Originally Posted by
Tankertrashnav
Are you saying that some of them were flying without gloves? My reaction to blokes calling each other "mate" is just to harumph a bit and shrug my shoulders. Dispensing with gloves when flying a fast jet, though, is just unbelievable. I once attended a talk by a retired USAF VSO who had been a fighter pilot in the Korean War and had been in a crash when his aircraft caught fire. He had gloves on but rolled down so that his wrists were exposed. One wrist was so badly burned in the fire that he was in danger of losing that hand which was only saved by means of some very clever surgery. After that I never flew without ensuring that my gloves were pulled right up and securing my flying suit sleeves around them, a lesson these "mates" need to learn, it seems
Anyone who flies without gloves, be it a puddle jumper or a F35, is an idiot and thinks 'it will not happen to me'. I am always appalled to watch fools fly light aircraft in t-shirts and shorts; some with flip-flops. On a track day, it is mandatory to wear long trousers and long sleeved shirts. If one comes off, there are always marshals to help egress you. Not so in any aircraft incident. If anyone feels different than I do, just read Richard Hillary's book 'The Last Enemy'. He did not wear gloves for perhaps the same reason as others don't. He died. Oh, by the way; 'The Last Enemy' is death.