THE RIGHT STUFF?

Wearing the right type of clothing could be a matter of life or death… Steve Slater reports

t’s tempting in the current spell of hot weather to

Ibecome more minimalist in one’s choice of flying clothing and, at my local airfield, there’s been a recent array of t-shirts, shorts and even plastic sandals on display from people going flying. Is that really a good idea?

The risk of a post-crash or, heaven forbid, an in-flight fire is far lower these days than in the past, but it does still exist. Ask yourself, how much protection would your minimalist attire give you?

In any post-accident, or even a successful forced landing scenario, a safe exit from the aircraft will be critical, especially if it is on fire. Plastic flip-flops, shorts and t-shirts, especially if they are made of nylon, are going to be less than helpful, indeed they could even be killers.

Nylon and other man-made fibres, as well as being more flammable, actually burn into one’s skin, making any subsequent skin grafts almost impossible. You’ve probably noticed that military, emergency response and airshow pilots generally wear flight suits. These pilots don’t wear these garments just to fit into some kind of fraternity or to look cool – flight suits serve a real safety-related goal.

Purpose-made flight suits are generally made from fire retardant materials such as Nomex and provide a vital thermal barrier.

Even if a flying suit is not your thing, you can still minimise risk by wearing clothing with low flammability.

Stay away from materials such as polar fleece and loose-fitting cotton, which are relatively flammable. You can get Nomex shirts from workwear and motor sports suppliers. Denim jeans offer good protection because they are made with a tight weave. Woollen shirts and leather jackets may be a bit warm to wear in the summer, but they provide great protection because the materials Below Whether you wear hi-viz jackets on the ground or not – they are an absolute ‘no no’ in the cockpit resist flames and have a slow burn rate, the reason why they were worn by crews of wartime aircraft.

High-viz, high risk

Tighter-fitting clothes are more difficult to ignite than flowing, loose garments. Which brings me onto a particular bête noire, high-visibility jackets. Whatever your opinions on wearing them on the ground, once you are inside the cockpit, just say no!

Nylon hi-viz jackets are usually highly inflammable and, being loose-fitting, may well snag on controls impeding your egress in an emergency. If you have to wear one at a particular airfield, stow it away once you are in the aircraft.

Not just in emergencies

Appropriate clothing shouldn’t just be considered in response to emergencies. Just how much protection from cockpit sunburn and dehydration are you going to get from your flip-flops, t-shirt and shorts? Aircraft with low wings and bubble canopies, as well as gliders, are more than capable of giving you serious sunburn, in places you may not normally consider. Believe me, sunburned tops of legs, feet, top of head and back of neck, can seriously spoil a day’s flying!

Many glider pilots use a ‘beanie’ hat which provides top of head and neck protection. Baseball caps seem to be preferred by the powered flying fraternity but remember, the peak of a baseball cap may shade your eyes but it might also generate a blind spot, limiting your peripheral vision.

Of course, personal clothing is up to the individual, but I hope this provides some food for thought – and enjoy the sunshine! ■