Nice "thick" Pilotshirts??!

[Rapattack]

Hi guys.

I'm looking for some nice "thick" pilot shirts. I have some shirts from transair, both the normal pilot shirt and the deluxe pilot shirt. But both seems to be a bit transparent. I'm going to study in the US, so the possibility to carry another white t shirt under my pilot shirt is not an option due to the heat :cool:

So, just want to hear if there is a nice thick, plain white pilot shirt out there? I thought the deluxe shirt from transair would be plain white, but unfortunately not :sad:

What would you recommend? :p

Best regards

Rapattack

[silverknapper]

Stand by for a torrent of abuse asking that here!

I have 'Enro' ones which I got in the States. Lovely quality and non iron too. Not cheap but like them.

[mad_jock]

You can't get anything decent in the UK its all flammable as well and will stick to you if it burns. Unfortuantely with have a ppruner in hospital just now with serious burns after an accident.

Your best bet is get some made to measue with material that you choose.

Don't go for 100% cotton because its a bitch to iron.

I have 90% and 80% ones made in the East and they are cracking.

Although I suppose a cotton string vest might be an option, but you really don't want to be dressed in polyester if you can help it. I have a 3"by1" scar on by back after brushing up against a pitot tube in a cheap shirt and the material melting onto me. The only way to get it off was to pull the skin off with it.

[S-Works]

Are you not getting issued them at work?

[mad_jock]

Last shirt I got issued at work that I wore cost £6:75.

I have had issued the BA ones and they are nothing special either I think they were 18 quid a pop in bulk.

just had a quick search and its the same as it was when i looked last. The only thing you can get is the 65% poly ones which was the type that melted onto me. And there is some lot in Germany selling 80% cotton ones for 40 quid a pop.

[4_blues]

How many 'Private Pilots' do you think wear Pilot shirts? Perhaps the Wannabee Forums or Instructor forums might help?

Good luck in your training!!

4B

[chrisbl]

You will find in the US that it common to wear a vest/T shirt under a normal shirt especially when its hot. The undershirt takes the sweat off the body and stops the outershirt getting wet.

I always wondered about this but remembered that when my dad was stationed in Malaysia, he wore a vest under his uniform green shirt (he was seconded to the RMAF) and never had a sweat stain.

Dont worry about the Transair shirts but nip to a department store and buy some good undershirts.

My last lot I bought in a mall in Florida. Forget thick heavyweight and expensive white shirts solutions to what is a similar problem.

[mad_jock]

Dont worry about the Transair shirts

It will melt and will become part of your body which when they remove it will remove the blister which they want to remain sealed to stop infection getting in.

Anyway I think the issues is more that you can see that the OP is a throw back to gorillas with body hair while wearing the shirt. Which is actually quite a common problem with these polyester jobs.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I do not own any pilot shirts - I fly in a cotton polo-neck and usually either a Nomex suit or a Nomex or leather jacket.

If I feel the need to wear gold bars, which happens about every third year, and then only briefly, I put them on a jacket or my flying suit.

If I did need to start wearing a white/eppauletted shirt, which has not happened yet and I suspect strongly never will, I'd get them made by my tailor in Bankok. A quick look at their website suggests I'd pay about £25 each.

No way would I buy the polyester-heavy shirts sold by any UK pilot shops, for all the reasons already said. Uncomfortable, and dangerous.

G

[zondaracer]

What is a vest/tshirt? Is that what us Americans affectionately call a wifebeater (sleeveless tshirt)?

As far as quality pilot shirts, I suggest you check out A Cut Above. Pilot shirt and pilot uniform manufacturer, buy direct. (http://www.acutaboveuniforms.com/1.html)

Lots of guys swear by them and they have several different cuts so it doesn´t look like you are wearing a parachute. They also have several different blends of fabrics. I like them and they have great customer service, but they sometimes are sold out in my size and they also charge a large import tariff to ship to Europe, so maybe you should order once you get to the states.

I was trying to see if I could find a fire retardant moisture wicking tshirt, like the kind Under Armour makes for military guys, but they didn´t have any that were in white.

If we were all as lucky as Genghis, then we could just wear a nomex flight suit and not have to worry so much about ironing, neck ring collar (the a cut above shirt have a special neck comfort system that prevents neck ring), and our clothes fusing to our skin. Actually, a friend of mine asked me why we all didn´t just wear flight suits for flight training and aerial work, which is a good question I think, for the obvious safety reasons.

[kevmusic]

I guess you could get one off a thick pilot. :p

[stickandrudderman]

I have a shirt with an IQ of 16, will that do?

[4_blues]

I have a shirt with an IQ of 16, will that do?

very good! :D:D

[Dave Gittins]

Saturday morning going Redhill to Headcorn I had an M&S Blueharbour thick check shirt with a furry inside and a Dan-Air vest underneath. I want warmth not pose. I prefer to say I am wide rather than thick.

[Genghis the Engineer]

If we were all as lucky as Genghis, then we could just wear a nomex flight suit and not have to worry so much about ironing, neck ring collar (the a cut above shirt have a special neck comfort system that prevents neck ring), and our clothes fusing to our skin. Actually, a friend of mine asked me why we all didn´t just wear flight suits for flight training and aerial work, which is a good question I think, for the obvious safety reasons

I don't think that buying a second hand Nomex suit on eBay is a particular issue of luck. And this is a private flying page, and anybody paying for their own flying can surely wear anything that they jolly well like.

The only time I ever had to fly in a uniform, it was green (and fire retardant) - so not an issue. If I had to fly in a civvie uniform, sod it, I'll pay for some decent cotton trousers & shirts and woollen jumpers. Unlikely to cost much different to a couple of pairs of jeans and a new shirt and jumper anyhow. It's simply a matter of being selective. If you can't get them here, several Indian/Thai/Polish tailors have websites and will make to measure for sensible prices.

I think that your friend is right, we should wear appropriate clothing. I don't think that luck is an issue - if you fly military aircraft professionally the clothing will be safe enough, if you fly civil aircraft in an environment that requires a uniform, there are plenty of people who will sell you natural fibre equivalents. If you pay for your own flying, you can wear what you like - M&S cotton chinos and Cotton Traders cotton polo-necks work fine for me.

And ironing your shirts is surely just a matter of personal standards - I do that anyhow for non-flying clothing!

G

[pasir]

... At one time pilots and aircrew wore lightweight khaki uniforms
during hot summers or when on tropical flights etc - Those issued to the
US aircrew during and after WW2 - were known as 'Suntans' - They looked good and were smart.