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-   -   First Flight Fire Resistant Clothing (https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=184474)

Frankster13 07-09-2020 10:13 AM

First Flight Fire Resistant Clothing
 
I would be interested in recommendations for first flight clothing and other general safety considerations. I am thinking along the lines of general recommendations on test flights. I don't want to go overboard but I am thinking fire resistant clothing, gloves, Halon extinguisher, etc. Any thoughts welcome.

Mike S 07-09-2020 10:21 AM

So, how was the visit from Dilly?

koupster 07-09-2020 10:28 AM

Full Nomex apparel is probably what you're thinking might be going overboard.

Consider all cotton clothing (socks, pants, and a long sleeve shirt) in at least a medium weight fabric. Cotton doesn't catch fire that easily and won't melt onto your skin while burning if it does. Add leather shoes or boots and gloves. Deerskin or goatskin gloves provide good dexterity.

Best of luck with your first flight. Seems the more one prepares, the luckier one gets.

Cheers, David
RV-6A USAF (retired)

ALagonia 07-09-2020 10:36 AM

I would suggest a nomex flight suit, nomex socks and a pair of flung gloves. Not a lot of money for safety.

joeboisselle 07-09-2020 10:38 AM

Good question as you have no idea what's going to come loose, rub the wrong way, flex or simply break. I would suggest if you're dressing for a fire and bringing a halon extinguisher, bring a gas mask too. I've endured smoke in my rv-4, and it's no bueno.

RVDan 07-09-2020 11:01 AM

Drifire fortrex is supposed to be superior to Nomex flight suits. They are Navair approved for flight use. A bit pricier though.

krwalsh 07-09-2020 11:14 AM

Nomex & Cotton
 
I've been on fire once before in my life (not in an airplane) and it is not something I'd wish on my worst enemy. So for my first flight, I went with the following:

Nomex Flight suit. Search eBay for a new old stock one and save some money.

Long sleeve cotton shirt underneath. You can buy fire resistant (FR) shirts from quite a few places too. I ended up getting an Oakley FR Carbon-X shirt for some of my flights, but only because I was flying faster than I could do laundry for my long sleeve cotton shirts, and I was flight testing in the middle of summer and would soak my shirts in sweat.

Lightweight, but calf-height wool socks.

Nomex high-top shoes. You can get them from the race shops online (Pegasus Auto Racing is one of my favorites). I have Piloti brand, but Simpson sells similar ones.

Leather gloves. Thin TIG welding gloves are great low-cost alternatives.

I wore a helmet (MSA Gallet), but no parachute. That's an entirely different discussion on those choices.

That's it. After my flight testing was done my flight suit and shoes have pretty much been sitting in a bag at the hangar. Everything else you can use in normal circumstances.

koupster 07-09-2020 02:19 PM

Frank,

If you want to wear nomex and would like to borrow a flightsuit, please post your size. I'll be glad to ship you mine if you'll return it when you're finished.

If mine won't fit you, perhaps someone else will volunteer.

Wool socks are probably superior to cotton.

Leather boots are probably on par with nomex auto racing high-top shoes as far as fire protection goes; they are just a bit heavier and less flexible. Mine are probably 9 1/2 regular. Same offer as the flightsuit.

Cheers, David
RV-6A KBTF

Toobuilder 07-09-2020 02:47 PM

On my first few Rocket flights I went with my Nomex pajamas and gloves from my former gig as an FTE, and purchased high top Nomex racing shoes (Crow) from Summit (mil issue flight boots just don't work for me in the Rocket). Felt pretty silly wearing the monkey suit at the gas pumps (and it is back in the closet), but the shoes are a good addition to my normal flying attire.

I also had multiple fire extinguishers at close reach.

Snowflake 07-09-2020 04:05 PM

An ex-air force nomex flight suit, nomex flying gloves, cotton underwear, and some kind of footwear that won't completely melt to your feet in a fire would be a good choice, and won't break the bank. The suit and gloves can probably be borrowed from fellow local RV pilots, you might even be able to borrow a flight helmet.


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