By: Shawn Staerker
Ever wonder what separates a close call from a tragedy in aviation? Sometimes it’s as simple as what you’re wearing on your head.
Meet Cooper—better known as Cooper the Pilot on social media. She’s living proof that dreams really do take flight. At just five years old, she flew from Korea to America as an adopted child, pressing her face against the window and calling the plane her “flying house.” When the pilots let her peek into the cockpit (back when that was still allowed), something clicked. “I just thought, this is what I want to do forever,” she remembers.
Today, Cooper isn’t just flying—she’s changing lives through her Hangar 22 scholarship program, helping young pilots earn their wings. And she’s learned that the right gear matters from day one.
Then there’s Carl Hancock, the ultra-cool creator behind Fly with The Guys on YouTube (you know, the guy with the 3D-looking sunglasses and the modified Piper Cub called the Red Rocket). Carl’s about to launch Empower Flight, a nonprofit flight school in Phoenix. But before all that success, Carl survived something that kills pilots every year: carbon monoxide poisoning.
The Silent Killer Nobody Talks About
Picture this: You’re cruising along in a winter flight, turn on the heat like always, and suddenly… nothing seems wrong. There’s a slight burning smell, like when you fire up your furnace after summer. A little warmth in the cabin. No big deal, right?
Wrong. That’s exactly how carbon monoxide gets you.
Carl learned this the hard way when exhaust flanges came completely off in a plane he was flying. “I didn’t notice it like I should have,” he admits. By the time he recognized the symptoms—headache, confusion, that weird warm feeling—he was already being poisoned. He terminated the flight immediately and later discovered exhaust was pumping straight into the cowling.
Terrifying? Absolutely. But here’s where the story gets interesting.
The Day the Lightspeed Aviation Delta Zulu a Lifesaver
After that near-death experience, Carl discovered the Lightspeed Aviation Delta Zulu headset with built-in carbon monoxide detection. When it happened again in a different aircraft during winter, his headset alerted him instantly. The plane’s own CO detector? Silent. But the Lightspeed Delta Zulu was screaming warnings before things got dangerous.
Cooper had a similar experience. “The alert didn’t go off in my aircraft, but it did in my headset,” she explains. Think about that: backup safety systems built right into your ear protection.
But safety is just the beginning. Cooper jumps between Cessna 182s, seaplanes, and helicopters regularly (talk about #AviationGoals). The Lightspeed Delta Zulu adapts to everything—even has the helicopter plug built in. No extra adapters needed.
Hearing Is Believing
Here’s something you might not know: you can actually customize how the Lightspeed Delta Zulu sounds based on YOUR hearing. Carl geeks out about this feature. “You can tune it to your hearing needs through the app,” he says. “I know people who’ve been able to take their hearing aids out because the Lightspeed Delta Zulu has gotten them to where they need to be.”
Cooper loves the independent volume controls for each ear. “I can hear better in my left ear,” she shares. “So, I can adjust my right ear volume without blasting my left ear.” No other headset she’s tried offers that level of personalization.
And for all you aspiring aviation YouTubers and TikTokers? Built-in recording capabilities for ATC and cabin audio. No extra equipment needed. Just pure, crystal-clear content creation potential.
The Investment That Matters
Look, at around $1,200 (currently $100 off during their winter promo), the Lightspeed Aviation Delta Zulu isn’t cheap. But as Carl puts it: “I would not give it up for anything at this point. It has saved my life.”
Cooper agrees: “The level of service is personal and they take the relationship seriously.”
When you’re just starting your aviation journey, dropping thousands on flight training, the last thing you need is equipment that fails when it matters most. You need gear that protects you, connects you, and grows with you.
Want to hear the stories from Cooper and Carl themselves? Listen to the interview here– Episode 32: Lifesaving Headsets┃MAJOR News from Van’s and More!
Because in aviation, the best investment isn’t just in your training—it’s in coming home safely after every single flight.
To learn more about the Lightspeed Aviation Delta Zulu headset, visit their website: Lightspeed Delta Zulu® ANR Headset – Lightspeed Aviation
