Lightspeed Tango wireless headset review (U-174 helicopter version)

In short...

Pros:

1. Its wireless!  If you don't like cords, or if you move around inside and outside the aircraft a lot, you will love it!

2. Its cheap for a Lightspeed!

3. No batteries to change!  

Cons:

1. About those batteries... you will be charging BOTH parts of this headset every time you fly, just imagine you have another cell phone, or two.  

2. Unforgivable design flaw in the headset charging port. More on this in the detailed review below.  

3. Slightly bigger and bulkier than some other headsets.  

I was intrigued when I first saw the news of Lightspeed's new wireless Tango headset.  Since I became our company's "consumer beta tester" for this model, and since guys at work keep asking me about it, I figured I'd write my own review, as I did with the Telex Stratus Heli-XT headset a few years back.  

I fly heavy and medium helicopters in the Gulf of Mexico (S92 and S76).  I have two David Clark headsets and a Telex headset that I use as backups.  I traded in a five year old Bose X headset and purchased the Tango from Aircraft Spruce, who offered $275 trade in for the Bose (I believe they offer up to $400, quite a bit more for the fixed-wing model of the same headset) which brought my total out of pocket cost down to around $525 from the going price of $800 for the Tango.  

The Tango comes with a very nice semi-hard headset case with separate compartments for the panel interface (Lightspeed's term for the part that plugs into the ICS) and the headset itself.  There is also a zippered compartment in the case that fits the dual charging cord which allows you to charge both components at the same time off of one wall plug.  For those who will be using multiple Tangos, Lightspeed includes a set of colored tags, presumably so that you can keep track of which headset goes with which panel interface.  

Controls are pretty simple and straightforward.  The panel interface has a button to turn the headset on and off, and a button to turn the Bluetooth feature on and off.  On the headset, there is a button on the mike side to turn the headset on and off, and a button on the opposite side to activate the Com Priority feature which interrupts the Bluetooth feed when radio or ICS messages come across the headset.  In addition, the entire "cap" on the side opposite the mike is a big volume up/down switch.  The earcups are not left/right specific, and the mike boom can be thrown over the top, so you can wear the boom wherever it is comfortable, as long as you remember which side the controls are on!  And of course, since there is no cord, you can have the mike on whichever side you'd prefer.  

When first turning on the headset, you first turn on the panel interface and Bluetooth if needed, then turn on the headset.  A little different since the components are not physically connected, but after you turn it on once it's no big deal.  Both components will activate auto shutoff after a fixed period of time, or when the ICS is powered off in the case of the panel interface.  

The panel interface has two cords.  Both are braided for extra strength and both are capable of being coiled up neatly within the panel interface.  The first cord hooks into the ICS system, the second cord is a mini stereo plug that is only used in the event of a wireless failure.  This mini cord is made to be rapidly pulled out of its holder so that you can connect it to the headset and restore communications.  Apart from that, there is a charging port (mini or micro USB?) and another port to plug in additional audio devices.  I keep my panel interface cord wound up all the way, which leaves a few inches of cord exposed, and then leave the interface on the ICS panel or stuff it in a gear bag.  Other than turning it on, you really never need to mess with it, the volume controls being on the headset itself.  

Both components are powered by identical rechargeable lithium ion batteries, which are rumored to be proprietary Lightspeed items.  In theory, this gives both components nearly identical battery run times.  Claimed battery life is up to 12 hours.  On days when I have flown in excess of 6 hours with associated taxi and ground time, and the Bluetooth running wide open, I have never experienced a low battery or power failure*.  Both batteries can be fully charged in around two hours.  Lightspeed recommends that the headset be charged after every flight, with a note that the headset is better stored long term in a partially charged state than a fully charged state. 

* Full disclosure - the first time I used the headset I did not fully charge it out of the box, because I mistook the battery state light to be fully charged (green) when it was only partially charged (kinda amber, kinda green).  The wireless failed after around 4 hours and I plugged in the backup cord and continued.  Now I understand the battery status light has to be VERY VERY GREEN before the set is FULLY charged! 

