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07-09-2020, 10:13 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Sausalito CA in Northern CA near wine country
Posts: 45
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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.
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Frank Ketcham
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07-09-2020, 10:21 AM
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Senior Curmudgeon
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
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So, how was the visit from Dilly?
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Mike Starkey
VAF 909
Rv-10, N210LM.
Flying as of 12/4/2010
Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011 
Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.
"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
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07-09-2020, 10:28 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: SLC, UT (KBTF)
Posts: 240
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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)
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07-09-2020, 10:36 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 344
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I would suggest a nomex flight suit, nomex socks and a pair of flung gloves. Not a lot of money for safety.
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07-09-2020, 10:38 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: White Swan Wa.
Posts: 366
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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.
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Joe Boisselle
2010 RV-4
1941 Luscombe 8C
Last edited by joeboisselle : 07-09-2020 at 10:43 AM.
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07-09-2020, 11:01 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Frederick, MD
Posts: 821
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Drifire fortrex is supposed to be superior to Nomex flight suits. They are Navair approved for flight use. A bit pricier though.
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Dan Morris
Frederick, MD
PA28-140
Hph 304CZ
RV6 built and sold
N199EC RV6A flying
Learn the facts. "Democracy dies in darkness"
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07-09-2020, 11:14 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 351
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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.
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Kevin R. Walsh
Cozy Mk-IV
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07-09-2020, 02:19 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: SLC, UT (KBTF)
Posts: 240
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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
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07-09-2020, 02:47 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Mojave
Posts: 4,652
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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.
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WARNING! Incorrect design and/or fabrication of aircraft and/or components may result in injury or death. Information presented in this post is based on my own experience - Reader has sole responsibility for determining accuracy or suitability for use.
Michael Robinson
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Harmon Rocket II -SDS EFI
RV-8 - SDS CPI
1940 Taylorcraft BL-65
1984 L39C
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07-09-2020, 04:05 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
Posts: 3,932
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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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Rob Prior
1996 RV-6 "Tweety" C-FRBP (formerly N196RV)
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