Almost every student who shows up for their first training day at Carolina PPG brings the same thing to protect their hearing: nothing. Not because they don’t care — because nobody warned them.
We fix that on day one. We hand every trainee real hearing protection before they walk within twenty feet of a running paramotor, and by the end of the week most of them are asking what setup to buy for their own kit. This post is what we tell them.
If you’re considering paramotor training in North Carolina, or you’ve already booked a course and you’re looking at your gear list, read this before you spend a dollar on a helmet.
How Loud Is a Paramotor, Really?
Louder than you think. The Vittorazi Moster 185 — the most widely flown engine in the sport and the powerplant on the majority of paramotors sold today — sits inches behind your head and drives a propeller spinning at thousands of RPM. Vittorazi doesn’t publish an official decibel rating for the Moster 185 Plus, though the engine does ship with what they call a “Db-Killer” silencer as standard equipment (Vittorazi Moster 185 Plus user manual) — an acknowledgment that noise is a real design concern even on the quietest engines in the class.
The most-cited independent measurements come from the Arizona PPG club, which tested 14 different paramotors at the pilot’s head position and found an average of 118 dB(A) at full power and 105 dB(A) at cruise power (Arizona PPG paramotor sound pressure testing). Individual engines in that study ranged from 112 dB(A) on the quiet end to 123 dB(A) on the loud end at full throttle. The Moster 185 wasn’t in that specific test, but every 2-stroke engine of comparable displacement was — and they all cluster in the same range.
Here’s what those numbers mean in everyday terms:
| Sound source | Decibel level |
|---|---|
| Normal conversation | 60 dB |
| City traffic from inside a car | 85 dB |
| Motorcycle at 25 ft | 95 dB |
| Paramotor at cruise power (pilot’s ear) | ~105 dB |
| Paramotor at full throttle (pilot’s ear) | ~115–120 dB |
| Chainsaw | 120 dB |
| Ambulance siren | 120 dB |
| Jet engine at 100 ft | 140 dB |
That’s not an exaggeration — a paramotor at full throttle sits in the same range as a chainsaw held right next to your head, and it’s mounted six inches behind you for the entire flight.
What Happens to Your Hearing Without Protection
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) set the recommended safe exposure limit at 85 dBA averaged over 8 hours (CDC NIOSH noise exposure guidance). Every 3 dB increase above that cuts the safe exposure time roughly in half.
Do the math on a paramotor flight:
- At 85 dB → 8 hours before damage risk
- At 100 dB → 15 minutes
- At 115 dB → less than 1 minute
A 30-minute flight at cruise power with no hearing protection puts you well past the daily exposure limit — every single time you fly. And noise-induced hearing loss is cumulative and permanent. There’s no recovery, no reset button, no hearing aid that fully restores what you lose. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is blunt about it: “exposure over 85 decibels can damage your hearing” (OSHA occupational noise exposure).
The pilots we know who’ve been flying for 20+ years without proper protection all have one thing in common: they can’t hear their spouse from across the dinner table anymore.
Foam Plugs vs. Passive Headsets vs. Active Comms
Not all hearing protection is equal, and paramotoring has some specific requirements most consumer options don’t meet.
Foam earplugs
- Noise reduction: 25–33 dB (rated NRR)
- Cost: $5–$15
- The good: Cheap, disposable, better than nothing
- The bad: No radio communication, no music, muffled situational awareness, easy to seat incorrectly and lose 10+ dB of the rated protection
- Verdict: Emergency backup only. Fine if you forgot your gear and don’t want to skip a flight. Not a real solution.
Passive earmuff-style headsets
- Noise reduction: 22–31 dB (rated NRR)
- Cost: $80–$250
- The good: Consistent protection, easy to put on and off, integrates with some helmet designs
- The bad: No comms — you’re isolated from your instructor, other pilots, and any radio traffic
- Verdict: Better than plugs. Still leaves the biggest safety gap in paramotoring: you can’t hear a radio call.
Active communication systems (helmet + integrated headset)
- Noise reduction: 24–30 dB with active noise-canceling microphones
- Cost: $600–$1,400 for a complete setup
- The good: Two-way radio to your instructor and other pilots, Bluetooth for phone/GPS/music, ambient noise canceling on the mic so people can actually hear you talk, purpose-built for the paramotor cockpit
- The bad: Higher upfront cost, more setup to learn
- Verdict: This is what we fly. This is what we recommend every serious pilot buy after training.
The MicroAvionics PM-100 — What We Fly With
We stock and fly the MicroAvionics PM-100 because after trying most of what’s on the market, it’s the setup that solves every real problem a paramotor pilot has in the air. MicroAvionics is a UK-based company that builds purpose-designed comms for microlight and paramotor pilots — not a generic aviation headset repurposed for our sport.
