Can someone please tell me....?

[rdaniell]

I just read a story about a USAF drone operator which included a photo of the operator. My question: "Why does a person who sits in a chair inside a building, need to be wearing a flight suit?:isadizzy:

Inquiring minds want to know...:icon_lol::icon30: OK so I'm wearing a flight helmet sitting in a chair in front of my computer. I once wore a flight suit and a helmet just like this one while serving as a C-130 loadmaster in Vietnam.

RD

[IanHenry]

That's funny, I was wondering the same thing. Perhaps it's to protect him if he has to use his ejector seat!

Ian.

[rdaniell]

Perhaps it's to protect him if he has to use his ejector seat!Ian.

:icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol: Don't tell anyone but, I also have a parachute from my loadmaster days.

RD

[Toastmaker]

Probably because pilots/crews of flying machines traditionally wear utilitarian flight suits. Modern technology has created remotely piloted vehicles, yet the operators are still piloting flying aircraft, ergo, the continuation of tradition.

Flight suits can be considered "cool" or impressive and may lend themselves to a certain element of "esprit de corps" among the operators. May help get approving glances from single ladies at the O-club ?

Regardless of individual approval or dis-approval of their use, these may be some of the reasons behind it.

I'm glad to see they don't think G-suits and helmets are necessary !

[aeromed202]

Good question. Reminds me of George Carlin's why do they alcohol-prep the lethal injection site. Oh well, as long as it's just a standard uniform and no JSF helmet. So, do these guys get flight pay when sitting at the console?

[Dev One]

My guess is that they are current pilots/navs & in military employ! A couple of the operators of Jindivik at Llanbedr wore flight suits, but they were current pilots so that was their everyday gear.
Keith

[rdaniell]

Flight suits can be considered "cool" or impressive and may lend themselves to a certain element of "esprit de corps" among the operators. May help get approving glances from single ladies at the O-club ? Regardless of individual approval or dis-approval of their use, these may be some of the reasons behind it. !

There was a recent article in AOPA Magazine about wearing "flight suits" while flying civilian airplanes. Good read. Your statement about the "O" club is interesting as wa..........yy back when I was in the Air Force, we could not wear our flight suits to the enlisted club in the states. If we lived off base, we were not supposed to stop anywhere on our way home while wearing them either. I have to admit being a little amused the other day when I saw the local high school Junior Air Force ROTC commander wearing a flight suit at WalMart.:icon_lol::icon_lol:

Heck! At my age, though,I'm just happy that I can still get amused.....:guinness:

RD

[nigel richards]

There was a recent article in AOPA Magazine about wearing "flight suits" while flying civilian airplanes. Good read. Your statement about the "O" club is interesting as wa..........yy back when I was in the Air Force, we could not wear our flight suits to the enlisted club in the states. If we lived off base, we were not supposed to stop anywhere on our way home while wearing them either. I have to admit being a little amused the other day when I saw the local high school Junior Air Force ROTC commander wearing a flight suit at WalMart.:icon_lol::icon_lol:

Heck! At my age, though,I'm just happy that I can still get amused.....:guinness:

RD

:icon_lol: I'm just happy when my buddies are happy ...:guinness::guinness: nice one RD!

Wouldn't mind the drone jockey's job, too...even I'd wear a flying suit for that...:wavey: maybe some snazzie Ray Bans - heck...shave off me moustache - voila; spittin' image of Tom Cruise...or was it Hanks...!!!

She's got that feelin...(Hey Matt...holla if you can sing!)

"Gentlemen, welcome to Topgun!"

[Victory103]

My guess is that they are current pilots/navs & in military employ! A couple of the operators of Jindivik at Llanbedr wore flight suits, but they were current pilots so that was their everyday gear.
Keith

Most are RPA's or on a RPA assignment, some are "rated", which would make sense on the flightsuit. I never understood the Space AF guys wearing them all they time either. We had it pretty good in the USN for both pilots/aircrew, then the hammer came down to "if you are not actively involved in flight duties, no bags (flight suits). The Army has gotten pretty stupid as well.

[TeaSea]

I'm sorry, I do care whether they wear them or not. A flight suit is made of Nomex, a fire resistant material.

It's expensive.

If this is an issue item (not all will be) I see no reason for the taxpayer to fork over extra money for someone sitting in a darkened van. You are not likely to be doused with JP8 and set alight.

[rdaniell]

I'm sorry, I do care whether they wear them or not. A flight suit is made of Nomex, a fire resistant material. It's expensive. If this is an issue item (not all will be) I see no reason for the taxpayer to fork over extra money for someone sitting in a darkened van. You are not likely to be doused with JP8 and set alight.

