Most presentations in the 2025 SUN ‘n FUN Innovation Preview were centered around new aircraft and aircraft-related creations. So, when a man in a hat comes on stage to say that he has designed a product that will change the audio game for GA pilots, you know you’re about to hear something pretty interesting.
Ralph “Hetch” Hoetger is a pilot’s pilot. Back in 2023, he began a flight from Arkansas to California in his Rans S-20 Raven. Going around 100 mph, it took him 17 hours of flight time split over two days.
“And in those two days, I experienced poor audio quality. I experienced a lot of head squeeze on the two areas behind my headset and in front of my headset on my hat,” Hoetger explained. “For obvious reasons, I need to wear a hat in my airplane because I have a clear acrylic top and my head gets kinda hot… But what I did find out is when I took my hat off, I had much better ear cup seal and much better sound quality and I had a lot less noise fatigue.”
On the leg back home, Hoetger had another 17 hours to brainstorm solutions that would maintain sound quality while keeping his shiny head protected from the sun. After playing around with his sewing machine, he came up with the V1 Hat.
From the front, the V1 hat has the same profile as your typical ballcap. The primary difference comes with the micro-thin, breathable side panel, replacing the traditional sweatband. The V1c cap also has no top button to make it more comfortable.
The patent-pending design aims to improve the performance of passive and active noise cancelling headsets, improve audio clarity, suppress engine noise, and make long flights more comfortable.
These benefits, while most targeted to aviators, work for several situations. Headset-friendly hats are needed for video crews (as we’ve learned at SUN ‘n FUN), shooters, gamers, and various other groups.
The V1 Hat is now in production with 10 different styles, including combinations of structured or unstructured as well as ventilated or solid.
FMI: www.v1hats.com
