Audio specialist Sennheiser is to withdraw from the pilots' headset business from March 2016. The company will fulfill all its obligations for servicing and spare parts throughout the full guarantee period for its headsets. Headsets for the air traffic control (ATC) sector are not affected by this decision, but will continue to be marketed with the current ATC team under the responsibility of the joint venture Sennheiser Communications.

“Our decision to leave the pilots' headset sector was not taken lightly, especially as we have played a key role in the development of audio transmission in the cockpit, for example by introducing the world's first headset with active noise compensation to receive FAA-TSO certification,” explained COO Peter Claussen. “We will redirect our aviation-specific resources to focus on our key business of headphone and microphone technology.”

The company will, of course, fulfil all its servicing and guarantee obligations; generous transition periods have been agreed with airline and equipment partners. “Even after all legal obligations have expired, support can certainly still be offered in individual cases,” Peter Claussen confirmed.

Air traffic control headsets are to remain part of the Sennheiser product portfolio, and the current ATC team will join the headset specialists at Sennheiser Communications from January 2016. Andreas Bach, President of Sennheiser Communications, commented: “We are thrilled that we will be marketing the highly successful Sennheiser ATC headsets, and see great opportunities by exploiting the synergies that exist between the ATC business and our CC&O segment. ATC customers around the world can rely on our premium offerings and services.”