RAF Tristar crew uniform
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RAF Tristar crew uniform
I apologise for a mere civilian intruding on such an august forum, but I was watching a TV programme recently and it showed the crew of an RAF Tristar routing to the Falkland Islands and they were wearing or appeared to be wearing green flying suit/overall "thingys". If so, is this common practice and why?, as I remember the L1011s in BA service in the 1980s when I was at LHR and they were quite civilised to fly.
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I think they wear flying suites to appear more tactical/ operational.
Nice try. But no bannana!
The suits are baggy and have the usual extra bits hanging off the legs etc.
I watched a young lass walking down the isle with a teapot full of hot drink catching her flying suit on the seats etc. Every time her suite snagged it jarred her body causing drink to spill. Luckily only on a pong.
I am surprised H&S has not stopped them from wearing clothing which is not ideal for the job.
A smart set of No 2 uniform would surfice.
Nice try. But no bannana!
The suits are baggy and have the usual extra bits hanging off the legs etc.
I watched a young lass walking down the isle with a teapot full of hot drink catching her flying suit on the seats etc. Every time her suite snagged it jarred her body causing drink to spill. Luckily only on a pong.
I am surprised H&S has not stopped them from wearing clothing which is not ideal for the job.
A smart set of No 2 uniform would surfice.
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Recommend Crew to wear BOAC style uniforms on SA run, Esp stewardesses, Excellent for PAX morale (esp on return to Blighty). Pilots to have deep booming voices, firm handshakes, 1,000s hours on type and silvering hair inspiring more confidence than 14 year-old ATC cadets with Junior Jet Club wings that fly the route from time to time........
-Nick
-Nick
....how very "unPC".............cracking idea tho' grommetThread Starter
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I am still a little bemused!. The RAF crews wear the green "thingys" because they are "cool" or is there a practical military type reason?. I would have thought that a shirt and tie with standard RAF type uniform was quite suitable for quasi-airline route flying or I am being simplistic?.
As everyone knows, it takes a major life threatening operation to remove aircrew from their gro-bags.
Unfortunately, the military hospitals have all but gone, and the NHS simply cannot afford the operation or the long term usage of an intensive care bed.
Thus no matter what aircraft or desk they fly, romper suits will always be worn by aircrew.
Unfortunately, the military hospitals have all but gone, and the NHS simply cannot afford the operation or the long term usage of an intensive care bed.
Thus no matter what aircraft or desk they fly, romper suits will always be worn by aircrew.
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They used to wear normal uniform until the RAF started to do more operational flying. It was blues (white shirt) for non-op flts and growbags for Op flts apart from SA runs - they were op but routine. More for the Gulf / FRY flights.
Then because of flt safety and aircrew must wear grow bags, blues were binned and grow bags were the standard. Nothing to do with a Station Commander arriving in blues when it was an op flt and he should have been in grow bag!!
On a flight safety issue though.....imagine having an emergency and trying to see the cabin crew amongst a full pax load of troops all wearing green. At least in blues as with civi cabin crews, you tend to be recognisable and easily identifiable in an emergency.
Then because of flt safety and aircrew must wear grow bags, blues were binned and grow bags were the standard. Nothing to do with a Station Commander arriving in blues when it was an op flt and he should have been in grow bag!!
On a flight safety issue though.....imagine having an emergency and trying to see the cabin crew amongst a full pax load of troops all wearing green. At least in blues as with civi cabin crews, you tend to be recognisable and easily identifiable in an emergency.
They used to wear normal uniform until the RAF started to do more operational flying
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Don't blame the workers on the shop floor for having to wear flying suits in an airliner and combat gear in an office. Blame the idiot Air ranking officer who's brilliant idea it was.
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During my time on the TriStar we switched from wearing No2 uniform (Blue short sleeve shirt & trousers) to wearing flying suits. Most of the Sqn were fairly unhappy with the decision, which I seem to remember was driven by the Brize Station Commander of the time. He had come from 101 Sqn, were they wore flying suits all of the time, and decreed the other Sqns should do the same when he became the staish.
