church before his death. I knew him as an auto mechanic, but in his earlier life, he flew jets for American Airlines to Brazil. I guess he enjoyed all my questions, conversations, and curiosity about his flying, because a few months before he died, he surprised me at church one day and gave me his H10-30 headset. It has sentimental value, but how good a headset is it? I will always keep it, but if it is a good quality headset, I will also plan on using it during future training. Just curious if it would make a good first headset? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Mine is decades old; you'd have to drive a stake through it's heart, then bury it at a crssroads at midnight, to kill it. I've replaced the ear seals a couple times, and every few years I clean the plugs with an eraser. I thnk DC may even convert one to ANR for a reasonable fee.
 
I inherited a pair of H10-30s with my Traveler almost 30 years ago. Indestructible. When the jack plugs got corroded I sent back to DC and they completely refurbished them with new connectors, earseals, etc. for something like $20. Crazy good service.

The H10-30s are pax headsets now, but still good passives.
 
Glad to hear all the good news. I was happy just to get the guy's headset from a sentimental standpoint. But to find out it's a very good quality one that probably still works great, that's all the better.
 
Fallsrider said:
For you flying gurus...

Four or five years ago, a gentleman I know passed away from cancer. I had gotten to know him some at church before his death. I knew him as an auto mechanic, but in his earlier life, he flew jets for American Airlines to Brazil. I guess he enjoyed all my questions, conversations, and curiosity about his flying, because a few months before he died, he surprised me at church one day and gave me his H10-30 headset. It has sentimental value, but how good a headset is it? I will always keep it, but if it is a good quality headset, I will also plan on using it during future training. Just curious if it would make a good first headset? Thanks.
Click to expand...
I have Bose A20's I bought in April. I flew 226 hours with my DC H10-30's. Before I bought my Halo's, if I had a friend flying with me, I'd let them use my Bose and I just use the DC's as they could never figure out how to use the MIC boom to talk. I think it is habit of non aviators to move the MIC away from their mouth. It could be the MIC pickup isn't as good as the Bose - but I also have a voice like Isaac Hayes (humble brag?) that carries on forever, penetrates lead walls, and can probably be heard at the ATC facility miles away without using a headset.

I have had the DC's since 2006. I might have replaced the ear cups once but cannot remember. If you drop the DC's nothing will happen, The Bose would probably shatter on impact if dropped from 6ft or higher onto the ground.
 
bill98 said:
I have Bose A20's I bought in April. I flew 226 hours with my DC H10-30's. Before I bought my Halo's, if I had a friend flying with me, I'd let them use my Bose and I just use the DC's as they could never figure out how to use the MIC boom to talk. I think it is habit of non aviators to move the MIC away from their mouth. It could be the MIC pickup isn't as good as the Bose - but I also have a voice like Isaac Hayes (humble brag?) that carries on forever, penetrates lead walls, and can probably be heard at the ATC facility miles away without using a headset.

I have had the DC's since 2006. I might have replaced the ear cups once but cannot remember. If you drop the DC's nothing will happen, The Bose would probably shatter on impact if dropped from 6ft or higher onto the ground.
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Nice to hear. Thanks!
 
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