Flying Suits to be scrapped for SH aircrew
 

I've just been reliably informed that SH crews are to lose their Flying Suits from May and will be adopting Fire Retardant CS 95 for all flying activities at home and elsewhere.

I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has experience of using both and has any thoughts on whether or not this is a good move......

Father Jack

Chroist that'll put the cat amongst the pidgeons, they'll be hordes reporting sick to get skin grafts then!!!;)

I have it on good authority that army aircrew will shortly be changing to American flight suits as trials have indicated they are more fire retardant and available in a greater range of sizes.

It does however seem to make sense to only use a single set of kit, more economical however; army aircrew not allowed to wear CS 95 Fire Retardant as insufficient in circulation to support ops and training.

Seems like joined up thinking again, not!

HEDP

If the plan is to supply us with fire retardant MTP that we can use on Ops AND in the UK then I am all for it. If it's yet another set of flying clothing that I have to hang up in the wardrobe along with the green/desert flying suits and FR CS95 (alongside the green CS95, desert CS95 and Non FR MTP) then they can do one!

I wore CS95 on occasion whilst flying Hercs. 'Twas fine. In fact I found it more comfortable than flying suits in nasty hot places.

I'd be happier wearing CS95 in any situation that would normally call for No. 2's*, too. No, that's blues not poos.

Father Jack, were you reliably informed as to why?

p.s. hoping the Future Mrs Father Jack is on the mend.

Surely, some mistake? I thought we were all to wear "Blues" these days and that RAF Ethos was all important and sh!t? Random!

Oxford Pattern Shoes, No1 trousers, Light Blue Shirt and RAF Cravats all around and sh!t :ok:

http://www.flmboynt.com/wp-content/u...nd-miller2.jpg

Properly designed, aircrew specific pattern FR MTP for use in both UK, ex and ops would be excellent. The current nondescript, dehydrated-urine-alike FR CS95, whilst looking like a bag'o'****e is nonetheless far more comfortable and practical than flying suits.

Desert flying suits will however still be required so the GR kids will have something to change into for hanging out in at the DFAC... Hilarious work fellas, keep it up. :hmm:

As an aside, perhaps CAM and the PTs could spend a little less time equipping the non-deployable Typhoon ladies with gold plated survival gear and toss a few bones in the direction of the SH and Tac AT fleets?

A while back some old git of my vintage made a plea for fewer acronyms and abbreviations on here, if only for the benefit of those members like myself, who are not current, and who are in any case easily confused :confused:

So from post one onwards, for our benefit, would some kind soul who has a minute or two please oblige?

SH -
MTP -
DFAC -
CAM -
PT -
GR -
TAC AT -

Dont worry if it's too much trouble, though, I'll probably forget it all the next day anyway :(

(TTFN - TTN ;))

You forgot PAX, they love that one too.

Geeks :8:8:8

MAD Boom,

I'll pass on your regards to her good self.

As to why the decision has been made, I'd guess that it would be to save a few shekels.

While I agree that the FR CS 95 gear is a bit more comfie in the warmer climates, it's still a pretty poor substitute for something along the lines of a proper 2-piece flying suit with pockets, zips and knee-boards in the usual places. The Spams along with many of our other erstwhile allies see fit to supply their helo crews with such kit but we seem to be pursuing an inferior option.

I think it begs certain questions about FOD, and cockpit organisation and ergonomics that aren't asked when you're wearing the good old-fashioned fire-proof drinking suit. I'm very happy to move on and go for a single solution that works in all situations but I don't believe the FR gear is it......

SH - Support Helicopter (Puma/ Merlin/Chinook)
MTP - Multi Terrain Patter, New Generation of camouflage clothing Guy on the Right
DFAC - US Acronym: Dining Facility
CAM - Centre Of Aviation Medicine
PT - Not sure, Procurement Team?
GR - Ground Attack/ Reconnaissance (As in Tornado GR4)
TAC AT - Tactical Air Transport. That thing C130s do :}
:ok:

Not quite sure why the idea of aircrew wearing flying suits at an airfield is so amusing (it seems to work for every other nation at KAF), but if it cheers you up then smile away in your scruffy, belt-less, piss-coloured ensemble! Many of the GR guys still use the desert flying suit for flying! (shock horror). Personally, I flew a few sorties in the FRCS but found that during the course of a sortie, the shirt became untucked. I found it impossible to tuck it back in whilst strapped to Martin Baker's finest and wearing a pair of g-trousers; I didn't fancy having a singed arse to add to my troubles after an ejection so reverted to the one-piece flying suit. The main snag with desert flying suits is getting hold of them; however the Tristar stewards always seem to have a full complement!

Some of the guys did fly in FRCS and changed into either standard CS95 or desert flying suits on the ground. Judging by the 'odour' emanating from some of the flying kit lockers, I was glad they were changing there and not bringing their scuzzy kit back to the block!

I agree with this totally. All of the above uniforms (except the green flying suits and CS95) can be seen in use at KAF, with various combinations - e.g. which of the 4 possible smocks/jackets is the correct one to wear over a desert flying suit whilst out around KAF? Which way out do you wear the reversible thermal jacket? Throw in a mixture of belts (green and desert) and hats (desert and MTP floppies with brims of varying size, berets, even the odd chip bag on some of the many senior officers) and suddenly we look like a bag o'****e.. I know it's not important in the grand scheme of things but it just looks a bit crap compared to the identi-kitted US Army, USAF, RCAF, etc...

MTP - What dyslexic women suffer from

GR - Shorthand for GR Zero. what we will be left with when the
current Government scraps the Tornado GR4 fleet.

TAC AT - Language spoken by those green headed guys in the film Mars Attack.

American flight suits ..... are .....available in a greater range of sizes.

Why doesn't that surpprise me?:)

Jack

Stores at Brize now issuing these new American looking flying boots - have semi canvas sides -not heard good reports about them though. Have also heard the US flying suits rumour, don't know what they'll do about kneepads for training fleets as I don't think US suits have them.

I've got the new boots, seem comfy enough, but not flown in them yet. Not heard any bad words.....yet.

EasyStreet - agree with what you say fella. I usually preferred desert flying suit to FRCS, but as we were there over winter, they were not really adequate should one find oneself on the side of a mountain, or aircrew-turning the jet at Kabul at 0200hrs.

I'm still unvconvinced by the argument that ejection-seat equipped aircraft need the crew to have fire-retardent clothing. Apart from MDC splatter, what fire injuries have there been in a bang-seat jet over the last 10 years? Trust me, if I see flames in the cockpit, I am pulling the handle very very quickly.

Kharmael -

TVM (ta very much) :ok:

On the new boots - I've had a pair for a month or so now, and they're fine, both for cutting around camp and for flying in. The sole is a little on the thick side but tbh you don't really notice it in the air, it just makes you bloody tall on the ground!

It isn't, usually.

But, when one sees one's mission crew swanning around a foreign squadron bar, the flight deck crew have gone back to their accommodation for a ****, shower and shave and returned to said bar before heading into town, it makes one smile.

Particularly when mission crew come off somewhat for the worse after a scuffle with our host nation's finest.

Happy days.