RAF Flight Suits
It was the white two piece nylon pile that was incredibly flammable - the green 'bunny suit' seemed to be quite retardant by comparison (we tried them out - sans occupants - one black flag day).
Of note, I still have my two string vests with the webbing shoulder straps - only wore one once for survival exercise on Otterburn and swore never again.
Of note, I still have my two string vests with the webbing shoulder straps - only wore one once for survival exercise on Otterburn and swore never again.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
John E, they were Vests, Rachel, Knitted. My skipper always wore his, a nylon AVS on top.
Tash, the original were white two piece only to be washed in Teepol. I wore them on a trip to Goose. I was offered $50 for the top by a Need is but my need was greater than his. But their main use was when I had a fever and the shivers while in bed. Sold them on eBay when they were 40 years old.
Of the green onesie, always wore them on the Shack. For a trip to Iceland I wore the cotton underwear, the Catalan bunnie, then a flying suit, then the goon suit. Toasty warm but couldn't bend my knees to get over the spars.
Tash, the original were white two piece only to be washed in Teepol. I wore them on a trip to Goose. I was offered $50 for the top by a Need is but my need was greater than his. But their main use was when I had a fever and the shivers while in bed. Sold them on eBay when they were 40 years old.
Of the green onesie, always wore them on the Shack. For a trip to Iceland I wore the cotton underwear, the Catalan bunnie, then a flying suit, then the goon suit. Toasty warm but couldn't bend my knees to get over the spars.
Remember the 70s when girls wore string vests with not lot underneath. Saw a girl in the main drag in Norwich - I was in the car - middle aged couple walking past and he was distracted by girl in the string vest, so distracted he walked into a lamp post, at which point his wife set about him with her hand bag! So funny, I nearly drove into a lamp post.
But the vests knitted by Rachel were made of actual real string, something akin to the roughest sisal imaginable. Unwearable for more than 5 nanoseconds without bearing comparison to the proverbial hair shirt.
And the green bunny suit was so hot as to be quite unmanageable under a goon suit, only worn when somewhere north of Norway in mid winter. Although we'd have killed for one during EFT in the Chippie during a Yorkshire winter
And the green bunny suit was so hot as to be quite unmanageable under a goon suit, only worn when somewhere north of Norway in mid winter. Although we'd have killed for one during EFT in the Chippie during a Yorkshire winter
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Make that Scotland. There was one inescapable feature of the bunny suit is you flew 3 x 10 hour sorties in 5 days. As there was no chance of washing and drying between sorties you can imagine the smell after it had been sealed hermetically in a good suit for 12 hours of more 3 times in a week.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
MSOCS, sheer luxury. One temperate, one winter, two normal flying suits. Three sets of shirts and cottons, but only one set of thermals and flying gloves (often cold and damp).
Those shirts were something else in style and laundering.
Those shirts were something else in style and laundering.
Originally Posted by [email protected]
people moaning about being too hot in cockpits in the summer and wanting to wear T-shirts forget how vital the cotton layer underneath the nomex suit is to prevent burns.
I still wear the roll-neck and long underwear every flight - you only have to see one victim of burns for it to convince you that a little discomfort is much better than a lot of pain and scarring.
I still wear the roll-neck and long underwear every flight - you only have to see one victim of burns for it to convince you that a little discomfort is much better than a lot of pain and scarring.
Hmmmmm....what about weighing the risk of heat stress affecting decisions in-cockpit vs the risk of encountering fire in the cockpit?
The ac I fly has had no instances of fire in the cockpit (that I am aware of) so the risk is pretty low (though the outcome would be pretty bad if it did). I too have worn the full underwear many times and in a cockpit with no cooling, a large clear canopy likened to a greenhouse by many and flying at low level where the OAT is >20 degrees and the greenhouse is being thoroughly warmed by the sun, I really don't think that your attitude is one I would want to follow.
It is never black vs white, it is almost always shades of grey and good judgement is far better than blanket rules, whether personal or imposed from above, which remove the ability to judge each situation on its merits....something we are supposed to be good at, are trained to do and practice quite a lot.
You are, of course, entitled to your own opinion.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
JAJ.wimp 
in the meatbox, 39k, depressurised, No 2 trousers, blue shirt and tie under flying suit, ditto 300 ft low level.
Seriously, flown 3 hr low level in Malaysia, cabin temp about 70. We each drank about 4 pints of squash and did not per afterwards. OAT post flight was 35 and we were all shivering. Main criteria was to get the flying suits off, strip off the cottonseed and rejoin the human race.
The short answer is few aircraft/AEA are suitable for climate control and survival.
in the meatbox, 39k, depressurised, No 2 trousers, blue shirt and tie under flying suit, ditto 300 ft low level.Seriously, flown 3 hr low level in Malaysia, cabin temp about 70. We each drank about 4 pints of squash and did not per afterwards. OAT post flight was 35 and we were all shivering. Main criteria was to get the flying suits off, strip off the cottonseed and rejoin the human race.
The short answer is few aircraft/AEA are suitable for climate control and survival.
JAJ
How right you are. Coastal Command/18 Gp rules for flying clothing were fairly relaxed even in the deepest winter - if anything went wrong the only option was ditching as parachute exit was considered too risky. We then went to 11 Gp (fighters) as AEW. Same aircraft, different role, different rules. Parachutes had to be available so all the safety eqpt that went with them had to be worn. At one time because the sea temp was below +10 we were all in goon suits etc, but the OAT was in the high 20's and cockpit in the high 30's/40's. Thermal stress was extreme, and sorties were curtailed. However, our lords and masters insisted even with people reporting sick at the end of sorties!
(When invited to try the suggested parachute exit - which was right in front of the radome - a very experienced para instructor refused point blank with quite colourful language)
blanket rules, whether personal or imposed from above
(When invited to try the suggested parachute exit - which was right in front of the radome - a very experienced para instructor refused point blank with quite colourful language)
Last edited by Shackman; 31st Aug 2016 at 08:14. Reason: spelling
Remember the 70s when girls wore string vests with not a lot underneath?
Somehow I can't see the politically-correct, diversity-aware meeja fag-hags of today allowing such utter delights, very regrettably...
At one time because the sea temp was below +10 we were all in goon suits etc, but the OAT was in the high 20's and cockpit in the high 30's/40's. Thermal stress was extreme, and sorties were curtailed. However, our lords and masters insisted even with people reporting sicj at the end of sorties!
Tech question how come our grow bags did not have the velcro cover for the sleeve pen pocket? I would have thought especially during FJ ops would not want pens dropping everywhere in cockpit
cheers
And you learn something every day: apparently the string vest was thought of as an escape aid, using the string to create a rope 'to aid escape'. Never heard of that before!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Shackman, I also remember the instructions on skinning your deer, stretching it over a wooden frame, flensing, then curing it using the brains.
Lots of survival activities were, IMHO, job creation and occupational therapy.
Shackman, I expect you are the same generation that will remember the SARAH drills, calculate distance from dinghy to Ballykelly, calculate transit time, add 90 minutes for launch. Switch on SARAH at calculated time. Switch off after dark unless you heard search area IIRC.
Lots of survival activities were, IMHO, job creation and occupational therapy.
Shackman, I expect you are the same generation that will remember the SARAH drills, calculate distance from dinghy to Ballykelly, calculate transit time, add 90 minutes for launch. Switch on SARAH at calculated time. Switch off after dark unless you heard search area IIRC.