Dress code

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

When it comes to boots - I just wear elastic sided leather work boots. Hopefully they are somewhat good in a fire (running away from) and they give me good feel on the brakes.

 

Kinggee long legged cotten work pants and a long sleeved cotten shirt offer a little flash fire protection, and will hopefully char in a fire, thats agin, plastic based clothing melting into your skin.

 

I 'wear' my Epirb and flare gun, plus a little water, ground sheet, etc

 

A helmet would likely be a good piece of kit - but I find it a little warm.

 

 

[Tomo]

I too swear by Serengetis K-man, but they can cost more than a half share in a Thruster. My current pair had an RRP of over $450.

Aw gee, you wouldn't want to sit on them for that cost:crying:......or loose them for that matter:sad:

 

 

[Guest airsick]

I have Serengeti sunglasses...

I also looked at the Serengeti's but came across this article from the American Optometric Association which seems to recommend against them so I steered away.

 

Sunglasses in Aviation

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

Foregot to mention the little 'wrist mount' GPS in my kit pocket

 

 

[sain]

Once I moved on to slightly longer flights (navs etc) I started taking water with me. Easiest way to do this is with a camelbak or similair (I actually use an el-cheapo no-name brand - $35 for 3 litre capacity) as it can sit quite comfortably between your back and the seat. Drinking is fairly quick and easy, take a hand off the controls, stick tube in mouth and turn on the little tap. Some are even better and come with a little press valve, so all you do is stick the tube in, press it against your teeth with your lips and suck.

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

If you have private medical, the cheapest way to get sunnies is to get prescription ones! Even if it is only .25 either eye... (if you have optical in your extras, of course)

 

My $400 ones came down to $250 after rebate once I got them to put in prescription lenses - including upgrades to much nicer material and coatings, etc.

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

Once I moved on to slightly longer flights (navs etc) I started taking water with me. Easiest way to do this is with a camelbak or similair (I actually use an el-cheapo no-name brand - $35 for 3 litre capacity) as it can sit quite comfortably between your back and the seat. Drinking is fairly quick and easy, take a hand off the controls, stick tube in mouth and turn on the little tap. Some are even better and come with a little press valve, so all you do is stick the tube in, press it against your teeth with your lips and suck.

I'm with you on this Sain,

 

particularly in turbulent conditions a screw top drink bottle will spread water all over you as you try and drink.

 

I use a CamelBak with a "chewable" mouthpiece - you control the flow by your bite. I hang the CamelBak over the back of the seat - not between me and the seat - and just pass the tube through between me and the harness to hold it in place. It means that in summer, particularly, it's easy to remain well hydrated.

 

I also have a 6 litre MSR water bladder that I carry as emergency water when required - it's soft and rugged so it fits anywhere you like to sling it.

 

On sunglasses - it's important to remember that many ANR headsets don't behave very well at all when the seal is broken by thick arms on sunnies or glasses. Another reason for slim arms.

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

 

[Deskpilot]

If you intend to take photos from and enclosed cockpit, always wear dark coloured pants. It a pity to spoil a good photo with reflections of your legs.

 

Re flight jackets, anyone know of a supply for left handed people. ie, pen holders etc on the right arm.

 

 

[Guest Cralis]

I bought my wife a pair of RayBans a year back.. unisex... with the thin side things... so I'll have to aquire them back from her....

 

Yeah, I'd dead!

 

Thanks for all the ideas/opinions... and I'm glad it stirred up some good debate! :thumb_up:

 

 

[blueshed]

Hi Guy's

 

I use MSA ARCTIC disposable sunnies, Safety Specs, very good deffinition of things in the sky especially when looking at clouds, buy them buy the box full for about $8-$10 each. 12 to a box the box usually lasts for 12 months and you always have a spare pair with you ! They are of the wrap around type !

 

These ae very light and I tend to wear them with the arms just above the ear cups of my head set. However if you are using confor foam earseals these do manage to form around the arms quite well !

 

When in the AT502 I wear a flight suit, made from cotton drill, depending on the temp I may have more or less clothing underneath, cotton breaths ! And of course a helmet with dark visor, need a peak though ! When in Jabby Cotton trousers and Shirt, long sleeves, elastic sided leather boots. When in low wing broad rim hat, many sunshades stolen from my kids car window and lots of SLOP ! and only in Winter !

 

Cheers Guy

 

 

[Yenn]

Always shorts up in sunny Qld.

 

I know there is a safety problem with shorts if you have a fire, but to be safe you need wool or even Nomex. If I remember right cotton makes a very good fire lighter.

 

 

[K-man]

Some interesting reading Airsick. The last link would put you off Serengetis a bit. :confused: However, I haven't had any problem with colour contrasts and they don't seem to get too dark. I must confess to having them on when the sun was going behind the hills and thinking that last light was coming too soon. Fixed the light problem by taking the glasses off and that brightened up the strip! Apart from that they have been good. One of my instructors recommended them. As for price, we got ours from the good old US of A for less than $200.

 

 

[Guest airsick]

Yeah, it did! One of the reasons I looked at them in the first place was because they were recommended by another pilot. Can't remember how I came across the article but once I did I decided to err on the side of caution. I have to say I found it quite difficult to find a pair of non-polarised sunglasses with thin frames even in the el-cheapo service station ranges. In the end I went for some Nike's with interchangeable lenses. Thin, light and comfortable.

 

 

[K-man]

Which probably means we should ask around and keep our eyes open when we are at the airfields. Personal recommendation is valuable when there are lots of alternatives to choose from. :)

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Since we are all talking sunnies.. When practising forced landings (which i know you all do) when it comes to Pax brief, what do you tell you pax regarding sunnies or glasses.. Ive always said, remove any sharp objects from your pockets and remove your glasses.. A student quizzed me the other day on weather this is the best option, he thought sunnies could help protect your eyes from flying bits of plastic and crap in a prang.. On the other hand they themselves could become tiny bits of flying plastic and glass.. just wondering what you guys think about it..

 

cheers

 

 

[K-man]

In reality would we even remember in the pressure cooker situation of an actual forced landing? Also, pilots who need to wear corrective eyeware may need their glasses to see the instruments or to see outside the aircraft. Most sunglass lenses are polycarbonate or plastic and would normally not fracture but under pressure would pop out of the frame. :big_grin: Many corrective lenses are glass which may shatter. Frames are often metal which could cause injury.

 

So, I would be comfortable wearing glasses with plastic frames and polycarb lenses during a forced landing, totally against glass lenses and would probably remove sunnies with a metal frame.

 

Which leaves us with the question ... Should anyone needing corrective eyeware have glasses with polycarb lenses and a plastic frame? i_dunno

 

Never an easy answer?

 

 

[ahlocks]

Rocko wrote a really good dissertation on sunglasses a couple of months ago.

 

Definitely worth a read!

 

http://www.recreationalflying.com/forum/general-discussion/7928-prescription-sunglasses.html

 

 

[Guest airsick]

The only thing with what Rocko wrote is that he seems to encourage (or certainly not discourage) the use of polarised lenses. He has a point - I have flown some aircraft and not noticed any issues where as in others I have had difficulty reading instruments and noticed funky things happening through the windscreen. With all due respect to Rocko I would suggest against going with the polarised stuff and sticking with the recommendation of those optometrists that have looked into specific flying related issues. That said his stuff really is quite informative.