Well TeaSea ole buddy, it sure looked like it was a regulation issue flight suit from the photo. Again how the times have changed. When I was a loadmaster in the 1960s, our crew chiefs were not issued flight suits. Even the ones who were on flight status and went along with us sometimes. Oh! and since I'm bringin up old times, you better not be caught wearing your flight jacket over anything other than your flight suit. I found this out the "hard way" as my squadron commander had me standing at attention for quite awhile as he explained dress code to me when I was a very young airman who had just gotten my aircrew wings.

Nigel, my friend, I'm just happy as a pig in slop that you're happy that I'm happy.:guinness::guinness:

RD aka Blindbat 7

BTW: I felt kinda stupid sitting in front of my computer with my flight helmet on so I changed my avatar back to my favorite artwork.

[rdaniell]

Nigel, I just got a great:pop4: idea. If you should ever have the opportunity to pay me a visit, we could go out to my radio controlled aircraft club's flying field on Sunday afternoon. We could both wear flight suits as we would be flying:icon30: "real airplanes." I know it's been awhile for you but, we have buddy cords just for that situation.

Now come on my fellow Outhouse buddies, doesn't that make as much sense as a drone operator sitting in an air conditioned room wearing a flight suit.:running:

Man! I crack myself up sometimes....:icon_lol::icon_lol:

RD

[stansdds]

Probably because pilots/crews of flying machines traditionally wear utilitarian flight suits. Modern technology has created remotely piloted vehicles, yet the operators are still piloting flying aircraft, ergo, the continuation of tradition.

Flight suits can be considered "cool" or impressive and may lend themselves to a certain element of "esprit de corps" among the operators. May help get approving glances from single ladies at the O-club ?

Regardless of individual approval or dis-approval of their use, these may be some of the reasons behind it.

I'm glad to see they don't think G-suits and helmets are necessary !

I think these are the primary reasons drone "pilots" wear flight suits. In all honesty, I think they could wear pajamas and be just as effective while controlling drones.

And yes, real flight suits are made from Nomex and are very expensive. Drone operators wearing Nomex suits is a waste of funds.

[nigel richards]

Nigel, I just got a great:pop4: idea. If you should ever have the opportunity to pay me a visit, we could go out to my radio controlled aircraft club's flying field on Sunday afternoon. We could both wear flight suits as we would be flying:icon30: "real airplanes." I know it's been awhile for you but, we have buddy cords just for that situation.

Now come on my fellow Outhouse buddies, doesn't that make as much sense as a drone operator sitting in an air conditioned room wearing a flight suit.:running:

Man! I crack myself up sometimes....:icon_lol::icon_lol:

RD

I hear ya buddy,:jump: imagine you and I flying a big fat drone with buddy cords; hey; You do rudder/elevator, leave me the ailerons/throttle.

I can just hear our good ladies, too:
"honey...:icon_eek: what's that you're carrying into the den in that great big box there...have you been wasting money at the model store, AGAIN???":a1089:

"Box?...ummm...oh dat!...Naaa, Bud's been having a clear out, again...can you believe he was gonna trash all this...might come in useful someday..." :engel016:

Folk will be combing a five mile radius for months picking up bits o' balsa.
And we can get into a few cans of coldies and blame the nugget that switched on the same frequency.

BTW, every time you decide to crack up, it cracks me up too - any idea how many of my keyboards you've gone through already?...:icon_lol:

Maybe, let our hair down and wear NASA spacesuits...by the way... :cool: like the Ray Bans?

Make room, buddy...the slop's awesome and the mud's cool - heaven! :wavey:

[rdaniell]

Folk will be combing a five mile radius for months picking up bits o' balsa.
And we can get into a few cans of coldies and blame the nugget that switched on the same frequency.

BTW, every time you decide to crack up, it cracks me up too - any idea how many of my keyboards you've gone through already?...:icon_lol:

Maybe, let our hair down and wear NASA spacesuits...by the way... :cool: like the Ray Bans?

Make room, buddy...the slop's awesome and the mud's cool - heaven! :wavey:

We can't actually use that excuse:pop4: anymore as all the fellows, including me, use 2.4 radios now. No more worrying about someone shooting you down.
Of course, our chief financial officers ( wives for you single guys ), don't know that so we can still blame our crashes :icon31:on that.

Yeah! I like the look:cool: of the Ray Bans.

RD

[SSI01]

You know, those guys may not even have a choice - somewhere in the cobweb-filled recesses of my retired mind is a story that came out in the last 6 months or so saying CSAF has practically ordered AF pilots to wear their bags no matter where they are - even in the Pentagon - if they are a rated pilot. It's possible the AF accords pilot rating to these robot-wranglers, hence the bags. I must say I draw the line at them getting combat pay or a special decoration:mixedsmi:, or whatever it was they were in line to get until just recently when someone killed it after public complaint.

A number of jet jockeys in the past had to put up with hemorrhoids (sp) as an occupational risk - I wonder if carpal-tunnel syndrome will be diagnosed as a service-connected disability for a drone pilot?