Disadvantages:
As already mentioned, in an emergency the cabin crew don't stand out amongst all the troops down the back.
For a long time the cabin crew could not obtain flying suits from clothing stores and resorted to sharing them or wearing combat 95. This made them look even more like the passengers
The demand from Brize clothing stores to the RAF supply system for flying suits went through the roof. I presume costs soared as a flying suit costs a lot more than shirt & trousers.
No matter how new and smart your flying suit, you still look like a garage mechanic when walking through an international airport. This made getting through the crew only immigration and customs gate a little more difficult on occassion.
Advantages:
Only one that I can think of - you don't have to do any ironing down route!
Still who are we to question our lords and masters.
Disadvantages:
As already mentioned, in an emergency the cabin crew don't stand out amongst all the troops down the back.
For a long time the cabin crew could not obtain flying suits from clothing stores and resorted to sharing them or wearing combat 95. This made them look even more like the passengers
The demand from Brize clothing stores to the RAF supply system for flying suits went through the roof. I presume costs soared as a flying suit costs a lot more than shirt & trousers.
No matter how new and smart your flying suit, you still look like a garage mechanic when walking through an international airport. This made getting through the crew only immigration and customs gate a little more difficult on occassion.
Advantages:
Only one that I can think of - you don't have to do any ironing down route!
Still who are we to question our lords and masters.
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I was the one who asked the original question. I understand that it was a "fashion statement" by a station commander at Brize Norton, but he must have had a more valid reason, mustnt he?. I can understand how it might cause a few problems with security though, particularly in the USA with the TSA in this post Sept 11th age!.
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Realman, that station commander obviously thought the simple concept of "uniformity" across his crews' clothing, regardless of role and theatre, superceeded all other factors. Doubtless, such intuitive thinking has now earned him a place even higher in the decision making corridors of power.....
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It think you'll find that most all of that 3* Sqn would like to wear blues.
I have a thought tho... When a stwd goes to the toilet whilst on the ac (and has to sitdown). Does the flying suit not rest on the floor? Having sat on one of those huge ac with 250+ people on and seen the state of the floors of the toilets after 6 hours. Is it not unreasonable to assume that the suits are 'more than a bit' dirty (especially the cuffs). Is it then fair to say that these same stwds will be waking you up to serve your meal.
I have a thought tho... When a stwd goes to the toilet whilst on the ac (and has to sitdown). Does the flying suit not rest on the floor? Having sat on one of those huge ac with 250+ people on and seen the state of the floors of the toilets after 6 hours. Is it not unreasonable to assume that the suits are 'more than a bit' dirty (especially the cuffs). Is it then fair to say that these same stwds will be waking you up to serve your meal.
I still dream about the Shiny Fleet with their Prickett rings of confidence, the Whispering Giants and Changi KD. Lady Q's in pale blue dresses and cheerful pilots with tea stained trousers. Those good old days will never be forgotten says he sighly deeply as he runs a hand through thinning grey hair.
Is it the wearing of blues per se, or the idea of wearing something less scruffy than a growbag which appeals?
Perhaps a smarter growbag?
Perhaps a smarter growbag?
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What a double-edged sword! When I first arrived on the 3* (long before OBD ) No2s were the order of the day for all sorties/trips, except TACEVAL (halcyon days...) I fear that I am partly to blame for helping to instigate the wearing of fg suits. Midway through a Flying Fish trail, in Colombo, the crews of the 2 VC10 tankers, 8 F3s, a couple of Nimrods and a smattering of Herc types were all awaiting transport from the same hotel, all in fg suits. Cue arrival of TriStar crew, correctly adorned in No2 dress, to the murmurings of "British Airways military division" etc etc. Sometimes it's not enough to be good, you have to look the part too in order to be considered as part of the team; surely that's the purpose of a uniform? On our return, I suggested to the then OC216 that fg suits for trails might be more appropriate.
Why wear them on all tasks? A question equally applicable to the VC10 fleet, the C-17s (very shiny), etc etc. For me, it saves the ironing, and I don't have to buy a new fg suit when it wears out, as was the case with wearing blues.
