Aircrew gloves
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Erehwon
Posts: 1,146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I retired from RAF in 1994, still got two pairs of washed gloves. Used to wash them regularly - just keep them away from radiators etc whilst they're drying.
Great for working on the car . . . in case of breakdown.
Great for working on the car . . . in case of breakdown.
...or the famous,
'I need to exchange my flying gloves, size 8.'
'Sorry, Sir, I've only got one pair left and somebody might want them.'
'Yes, I want them.'
'Sorry, Sir.'
I went to stores at Linton for leg restraint garters to find they only had one. How did they end up with one? Not many one-legged JP pilots around at that time. Apparently, they came in boxes of seven! Why????
'I need to exchange my flying gloves, size 8.'
'Sorry, Sir, I've only got one pair left and somebody might want them.'
'Yes, I want them.'
'Sorry, Sir.'
I went to stores at Linton for leg restraint garters to find they only had one. How did they end up with one? Not many one-legged JP pilots around at that time. Apparently, they came in boxes of seven! Why????
I think it was boxes of 5 actually?
I'd have been more worried if they'd only had 2 left....
Eventually, after the third consecutive Spec Rec, I was finally the grateful recipient of a blue letter. So off to stores to obtain some Sqn Ldr rank braid...
"Sorry Sir, we haven't got any."
I then heard that this was because the stackers' version of eBay had been pongoed and there was therefore 'no demand' for Sqn Ldr rank braid. No-one had notice this until they tried to replace their dwindling stock and found that 'Bicester' didn't have any.
After being exhorted to find some, they eventually managed to do so. Thus I was able to turn up for work with correct rank braid on the relevant date!
I'd have been more worried if they'd only had 2 left....
Eventually, after the third consecutive Spec Rec, I was finally the grateful recipient of a blue letter. So off to stores to obtain some Sqn Ldr rank braid...
"Sorry Sir, we haven't got any."
I then heard that this was because the stackers' version of eBay had been pongoed and there was therefore 'no demand' for Sqn Ldr rank braid. No-one had notice this until they tried to replace their dwindling stock and found that 'Bicester' didn't have any.
After being exhorted to find some, they eventually managed to do so. Thus I was able to turn up for work with correct rank braid on the relevant date!
Registered User **
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Botswana & Greece
Age: 68
Posts: 940
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
They all did when I was in the V Force
No incentive to get a 'B' cat in those days if I remember rightly
So as not to get away from the thread a single smudge on your white gloves when on Royal or VVIP flights and they had to be changed. I lost count of how many pairs I went through.
Join Date: May 2001
Location: lyneham, wilts, Uk
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Colour changing gloves
In my limited experience of aircrew flying gloves I have found out one interesting fact. After wearing them for a period of time I noticed that the white gloves go black, but the black gloves don't go white.. a design floor in the black gloves perhaps?
Aircrew gloves, CW Clothing and FI
When I did my 4 months on 1312 (1986 Stanley and Mt Pleasant) the deployment kit list said 6 pairs of flying gloves as there were none available in theatre. My 6 were then written off by a friendly (old retainer) storeman at Upavon along with the rest of my flying clothing (“All time expired now, Sir”) some time later. I am now down to about 3 pairs after some top ups from friendly natives.
However, whilst we were at MPA the Chinook crashed and the Stn Cdr (Capt Beakie) decided we should all be wearing full winter flying clothing at all times. Being truckies, albeit thinly disguised as tanker w******, we had only our normal flying suits with CW jackets and some bunny suits (but again only because the kit list said so). We did try to fly in the bunny suits but they made it impossible for either the pilots or engineer to reach the Upper Panel when strapped in.
Off to stores (a Portacabin only at that time):
1312 Aircrew – “We need some CW flying suits”
Storeman – “Sorry, we only have x in stock and somebody might want them”.
I had always thought that line was mythical although after an argument we did get at least some of what was needed. To be slightly fair, the main Supply Squadron had yet to be handed over. There were 450 ISO containers on the island, all fully manifested but the manifests did not match the containers. The only way to find out what was in each was to unpack them but there was then nowhere to put the result.
CB also wanted to know what we would do if we had to abandon the aircraft. I explained that our parachutes (yes we had them for tanking) and dry immersion suits were lashed to a stretcher in the freight bay. In any kind of dramatic situation we would probably not be able to get out of the aircraft even if we were already wearing it all. He then wanted to know what we would do if we were ordered to give all our fuel to the F4s. I explained that we would not do that (shock horror) and had to explain that the Herc used the dump pumps to dispense fuel and these cut off with 6,000lbs remaining. I reckoned I could make this amount of fuel last me for upwards of 2 hours providing plenty of time to don the clothing and chutes, position over MPA and jump out.