The headset itself is comfortable and light, though bulkier than other Lightspeed designs.  The adjustment of the earcups for head size is kind of different... the adjustment seems to pull out of the headband more horizontally than vertically as with all other headsets I've flown.  Lightspeed has a video out there on YouTube describing how to get the proper fit out of their headsets.  Though the video does not describe the unique adjustment of the Tango, the principles are the same.  I have found that snugging up the headset particularly at the bottom of the ears does make a pretty big difference in the quality and volume of the audio, especially from the Bluetooth feed.  

If I understand Lightspeed's manual correctly, the wireless audio connection is digital IN and analog OUT in order to provide a more "wired" sidetone.  Some other reviewers have complained about a very different sidetone from this headset but it really has not bothered me.  I do notice a louder sidetone when I key the ICS vs. when I speak over the vox, but that's about it.  

The headset charging part has been a point of contention in other reviews, and I can see why once I saw the headset charging setup.  The mini/micro USB charging port for the headset is INSIDE the cap on the mike side adjacent the battery, beneath a flimsy battery door.  The picture below shows the headset charging cord plugged in on the lower left of the picture with the battery status light just above.  

The door is both flimsy and difficult to snap open.  It is very easy to accidentally turn the headset on (little black button at the top of the picture) when trying to get the battery door open.  And you have to do this EVERY TIME you finish using the headset.  Lightspeed needs to fix this when the .01 version of this headset comes out, or hire a full time guy to replace battery doors for irate Tango owners.  

But wait, there's more... as near as I can figure, Lightspeed CHANGED THEIR MINDS as to this setup somewhere in the design process, as in the picture below, bottom right, is a covered up blank in the back of the battery door that would have allowed you to plug the charger straight through the door and never have to open it!  

I can only guess that in the battle of form vs. function, sleek design won big.  It's pretty to be sure, but I sure would have appreciated an accessible charging port, somewhere, ANYWHERE on the headset.  Happily, on the panel interface, you just stick a charger into a port on the side of the interface and you are done.  

Blah blah, so how does the wireless work?  Quite well in fact.  When I first flew this headset what I really wanted to know is what the range was like.  Feet?  Inches?  Much better than I expected.  

What makes this headset so ideal for a two pilot aircraft is that one pilot can be outside the aircraft and hear all the radio and ICS traffic just as if he were tethered to the ICS.  This is absolutely invaluable during ground operations.  The only thing that would make it better is if the headset had a toggle switch to allow you to key the ICS and radio.  But since you can use the vox function, you can still have two way communication.  

Wireless range under normal conditions is probably 20-30 feet or so.  In one extreme case I had a digital signal (audio in) from 100 feet or more across the ramp with the aircraft not running.  But more commonly, I can have perfectly clear audio all the way in the back of the aircraft (S92, essentially 7 rows back in the cabin) or about halfway to the back of the aircraft when standing outside with the aircraft at ground idle.  You never have to remove your headset while loading or offloading passengers.  Very cool.  

There is some noise heard over the ICS by the other pilots/crew when your wireless signal cuts out and rejoins, but everybody adjusts pretty quickly. 

I don't know that I'd be as excited about the wireless feature if I was flying single pilot and never exiting the aircraft until shutdown.  It all depends on how much you hate the cords.  If cords get in your way while strapping in, and if your headset cord is always hanging up on your survival vest/life vest/silk scarves/air medals, this may be the headset for you!  

Lightspeed customer service is legendary, and I feel that if I do have any issues that the company will address them.  Years ago I had a Lightspeed 25XL and I found that to be the case then.  

I hope you have found this review informative, and if you have any questions, please post them as a comment and I will do my best to answer them.  I will post updates to this review if I experience any issues down the road.  

Space Ship Two goes to FL710

Empty Eagle

Unmanned F-16s, coming to a restricted area near you!

As Stupid Does, Part 2

I hope that it does not get any stupider than this.  For some reason, the FAA has taken an interest in this incident! 