As for security delays, the rest of the world's air forces seem to do all right in flying suits. I think BEagle hit the mark with the fact that our suits are so poorly made. I think the latest incarnation is an improvement, but it's a different bloody colour! Add to that a range of shades of green for ones cold wx jacket, DPM for those who cannot get a cold wx jacket, or do not wish to wear one, blue leather jackets for the tarts (sorry BEagle
), yellow high vis vests for those who can't be bothered to take them off when they leave the aircraft and you do indeed have the proverbial bag of $hit. Perhaps someone up the chain needs to read the definition of the word uniform and start applying it.
Right, what was the point of this?
) No2s were the order of the day for all sorties/trips, except TACEVAL (halcyon days...) I fear that I am partly to blame for helping to instigate the wearing of fg suits. Midway through a Flying Fish trail, in Colombo, the crews of the 2 VC10 tankers, 8 F3s, a couple of Nimrods and a smattering of Herc types were all awaiting transport from the same hotel, all in fg suits. Cue arrival of TriStar crew, correctly adorned in No2 dress, to the murmurings of "British Airways military division" etc etc. Sometimes it's not enough to be good, you have to look the part too in order to be considered as part of the team; surely that's the purpose of a uniform? On our return, I suggested to the then OC216 that fg suits for trails might be more appropriate.Why wear them on all tasks? A question equally applicable to the VC10 fleet, the C-17s (very shiny), etc etc. For me, it saves the ironing, and I don't have to buy a new fg suit when it wears out, as was the case with wearing blues.
As for security delays, the rest of the world's air forces seem to do all right in flying suits. I think BEagle hit the mark with the fact that our suits are so poorly made. I think the latest incarnation is an improvement, but it's a different bloody colour! Add to that a range of shades of green for ones cold wx jacket, DPM for those who cannot get a cold wx jacket, or do not wish to wear one, blue leather jackets for the tarts (sorry BEagle
), yellow high vis vests for those who can't be bothered to take them off when they leave the aircraft and you do indeed have the proverbial bag of $hit. Perhaps someone up the chain needs to read the definition of the word uniform and start applying it.Right, what was the point of this?
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Blue is for blunties..........Nuff said
Smartbloke,
Not sure about the rest of the AT fleet but in the wilds of wilts we encounter admin flights as often as pre school children step in rocking horse sh!t
With that in mind it stands to reason that as the majority of our work is in support of Op's and Ex flights this means the wearing of our ill fitting, thread hanging grow bags is perfectly reasonable, not withstanding the GASO that states it's "what we is to/are to wear"
In the current global climate there is no fu@kin "purely passenger role" as we are always carrying some fuc@in contentious articles, normally armed to the teeth pongo's, so lets at least attempt to look military and make the best use of the sh!te we are provided with
all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced
Smartbloke,
Not sure about the rest of the AT fleet but in the wilds of wilts we encounter admin flights as often as pre school children step in rocking horse sh!t
With that in mind it stands to reason that as the majority of our work is in support of Op's and Ex flights this means the wearing of our ill fitting, thread hanging grow bags is perfectly reasonable, not withstanding the GASO that states it's "what we is to/are to wear"
In the current global climate there is no fu@kin "purely passenger role" as we are always carrying some fuc@in contentious articles, normally armed to the teeth pongo's, so lets at least attempt to look military and make the best use of the sh!te we are provided with
all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced
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I recall the Red Sparrers ground crew arriving in the gourmet other ranks restaurant at a place not very far from Lincoln. They were wearing flying suits. The WO i/c the airmen's mess ordered them out for wearing overalls and told them to get changed. They came back in their official 'mufti' of grey flannels and blazers and very smart they looked too. The moral of the story I suppose is that the troops should wear the appropriate clothing for the function they are performing. Flying suits for flying, suits for lounging and swimming suits for swimming - isn't that what civilisation is all about? Good Lord, we'll have people knocking on the door when one is not 'at home' next!