PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Blues if not flying
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Old 3rd Oct 2008, 08:19
  #101 (permalink)  
Pontius Navigator
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Lincolnshire
Age: 81
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I shall rise to the bait.

Donning and removing overalls is one thing. Flying clothing is all together a different matter.

It is called an Aircrew Equipment Assembly and is composed of multiple layers each of which must be removed in order to change into blues. In the winter the correctly kitted aircrew, in the sqn, will be wearing long johns and a aircrew vest, an aircrew shirt, possibly an immersion suit thermal layer and then the flying suit. Removal of this lot takes time and can be warm work in a heated building. The mix of suited aircrew and shirt-sleeved blue wearers is an incompatibility as far as central heating goes.

OTOH, when the flying suit is worn solely as a growbag in a bunker or elsewhere then IMHO it is being abused.

In the V-force we flew with a diversionb bag and our blues etc and always changed if we diverted. Our kit was stored in large purpose-designed lockers and we would only change in the locker room as we also had to don AVS and possibly g-pants - there was nothing to be gained by commuting in a flying suit.

The flying clothing sections also provided clean towels and handled the aircrew laundry. They would also have ready access to the flying suits as they need regular servicing, a fact often overlooked.

Gradually people living in the messes or quarters started to wear flying suits when going to ops as the need for g-pants ceased and they often eschewed the AVS. The locker rooms started to fall in to disuse and new buildings started to be built with smaller changing rooms.

You simply can't change back as the stroke of a pen.

So proper changing and locker facilities need to be provided and aircrew should don their AEA at work and not at home. They should only need to change again at cease work and not for movement around the unit.
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