The PM-100 is a stereo Bluetooth paramotor headset built specifically for the high-noise environment behind a two-stroke engine. Here’s what it actually does, straight from the official MicroAvionics PM-100 specifications and the PM-100 technical manual:
Hearing protection
- Twin-skinned ear defenders with soft gel ear seals — MicroAvionics describes the setup as “up to 3 times quieter than standard headsets”
- Electronic noise-filtering circuit on top of the passive protection
- High-specification waterproof noise-cancelling microphone with a large sponge wind muff — so the person on the other end of the radio actually hears you talk, not the engine behind you
Radio and communications
- User-configurable to work with any radio — the PM-100 isn’t locked to one brand
- Supports two radios at once (e.g. airband and PMR) with a built-in priority system: the master radio cuts through music, phone, and the second radio for safety
- PTT (push-to-talk) on the left earcup with an optional remote PTT lead if you’d rather mount it on a throttle
- Side tone — you hear your own voice while transmitting, which stops you from shouting and keeps radio calls clear
Bluetooth and audio
- Bluetooth stereo for music streaming and mobile calls — pair your phone as “MicroAvionics” and calls auto-answer after 1–2 rings
- Stereo line out for recording flight audio
- Built-in muting circuit so music, phone, and the second radio all duck automatically when the primary radio receives a call
Instructor intercom and Introductory Flight ready
- Tandem intercom lead — two PM-100 headsets can be linked so instructor and student (or pilot and passenger on an Introductory Flight) can talk in real time
Power and build
- NiMH battery with no memory effect, charged via a 9–14V DC jack (works off a 12V aircraft or automobile supply)
- Digital volume dial on the headset
- Auxiliary locking bayonet plug for accessory leads
The MicroAvionics PM-100 Bluetooth System we sell bundles the PM-100 with a paramotor helmet as a complete ready-to-fly package. It pairs cleanly with an Icaro Solar X Helmet or the AirXtreme JetCom Helmet depending on your fit, budget, and whether you want a full-face or open-face setup.
For pilots who want to run the PM-100 with a different helmet, it can be integrated into most EN 966-certified flight helmets — call us and we’ll help you spec it.
What to Look for in a Paramotor Helmet
Even the best headset in the world is useless mounted in a bad helmet. Four things matter:
EN 966 certification
This is the European standard for airborne sports helmets — it’s the certification that means the helmet was designed and tested for the loads and impact patterns a paramotor pilot actually experiences (forward-fall on takeoff, wing-strike on landing, prop-strike scenarios). Motorcycle helmets are not equivalent. Skydiving helmets are not equivalent. If it doesn’t say EN 966, don’t fly in it.
Fit
A helmet that’s too loose lets wind noise leak in around your ears, kills your headset’s noise reduction, and makes your mic sound like you’re speaking from inside a tornado. Get properly sized. If you’re buying online, use our sizing guide or call us.
Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) or SNR
Look for at least NRR 24 dB when combined with the integrated headset. Higher is better, but fit matters more than the rating on the box.
Comms compatibility
If you plan to fly with an instructor, in formation, or at events like ParaJam, you need a radio-ready setup. Confirm the helmet either includes an integrated comms system or can be retrofitted with one. Buying a helmet first and trying to add comms later is almost always more expensive than buying the bundle up front.
Our Recommended Setups
For students just starting out
Don’t buy anything before your first day of training. We provide hearing protection during your course so you can try what a real setup feels like in the air before you spend money. Most students purchase their own kit in the second half of training, once they know what fits their head and their flying style.
If you want to buy something small before day one for your own peace of mind, get a pair of NRR 30+ foam plugs and put them in your flight bag. Cheap, disposable, better than nothing on day one.
For newly trained pilots (your first purchase)
The MicroAvionics PM-100 Bluetooth Helmet + Headset System is what we recommend. One purchase covers helmet, hearing protection, and comms — and you’ll use it on every flight for the next decade.
For experienced pilots upgrading
If you’re already flying a solid EN 966 helmet and just want to add comms, the MicroAvionics PM-100 can be retrofitted. Give us a call at (336) 493-2244 and we’ll walk you through what you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I just use foam earplugs?
You can, but you shouldn’t rely on it. Foam plugs don’t let you hear your instructor, other pilots on the radio, or the specific sound cues in your engine that tell you something is wrong. They’re an emergency backup, not a real solution. Every trained paramotor pilot we know upgrades to a proper headset within their first year of flying.
Do I really need Bluetooth?
You don’t strictly need it, but once you have it you won’t fly without it. Bluetooth lets you run navigation apps, get weather updates in the air, and — for longer flights — listen to music without compromising your hearing. It also means you can take a phone call from your ground crew if you need to.
How much should I spend on a paramotor helmet and headset?
Plan on $600–$1,400 total for a complete helmet + integrated comms setup. It’s not the cheapest gear on your list, but it’s the one piece you’ll never regret spending money on. Your hearing doesn’t come back.
Will a motorcycle or ski helmet work?
No. Motorcycle helmets are heavy, block your upward peripheral vision (critical for wing awareness), and aren’t certified for the impact patterns paramotor accidents actually produce. Ski helmets aren’t rated for the forces involved. Use an EN 966-certified flight helmet or nothing.
Do you sell headsets separately from helmets?
Yes — call us at (336) 493-2244 and we’ll spec a PM-100 setup that fits your existing helmet, if it’s compatible.
What is the MicroAvionics PM-100?
The PM-100 is a Bluetooth stereo paramotor headset built by MicroAvionics in the UK. It combines passive hearing protection (twin-skinned ear defenders with gel seals) with active electronic noise filtering, a waterproof noise-cancelling boom microphone, and radio + Bluetooth integration. It’s user-configurable to work with any radio, supports two radios at once, and includes a tandem intercom option — which is why we run it in our own kits and on Introductory Flights.
Fly Quiet. Fly Safe.
At Carolina PPG we’ve watched too many veteran pilots lose their hearing to preventable damage. Every student who trains with us leaves knowing what proper protection looks like — and most leave with a MicroAvionics PM-100 setup on their gear list.
If you’re getting ready to book paramotor training in North Carolina, or you’re an experienced pilot ready to upgrade your comms, we’re happy to talk through the options with you.
📞 (336) 493-2244
🌐 carolinappg.com
📍 Richmond County Airport (KRCZ), Rockingham, NC
Ready to fly? Book a $150 Introductory Flight — try 25 minutes in the air with a USPPA-certified instructor and see for yourself what powered paragliding is really like.
