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Updated: Aug 22, 2026

Modified Experimental Conditions for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Mice and Assessment of Hearing Function and Outer Hair Cell Damage
Published on: February 10, 2023
[Effect of fighter cockpit noise on pilot hearing]
Abstract:
In order to describe quantitatively the pilots' hearing injury by noise in fighter cockpit, the noise level was measured in the cockpit. The temporary threshold shift (TTS) was studied in 20 healthy young man and permanent threshold shift was examined in 166 fighter pilots. The results showed that noise level in cockpit was 110 dBA and TTS after 2 min noise exposure decreased significantly and reached 13 dB at a certain frequency. Its recovery course is faster in low frequency part and language frequency part than that in high frequency part. It was also found that 56% of the 166 pilots suffered from high frequency hearing loss and the percentage increased with flight time. The feature of hearing loss is that it occurs in high frequency at first, then in language frequency, forming a "V" shaped depression at 6 000 Hz. It indicates that cockpit noise may cause permanent threshold shift of hearing.
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