Hearing aids / Cochlear implant in the cockpit!

[JOhnH]

I wasn't sure where to put this. I have another thread on this topic but I didn't want anyone interested to have to wade through all the speculation and bad advice.
This works!

If you have bluetooth enabled hearing aids (or cochlear implant) and you have a "MiniMIc" you can stream directly from your audio panel to your hearing device.

The only other thing you need is this $4 device:

Amazon.com

All you have to do is plug this adapter into 1/4 inch headphone jack instead of the plug from your headset. Plug in the "transmit" plug so you can talk.
Plug your 3.5 mm cable from the MiniMIc into the adapter and turn it on (and do whatever your device requires to activate the external audio source).
You will probably also need to plug the power cord into the minimic. Mine is a USB to MicroUSB cord.

I haven't had "normal" hearing in years, but I think this is even better than normal hearing. It adds an extra layer of noise reduction because it doesn't pick up all the ambient noise. Only the digital audio is transmitted.
You still need to have a headset that covers the behind-the-ear piece of your hearing aid. My LIghtspeed DZ works great.
One last note: When I had my Cochlear implant done I took my headset in so the surgeon could mark where to place the magnet so it didn't interfere with the ear muff.

I hope this helps somebody else.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask her or PM me.

edit: I need to clear something up. I HOPE I haven't jumped the gun in my excited rush to post this. I guess for most of you this is irrelevant, but to people like me, it is highly relevant and exciting. I went to the hangar, turned on the com devices and tested this on the ground, but I only tested the ability to hear, and to see if the adapter would work. I did not test what happens if I actually try to transmit. Will there be feedback if I try to talk while the mini mic is doing the audio receiving? I can't honestly say yet. I'll try again this weekend on an actual flight.

 

[Joe_B]

This is wonderful news. Thanks for sharing.

Couple of questions:
1. Do you suggest shutting off the microphone on the MiniMic blue tooth streamer, to minimize cockpit noise transmission to your hearing aid and Cochlear implant?
2. Is the MiniMic able to connect simultaneously to both your hearing aid and Cochlear implant (I take it you had one of each), or only one device at a time?
3. Do you hear a confusing "echo" when you speak or transmit via your headset microphone, due to the the slight delay with the blue tooth streaming vs headset side-tone?

I have moderate to profound hearing loss and have experimented with a cheap blue tooth audio streamer (not a MiniMic) directly to my hearing aids. The incoming audio was wonderfully clear, thanks to the conditioning of the sound by my blue tooth hearing aids, but I had horrible echo when I pressed push-to-talk. The transmit side-tone "echo" was so confusing, it made it nearly impossible for me to transmit. Really hoping the MiniMic solves that problem.

BTW, I'm being evaluated for Cochlear implant(s) myself, and ask you to please continue sharing your observations and suggestions for pilots with hearing aids and/or Cochlear implants, so that we may continue enjoying our PIC privileges in controlled airspace.

 

[JOhnH]

This is wonderful news. Thanks for sharing.

Couple of questions:
1. Do you suggest shutting off the microphone on the MiniMic blue tooth streamer, to minimize cockpit noise transmission to your hearing aid and Cochlear implant?
2. Is the MiniMic able to connect simultaneously to both your hearing aid and Cochlear implant (I take it you had one of each), or only one device at a time?
3. Do you hear a confusing "echo" when you speak or transmit via your headset microphone, due to the the slight delay with the blue tooth streaming vs headset side-tone?

I have moderate to profound hearing loss and have experimented with a cheap blue tooth audio streamer (not a MiniMic) directly to my hearing aids. The incoming audio was wonderfully clear, thanks to the conditioning of the sound by my blue tooth hearing aids, but I had horrible echo when I pressed push-to-talk. The transmit side-tone "echo" was so confusing, it made it nearly impossible for me to transmit. Really hoping the MiniMic solves that problem.

BTW, I'm being evaluated for Cochlear implant(s) myself, and ask you to please continue sharing your observations and suggestions for pilots with hearing aids and/or Cochlear implants, so that we may continue enjoying our PIC privileges in controlled airspace.

I put an edit on my original post to clarify this. @Joe_B pointed out something that I didn't test. I'll update as soon as I get a chance to test it in flight while transmitting.

 

[Southpaw]

I Also have severe hearing loss . I have a Bose 20 head set that works better with my hearing aids out. It seems the double amplification of sound is a problem.
My Hearing aids are behind the ear with speakers in the ear.
Listening to phone is difficult. My cell phone with blue tooth to hearing aids is only way I can hear a phone conversation, or listen to music.
Those who know me text to phone if they want to receive answers that make sense.

 

[JOhnH]

I Also have severe hearing loss . I have a Bose 20 head set that works better with my hearing aids out. It seems the double amplification of sound is a problem.
My Hearing aids are behind the ear with speakers in the ear.
Listening to phone is difficult. My cell phone with blue tooth to hearing aids is only way I can hear a phone conversation, or listen to music.
Those who know me text to phone if they want to receive answers that make sense.

You should ask you audiologist about Cochlear Implants. Mine has been suggesting them for years but I kept putting it off because it was such a big, irreversible step. I finally got one and now wonder why I waited so long. I am scheduled to have my second one in April. I "almost" feel normal around people these days. And I can hear ATC!

 

[Checkout_my_Six]

I have moderate hearing loss in one ear and contemplated getting the Baha implants....similar to the Cochlear. It required minor surgery to install a post to the skull for the device to clip on and transmit sound to the bone. I didn't really want to go thru with that.

I ended up getting "in-ear" hearing aids....the kind with molds. They bluetooth to my phone and are wonderful with canceling out noise I don't want to hear. I take them out when I fly and use a cheap in-ear noise canceling phones.

UFQ ANR L2 Hi-Lite in Ear Aviation Headset on Amazon.​

 

[JOhnH]

If you can still function in public, then you may not be ready for implants. It is a big and irreversible decision. I was ok in quiet areas with a few people, but restaurants were impossible (if you want to join a conversation, or even hear the waiter). Meetings were just as bad since so many people tend to talk at once, and so many conference rooms and theaters have awful acoustics. No way I could talk on a phone without bt streaming. When I got to the point where I had no idea what ATC or ASIS was saying, I made the decision, and I am so glad I did.

 

[Checkout_my_Six]

I'm not that bad....but without the in-ear molds I couldn't pump enough sound in my right ear without getting feed back. Once we went with the molds....we could up the volume to get things at an acceptable level. They weren't making any promises. But they work. And yes, restaurants, large gatherings, and meetings were impossible before the aids.
I guess it depends on the kind of losses you have....bad transmission losses require either BAHA or Cochlear implants. You just can't pump enough volume into the ear to get transmission to the nerves.