[rdaniell]

You know, those guys may not even have a choice - somewhere in the cobweb-filled recesses of my retired mind is a story that came out in the last 6 months or so saying CSAF has practically ordered AF pilots to wear their bags no matter where they are - even in the Pentagon - if they are a rated pilot. It's possible the AF accords pilot rating to these robot-wranglers, hence the bags. I must say I draw the line at them getting combat pay or a special decoration:mixedsmi:, or whatever it was they were in line to get until just recently when someone killed it after public complaint.

A number of jet jockeys in the past had to put up with hemorrhoids (sp) as an occupational risk - I wonder if carpal-tunnel syndrome will be diagnosed as a service-connected disability for a drone pilot?

Most likely that will be the case in the very near future. Heck, the guy in the article is already claiming PTSD. Being a retired professor of psychology and a Vietnam vet, I'll keep my opinion concerning the proliferation of PTSD cases to myself.:kilroy:

RD

[pfflyers]

The military dress code has really changed since I was in the Army. In those days you were prohibited from wearing flight gear or fatigues off post unless on official business or on your way home if you lived off-post. Anytime you traveled on their dime you were obliged to wear a dress uniform.

[rdaniell]

The military dress code has really changed since I was in the Army. In those days you were prohibited from wearing flight gear or fatigues off post unless on official business or on your way home if you lived off-post. Anytime you traveled on their dime you were obliged to wear a dress uniform.

As I posted earlier, that's exactly the way it was when I was in the Air Force. I guess I'm just an ole fa*t but, I liked that dress code much better.:USA-flag:
Most especially after I got a little rank, silver aircrew wings, combat crew badge, and a few medals.:icon_lol:

RD

[n4gix]

Most are RPA's or on a RPA assignment, some are "rated", which would make sense on the flightsuit. I never understood the Space AF guys wearing them all they time either. We had it pretty good in the USN for both pilots/aircrew, then the hammer came down to "if you are not actively involved in flight duties, no bags (flight suits). The Army has gotten pretty stupid as well.
When I was in the Army, we were forbidden to wear fatigues off-base unless we lived off-base and commuted to work. Even then we were forbidden to make any stops for any reason (other than to pump gas). If we wanted to spend time off-base, we had to wear our Class A uniform.

These days everyone seems to wear their ACU or UCP at all times. I have yet to seen any soldier wearing the new Class A or Class B uniforms, on or off post...

I will say however that I really do like the new Class A and Class B uniforms though, the dark blue jacket over lighter blue slacks really looks much better that the old green jacket and slacks.

For a side-by-side comparison of the "old" versus the "new" see: http://www.marlowwhite.com/army-class-a-uniform.html

See also: http://www.army.mil/asu/

[TeaSea]

And yes, real flight suits are made from Nomex and are very expensive. Drone operators wearing Nomex suits is a waste of funds.

I don't know that this is what the Dronies are wearing....but if so....REALLY?!

If they are not Nomex, then I could care less....

[txnetcop]

That's funny, I was wondering the same thing. Perhaps it's to protect him if he has to use his ejector seat!

Ian.

Just had that mental picture...NOW THAT'S FUNNY!!!:icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:
Ted

[C2Aaircrew]

I guess I can kind of see the rational behind them wearing zoom bags, I'm not really understanding why they feel they should get flight pay though. And when they earn their wings, will they have to drink them out flight boots they've been wearing for at least a couple of days straight and stink of Avgas or JP5? The left side of my chest still hurts when I think about one of the proudest moments in my life.

http://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20091010/NEWS/910100311/UAV-pilots-get-flight-pay

I sure would have liked to sat in a van and collected flight pay for flying a UAV and not have to deal with cats & traps, pre/post-flights, A-sheets, loading/unloading cargo, in flight failures, unpredictable weather, j.o.'s that think they know my job better than I do, cr&ppy box lunches from the carrier, etc... I am also amazed at the relaxed off base dress code now a days. Flight jackets could only be worn over flight suits while in flight status, (and dungarees only if you were stationed outside of CONUS) and neither could be worn off base. It always seemed like the AK's had a death grip on all flight gear, because trying to get your worn out suits, jackets and boots replaced was next to impossible. Yet, you would always see all kinds of folks a mid-rats in flight gear that you knew for a fact were not flight crew. We got so tired of being told that there were no new replacements available that our Line Chief wore his dirtiest/rattiest (smelled a little like JP5) flight suit to quarters one morning. The X.O. about lost his mind. We had no problems with replacement items after that, of course the enlisted flight crews were pretty much persona non grata in supply after that. Didn't see too many AK's and AKC's with flight gear from then on. I guess I shouldn't really cast stones, I wear flight gear while simming, which my wife thinks is hilarious. Ok, :a1451: off.