The green headset has arrived. After passing my checkride I decided to get myself a present. I went with a brand new headset the  David Clark H10-13.4. I needed another set anyway so I could use my existing Lightspeed Solo SSc’s for passengers. The headset arrived in a simple box with the headset and the green shirt clip.

At first glance the construction of the headset is superb. In comparison to the Lightspeed’s it feels much stronger and better built (keep in mind it is twice the price). The head pad is large and comfortable. The ear cushions are large and make a great seal around the ears. They are made of a glossy type of rubber which I think might become a tad annoying with sweat in the summer. Fortunately, DC addresses this problem with the purchase of fabric ear pad covers. I picked mine up from Sporty’s for $8.

Incredibly light-weight and comfortable, the H10-13.4 is David Clark’s lightest headset, weighing in at just 16.5 oz. Super-soft, double-foam head pad, gel-filled ear seals and reduced headband force combine to create one of the most comfortable headsets available. Other features include volume control knob with detents, flexible boom, M-7A amplified electret microphone. All this in a TSO’d headset with an NRR of 23dB. Made in USA. from Sporty’s

In conclusion after 4+ hours of flight I love the headset. While I actually like the Lightspeed’s for their slightly lighter weight and tad better sound proofing, I prefer the David Clark’s. The design of the Lightspeed’s wire continually poked me in the shoulder. Overall the H10-13.4’s are durable, sound great, and fit great. And they should last me quite a while.

Hilton Software has released an update for the AOPA Airports Blackberry program. The program is a free download for any AOPA member. The new update finally has a key piece of information that was lacking in version 1.0.

The runway traffic pattern is now displayed when you view the runway section.

Another new feature is DUATS integration. It appears that there is flight plan filing now in the program. I say appears because when I click on it a dialog pops up that says “subscription required”. So I am assuming it is a paid feature.

Key Features

• Radio Frequencies / Phone numbers
• Location – Coords, Variation, Elevation
• Runway details – Length, Direction, TPA
• Airport diagrams
• FBO Info and numbers
• Local services – Hotels, Tourist, etc

Overall I think the program is great. It is easy to read and use. The loading time is quick and it has never crashed on me. It now contains all of the information you would get in a standard paper book A/FD. Just like the book you can update the database every 60 days to get the latest info.

To download it point your mobile browser to:
http://www.aopa.org/mobiledirectory