As Stupid Does, Part 1

I have long admired the ability of the USAF to conduct extremely thorough investigations that never quite get to the point.  Their Public Affairs people can always find work in DC. 

On the other hand, we see the everyday utility of having a strategic airlifter that can fly in and out of small airfields! 

Full story on Flying Magazine at this link. 

French Air Strikes in Mali

The French Air Force has released video of two air strikes on enemy positions in Mali.  The second appears to be a helicopter strike.  Don't know what type of ordnance was used in the first strike but it was BIG.  H/T David Cenciotti at The Aviationist. 

Biden on Gun Control

More video with commentary from Tim at Military Arms Channel.  Eight minutes long but worth it! 

Brother Joe's Gun-Buying Advice

And here I thought he was out to ban guns...

What's a Sturmgewehr?

People who believe in gun buy-back problems may be a little confused.  And then there is this nice lady that took a StG44 to a gun buy-back program in CT.  Keep in mind that this predates Sandy Hook and this should give you some idea of the anti-gun cluelessness that pervades the northeast.  Truly breathtaking.

Sturmgewehr 44 Saved From Police Buy Back Program

Best Headline of 2013

I really hope this headline was written unintentionally... at any rate, this is something that both parties would agree with.  

US Pays Tribute to King as Obama Begins New Term

Real Aviators

Despite the technological advancements in aviation, the birds still have us beat by a mile!  And that's with a camera on their backs!  

I Feel Better Now

You heard the man, don't buy that malarkey.  

It's all for the Children

Say what you like about Dianne Feinstein, she has been consistent over the years on one particular topic.  

The EC225 Problem - A Summary

Eurocopter, the EC225 Super Puma, and its operators and passengers have a problem in the North Sea.  

Though the Super Puma has served as a safe and reliable aircraft for decades, a change in manufacturing processes of the bevel gear vertical shaft in the main transmission has caused two notable failures this year alone, resulting in two controlled ditchings with no injuries, but two aircraft in the water nonetheless.  

The bevel gear vertical shaft is manufactured in two pieces which are welded together.  It is at this point that the gear fails, which causes both transmission oil pumps to go offline.  To further complicate the already critical situation of no oil pressure while inflight AND overwater, the emergency backup lubrication system displays false indications that the BACKUP system has failed.  The crews therefore have no prudent options other than landing on the water and letting the accident investigators sort out the details.  Happily in both instances the sea states and weather conditions were such that everyone was able to be recovered safely, which is the best case scenario in the often harsh conditions of the North Sea.  

After the first accident in May of 2012, Eurocopter initiated an investigation and believed that they had isolated and dealt with the failing component, and assured customers that the aircraft was safe to fly.  Then in October of 2012, only five months later, a nearly identical ditching occured.  Operators and regulators elected to ground all EC225s until more definite action can be taken to fix the gearbox issue, and Eurocopter had a credibility crisis on their hands.  

As of the time of this writing, several EC225s with older model vertical shafts have resumed operations in the North Sea, while all others remain grounded.  The best guess for when these aircraft will return to service is February 2013.  In the meantime, operators are doubling up on the flight time on their remaining aircraft, to include Sikorsky S92s (which carry a similar passenger load) and Agusta AW139s.  

An "Assault Weapons" Primer

Though the video is over twenty years old, the subject is eerily familiar. Decades later, many among us still think that the best way to prevent psychopaths from killing children is to treat all gun owners as potential psychopaths. Didn't work then, didn't work in CT, won't work anywhere else.  

In the wake of the Stockton Schoolyard Shooting of 1989, a police firearms instructor in CA explains the difficulties in defining "assault weapons" and demonstrates how a nondescript hunting rifle can become an "assault weapon" with the addition of a few cosmetic features... with no difference in lethality.  




For those who would disagree with the assertion that gun owners would be treated as potential psychopaths under proposed legislation, please see the below highlights of Senator Feinstein's new bill... straight off her website.  

