Michael C Finke wrote:
A simple question that I'm sure has been addressed in the past:
The wires on my old Pilot headset are broken at both plugs. Can I just
take this in to Radio Shack and expect them to sell me the correct plugs
so I can cut and reattach? or do I need to be looking for something
special? And if so, could somebody tell me what these features are?

NO!!!
The quality of the plugs you will find at RatShaq is adequate only for
emergency usage. The plugs you want are bronze and are best obtained
from standard aviation sources or commercial electronics supply suppliers.