Flying kit.
Hi Guys,
I reckon each pilot has to make a value judgement based on a balance of comfort, practicality, risk and cost.
If all the flying you do is 12 hours a year in a Pa28, then you may as well stick to your third best street clothing, because wherever there are aeroplanes there is also oil, grease, mud and sharp projections. So you don't want to be wearing your Sunday best.
If you fly professionally, the company will probably insist that you wear a natty looking (but cheap) uniform. (One thing that concerns me is the silly uniforms instructors are so often required to wear these days, bearing in mind the inherently hazardous work they do. These uniforms are invariably made of poly-cotton fabrics that, in the event of fire, will melt onto the skin and burn like a torch. (Did we learn nothing from the Falklands War)? Personally, I would give all instructors full Nomex gear.
You also need to take into account the range of weather and temperatures you will be working in. For example, if you are going to fly in sub-zero temperatures, you need a baggy flight suit that can take extra layers underneath.
At the other end of the scale, if you are a military pilot or fly several hundred hours annually, perhaps crop dusting or doing some other hazardous occupation, then you really need the whole works, bone dome perhaps with oxygen mask, leather boots, Nomex grow-bag, scarf, wrist coverings, gloves, socks and underwear.
If you are a private pilot doing low hours, remember that cotton burns like a torch, while wool and silk merely frizzle up and extinguish. So if there's a choice, wear silk or wool in preference to cotton.
If you really like wearing cotton, there is a cotton product called Proban. Hitherto, it has been possible to obtain flying wear made in Proban, but I am not sure about its current availability.
I believe there are also simple, water-based processes you can apply to an existing cotton flight suit that will reduce its flamability. Maybe the cotton trade associations can advise on these.
There is a product called MSI Firecheck that can apparently make cotton fire-resistent, but I know almost nothing about it and don't know whether it is even suitable for use on clothing. There should be details somewhere on the Internet.
'Hope this helps.
BP.