Following is a summary of the 2013 legislation:

• Bans the sale, transfer, importation, or manufacturing of:
• 120 specifically-named firearms
• Certain other semiautomatic rifles, handguns, shotguns that can accept a detachable magazine and have one military characteristic
• Semiautomatic rifles and handguns with a fixed magazine that can accept more than 10 rounds
• Strengthens the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban and various state bans by:
• Moving from a 2-characteristic test to a 1-characteristic test
• Eliminating the easy-to-remove bayonet mounts and flash suppressors from the characteristics test
• Banning firearms with “thumbhole stocks” and “bullet buttons” to address attempts to “work around” prior bans
• Bans large-capacity ammunition feeding devices capable of accepting more than 10 rounds. 
• Protects legitimate hunters and the rights of existing gun owners by:
• Grandfathering weapons legally possessed on the date of enactment
• Exempting over 900 specifically-named weapons used for hunting or sporting purposes and
• Exempting antique, manually-operated, and permanently disabled weapons
• Requires that grandfathered weapons be registered under the National Firearms Act, to include:
• Background check of owner and any transferee;
• Type and serial number of the firearm;
• Positive identification, including photograph and fingerprint;
• Certification from local law enforcement of identity and that possession would not violate State or local law; and
• Dedicated funding for ATF to implement registration

Assault Weapons Bans are STUPID

Which of the following two rifles do you think would be banned by an ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN?  

Rifle #1

Rifle #2

If you guessed rifle #2, you have drunk the Kool Aid.  Trick question.  

Rifle #1 and #2 are both Ruger 10-22s, of which millions have been sold and thousands have learned to shoot with.  Rifle #2 has been modified with the ProMag Archangel Kit, a popular modification of the standard 10-22 rifle, which ships with an equally frightening plastic bayonet.  

Though it looks really scary to people who know nothing about guns, there is ZERO difference in the lethality of the weapon itself, it fires the exact same .22 caliber cartridge.  Though fuzzy squirrels nationwide might prefer the smaller ten round magazine of the unmodified 10-22.  

How about this one? 

Rifle #3

Not too intimidating you say?  This is a pair of M14s, which have been in military service since the 1960s and were used extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan as sniper rifles.  Some variants were fully automatic.  It is not a "military style" rifle, it IS a military rifle.  It fires the 7.62x51 cartridge, which is just a LITTLE bit bigger and more lethal than the .22 fired by the 10-22 series, see below...

I'd much rather be shot at with the .22 on the right than the 7.62x51, second from left.  Happily for us and the gun fearing populace, the same characteristics that make the M14 a highly effective sniper rifle also make it unwieldy, heavy, loud, expensive, rare, and therefore unlikely to be used in a crime. Much like millions of Ruger 10-22s, with or without modifications.   

The last "assault weapons ban" banned cosmetic features of weapons, deemed threatening by congress members who neither tolerate nor understand firearms.  Their aim is to ban any type of guns that they are able.  Do you think the president's task force will go after other causes of mass murder as hard as they will go after guns?  Wait and see.  

Telex Stratus Heli-XT ANR headset review

Update 05/2016: Please check out my most recent review for the Lightspeed Tango Wireless Headset helicopter version.  

Hard to find reviews on this item, so I am writing my own.  Skygeek's price is the best I have found on this item.  

For what its worth, I own two DC headsets, a converted H10-40 and a passive H10-56, and a Bose X.  I primarily fly S76s and 407s in the gulf.  

The Heli-XT is slightly bigger than most headsets.  Normally not a problem but when you turn your head you can bang it on head cushions, etc. at times.  Many headsets leave you with extra cord dangling around the cockpit but this coiled cord is just the right length with not a lot of slack.  The earcups are not left and right specific so you can just throw the mike boom over the top and hook in on whichever side is closest to the ICS plug.  

The AA batteries are consumed at a pretty fast rate.  Use rechargeables.  My headset came with two 2450 mAh AA rechargable batts AND a charger that hooks directly into the battery compartment, so unless you want a wall charger you will already be set up.  