However, whilst we were at MPA the Chinook crashed and the Stn Cdr (Capt Beakie) decided we should all be wearing full winter flying clothing at all times. Being truckies, albeit thinly disguised as tanker w******, we had only our normal flying suits with CW jackets and some bunny suits (but again only because the kit list said so). We did try to fly in the bunny suits but they made it impossible for either the pilots or engineer to reach the Upper Panel when strapped in.
Off to stores (a Portacabin only at that time):
1312 Aircrew – “We need some CW flying suits”
Storeman – “Sorry, we only have x in stock and somebody might want them”.
I had always thought that line was mythical although after an argument we did get at least some of what was needed. To be slightly fair, the main Supply Squadron had yet to be handed over. There were 450 ISO containers on the island, all fully manifested but the manifests did not match the containers. The only way to find out what was in each was to unpack them but there was then nowhere to put the result.
CB also wanted to know what we would do if we had to abandon the aircraft. I explained that our parachutes (yes we had them for tanking) and dry immersion suits were lashed to a stretcher in the freight bay. In any kind of dramatic situation we would probably not be able to get out of the aircraft even if we were already wearing it all. He then wanted to know what we would do if we were ordered to give all our fuel to the F4s. I explained that we would not do that (shock horror) and had to explain that the Herc used the dump pumps to dispense fuel and these cut off with 6,000lbs remaining. I reckoned I could make this amount of fuel last me for upwards of 2 hours providing plenty of time to don the clothing and chutes, position over MPA and jump out.
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Great Britain
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Big fan of the a/c gloves. I'm always amazed that it's one piece of kit that the Tri-Services haven't changed the design of every 5 years like they do for almost every other bit off kit.
A pair of black gloves always go in my Go-Bag. Keep your hands and feet in good order and you'll survive anywhere (clearly the gloves are for your hands...not your feet).
A pair of black gloves always go in my Go-Bag. Keep your hands and feet in good order and you'll survive anywhere (clearly the gloves are for your hands...not your feet).
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Well, Lincolnshire
Age: 69
Posts: 1,101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
(clearly the gloves are for your hands...not your feet)
Was that on the label for gloves that were issued to navigators?
I know, hat, coat etc
Well, my baiting worked.
I posted the above to ginger up an old nav mate, who, I know lurks on here.
Within 20 mins the phone rang.
Within 2 hours we were drinking beer.
Within 5 hours, our wives were not speaking to us.
Within 7 hours, we realised we were no longer young, daft and capable of anything.
All being well, within 24 hours, our joint hangovers' will be a thing of the past.
Lifetime mates, (and PPRuNE), don't you just love 'em.
Was that on the label for gloves that were issued to navigators?
I know, hat, coat etc
Well, my baiting worked.
I posted the above to ginger up an old nav mate, who, I know lurks on here.
Within 20 mins the phone rang.
Within 2 hours we were drinking beer.
Within 5 hours, our wives were not speaking to us.
Within 7 hours, we realised we were no longer young, daft and capable of anything.
All being well, within 24 hours, our joint hangovers' will be a thing of the past.
Lifetime mates, (and PPRuNE), don't you just love 'em.
Last edited by taxydual; 9th Apr 2012 at 06:36.
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: .
Posts: 2,173
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"Aircrew gloves = no incriminating fingerprints on the controls or switches. "
Common misconception
Every leather glove leaves a print as distinctive as a fingerprint Of course, you can throw the gloves away after the crime. Its not so easy to throw away your fingers
Common misconception
Every leather glove leaves a print as distinctive as a fingerprint Of course, you can throw the gloves away after the crime. Its not so easy to throw away your fingers
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Why oh why would I wanna be anywhere else?
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Issued with one pair of C/L gloves. After a while take one of the pair to stores and ask for replacement pair.
After while take the other one of the original pair to stores and ask for a replacement pair.
Personal stock now 2 pairs of C/L gloves.
After a while........etc until lust for extra pairs of gloves is satiated.
(I'm still working through my stock!)
After while take the other one of the original pair to stores and ask for a replacement pair.
Personal stock now 2 pairs of C/L gloves.
After a while........etc until lust for extra pairs of gloves is satiated.
(I'm still working through my stock!)