Passive protection is excellent due to the big ear cushions.  The ANR is not as aggressive as some higher end sets but it does improve the audio quality.  If the batteries and ANR temporarily run out, its not a big deal because of the high degree of passive protection.  

Headband clamping force is pretty firm (and adjustable), but not uncomfortable.  I have a pretty big noggin and wearing it for six hours straight does not cause any problems.  

Volume level can be adjusted very high, which I love since I fly with earplugs also, and other headsets I have flown can be difficult to hear with earplugs in.  

Audio quality clear in and out.  We'll see how it holds up over the long term but so far I am very happy with this purchase.  

*** Update 4/2016

Over the past three plus years, the Heli-XT headset has held up quite well, flying 300-400 hours per year in commercial use.  It has never been in for repair but I replaced the ear cushions once when the foam finally wore through!  This is not a top-of-the-line headset but is a very capable and functional headset that should meet the needs of most pilots, and at a very good price.  

I have never used the charger that plugs directly into the headset to charge the batteries, it was easier for me to purchase an Energizer or Eveready wall charger (with included batteries) and keep one set of batteries in the headset and the other set as a backup.  You will not have a hard time figuring out when the headset batteries are low, if you miss the flashing red light, you will hear a lot of strange noises and then static in the headset as the batteries give up the last of their charge.  

Over the last few months, I have experienced some problems with the power button while turning the ANR on and off, and wear on the battery door which causes the battery door to fall off by itself sometimes, but the ANR still works well.  I emailed Telex customer service for instructions on returning the headset for a factory refurb but they never did email me back.  I plan on keeping this headset as a spare, and buying a Lightspeed Tango for my new primary headset, review to follow!  

Some Help for Brother Joe...

When you are serious about solving a problem, you give it to the man who can make it happen... Vice President Joe Biden.  

With that in mind, President Obama has volunteered VP Biden to head up a task force to ram through anti-gun legislation... I mean "provide immediate recommendations about how to reduce gun violence".  

Being that Vice President Biden is a busy and thoughtful guy, I would like to forward some recommendations as a place to start.  

1. Hope nobody remembers that "Fast and Furious" thing.  

2. Ensure that any proposed legislation fails to differentiate between legal gun owners and mass murders.  Demand further gun control while mentioning some blah blah about the complexity of the issue, mental health, etc.    

3. Do your best to ignore that the rumor of further gun restrictions has caused the biggest run on "assault weapons", high capacity magazines, and ammunition in recent memory.  

4. Develop a sub-task force to invent more scary terms like "high-powered assault weapon" and allow career anti-gunners in congress to define same.  

5. Seek to introduce "sensible legislation" that places limitations on any other constitutional amendments as may apply. Freedom of speech?  Unreasonable search and seizure?  Self incrimination?  Poll taxes?  Put them all on the table. It's for the children after all.  

6. Above all, pass some legislation to exploit the Sandy Hook mass murders while the polls favor what you have wanted to do all the time anyway.  

No Guns Here...

In the wake of the Sandy Hook mass murders, it is often difficult to separate truth from fiction between the warring factions.  Here to help you think is NY Senator Charles Schumer, who yesterday said, of NRA Executive VP Wayne LaPierre:

"LaPierre "blames everything but guns, movies, the media, President Obama, gun-free school zones, you name it, the video games, he blames them," Schumer said. "Now, trying to prevent shootings in schools without talking about guns is like trying to prevent lung cancer without talking about cigarettes."

With apologies to Candy Crowley, I'd like to correct the Senator on a couple of points.  LaPierre did indeed mention the president FOUR times in his official remarks.  Three of them were to point out that the president, as well as members of congress, are themselves protected by armed security, but that they think that denying the same protection to your children in schools makes them SAFER.  The fourth mention was this:

Ladies and gentlemen, there is no national, one-size-fits-all solution to protecting our children. But do know this President zeroed out school emergency planning grants in last year's budget, and scrapped "Secure Our Schools" policing grants in next year's budget.

At this point, at least half of you should probably stop reading, as hearing for the first time the actual message that LaPierre delivered may cause painful cognitive dissonance.  Return to your TV and what LaPierre REALLY MEANT to say will be repeated to you for the next few days, as part of the greater campaign against high capacity magazines, military style weapons, gun owners, and the second amendment.  

As to his point that LaPierre doesn't talk about guns, there are TWENTY mentions of guns in the official remarks.  Here are a few of them and I hope that you might agree with at least some of his points...

As brave, heroic and self-sacrificing as those teachers were in those classrooms, and as prompt, professional and well-trained as those police were when they responded, they were unable — through no fault of their own — to stop it.

As parents, we do everything we can to keep our children safe. It is now time for us to assume responsibility for their safety at school. The only way to stop a monster from killing our kids is to be personally involved and invested in a plan of absolute protection. The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. Would you rather have your 911 call bring a good guy with a gun from a mile away ... or a minute away?

Now, I can imagine the shocking headlines you'll print tomorrow morning: "More guns," you'll claim, "are the NRA's answer to everything!" Your implication will be that guns are evil and have no place in society, much less in our schools. But since when did the word "gun" automatically become a bad word?

A gun in the hands of a Secret Service agent protecting the President isn't a bad word. A gun in the hands of a soldier protecting the United States isn't a bad word. And when you hear the glass breaking in your living room at 3 a.m. and call 911, you won't be able to pray hard enough for a gun in the hands of a good guy to get there fast enough to protect you.

So why is the idea of a gun good when it's used to protect our President or our country or our police, but bad when it's used to protect our children in their schools? They're our kids. They're our responsibility. And it's not just our duty to protect them — it's our right to protect them.

A brave new world for Army maintenance...

Hold the phones and stop the presses... the Army Research Laboratory has developed NEW aircraft maintenance technologies for the FAA.  

Before we send out the thank you notes, what exactly are these cutting edge and heavily researched technologies that our taxpayer-funded researchers hath wrought?  
The first one is the Health and Usage Monitoring System, or HUMS for short.  This quite valuable and capable system collects data from various sensors on helicopters which aims to predict impending failures of critical components.  It was developed by... wait for it... helicopter operators in the offshore oil industry.  And we have had it fielded in our civilian helicopter fleet for many years.

The second and even more technically advanced system that is sure to rock the civil rotorcraft industry is called "Condition Based Maintenance" or CBM.  For the less technically inclined, CBM means "replacing parts when they need to be replaced" which will eventually supercede the former Army system of "time-scheduled maintenance" or "replacing parts regardless of whether they need to be replaced".  

In practice, CBM states that you will regularly inspect certain components and replace them when necessary, while time scheduled maintenance means your maintainers spend countless man hours removing components at set times regardless of the condition.  Quite like changing your engine every 3,000 miles instead of changing the oil.  This is known in some quarters as "wasteful", "pointless" "stupid" and "a grievous waste of time and money".  

This is why civilian operators, with limited budgets and clients with limited patience, have been doing condition based maintenance for years, with strict governmental oversight.  

Some in the military will argue that time scheduled maintenance has historically been necessary because of the size of Army aircraft, the stress on components, the pace of operations, blah blah and so forth.  This argument works best on those who believe that the Army is the sole repository of aviation knowledge on the planet and think that an aircraft with 10,000 hours belongs on a pole in front of a museum.  

I would argue that the Army pays thousands of people millions of dollars to keep hundreds of aircraft broke most of the time, and that they are idiots with unlimited funding who think they know everything.  Regardless of how you might feel about this, I would bet you a paycheck that most civilian companies would be out of business by lunchtime if they managed maintenance like the Army.

I will further argue that the most outside-the-box thinkers in the Army probably brought these long standing civilian processes and systems under the Army umbrella, relabeled them with a cool sounding acronym, and then got themselves a nice OER bullet out of it.  

Glad to see the greatest minds in the Army are slowly catching up, and I can't wait to see what they come up with next.