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((Short description|Full-body garment))
((redirect|Flying suit|the extreme sport|wingsuit))

((ref improve|date=July 2013))
[[Image:Dan Clark in a flight suit on a jet fighter.jpg|thumb|upright|Flight suit worn by a [[United States Air Force Thunderbirds|Thunderbird]] passenger]]

A '''flight suit''' is a full-body garment, worn while flying [[aircraft]] such as [[military airplane]]s, [[Glider (aircraft)|gliders]] and [[helicopter]]s. These suits are generally made to keep the wearer warm, as well as being practical (plenty of pockets), and durable (including [[Fire-retardant material|fire retardant]]). Its appearance is usually similar to a [[jumpsuit]]. A [[military]] flight suit may also show [[Military rank|rank]] insignia. It is sometimes used as a [[combat uniform]] in [[close quarters battle]] or [[visit, board, search, and seizure]] situations, for its practicality.

==History==
[[File:GPN-2000-001380 - cropped.jpg|A flight suit worn in 1925|thumb|upright]]
[[File:IWM-C128_F24_205196662.jpg|A British WWII crewman in full flightsuit (with aerial camera)]|thumb]]
[[File:GDR AF Flying-suit.jpg|East German [[National People's Army]] flight suit, 1962–1978|thumb|upright]]
As [[aviation]] developed in unheated open cockpits, the need for warm clothing quickly became apparent, as did the need for multiple pockets with closures of buttons, snaps, or zippers to prevent loss of articles during maneuvers. Various types of [[flight jacket]]s and [[Trousers|pants]] coverings were developed and, during [[World War I]], [[leather]] two-piece outfits were common among pilots to ward off the chill caused by [[slipstream]] and the cold of low-oxygen high-altitude flying. Leather quickly became the preferred material due to its durability and the protection it offered against flying debris such as insect strikes during climb-outs and landings, and oil thrown off by the simple rotary and inline motors of the time. In World War, while motoring clothing was supplied pilots were allowed to provide their own protective clothing by private purchase. The Australian aviator Frederick [[Sidney Cotton]]'s experience on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] in WWI with high level and low-temperature flying led Cotton in 1917 to develop the revolutionary new "Sidcot" suit, a flying suit which solved the problem pilots had in keeping warm in the cockpit.<ref>[http://www.adastron.com/lockheed/electra/sidcotton.htm Sidney Cotton and His Kolossal Lockheeds] ((webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917062425/http://adastron.com/lockheed/electra/sidcotton.htm |date=2010-09-17 ))</ref> This flying suit, with improvements, was widely used by the RAF until the 1950s. Cotton had flown in his working overalls one day and noticed that he had not gotten as cold as the other pilots and attributed this to the oil and grease that had soaked into the overalls. He recreated the effect by three layers: a thin fur liner separated from a Burberry [<nowiki/>[[gabardine]]] outer by airproof silk which he had made up by Robinson & Cleaver in London and advertised under the Sidcot name at 8 guineas (£8 8s). When its effectiveness became known orders for leather coats were cancelled in favour of the SidCot <ref>Rood, 2014 p8</ref> In extreme conditions thigh high fur boots could be worn with it, and on long flights it could be enhanced with electrically heated waistcoat, gloves and boot inner soles powered by a [[Windmill|windmill generator]] (though flexing broke the wires in the gloves, and [[Overvoltage|over voltage]] caused burns) <ref>Rood 2014 p10</ref>

In the mid 1930s RAF standard flight suit was a variation on the Sidcot made of rubberised linen in a grey-green colour with a detachable fur collar; a zip had replaced buttons. This was paired with sheepskin-lined knee high suede boots((Efn|The lower part of the boot was rubberised to stop the suede picking up water when walking across airfields)) and a quilted liner could be added. All this was worn over the standard uniform. Electrically heated suits were developed for the RAF but only used in small numbers by bomber and high-altitude meteorological aircraft<ref>Rood 2014 p15</ref> While fighter pilots were limited in cockpit space, RAF bomber crew could add insulated Irving leather sheepskin jackets and trousers over their flying suit

By the time [[World War II]] started in earnest, electrically heated suits were introduced by [[Lion-Vallen Industries|Lion Apparel]] in conjunction with General Electric for patrol and bomber crews who routinely operated at high altitudes above ((convert|30,000|ft|m)), where air temperatures could get so cold that flesh could freeze instantly to any metal it touched. As enclosed and [[pressurized cabin]]s came into operation, the necessity of bulky leather and [[shearling]] jackets and pants began to fade. For example, pilots, navigators, and bombardiers of a [[B-17|Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress]] operating in Europe in 1944 comfortably wore their officer's uniforms under an [[A-2 jacket|A-2 flight jacket]], due to the enclosed and heated cabin; but the waist gunners needed electrically heated suits, as they fired their guns through open window gunports. When the [[B-29 Superfortress|Boeing B-29 Superfortress]] was introduced in the [[Pacific War|fight against Japan]], along with remote-controlled coordinated gun turrets, the fully pressurized crew cabin made bulky flight gear obsolete.

Where bomber pilots could wear their service [[uniform]]s as flight gear, [[fighter pilot]]s needed a uniform that functioned in the tight confines of the typical fighter plane cockpit. The AN-S-31 flight suit was developed for the [[US Army Air Corps]] and featured two button-down breast pockets and two button-down shin pockets that could be accessed from the sitting position. The [[US Navy]] used a slightly different model that featured slanted pockets with zippers. The material used was either wool or tight-weave cotton for wind resistance and fire protection.

The need for short-duration fire protection was demonstrated early during that war. As technology advanced, the fire-protective flight suit,<ref>((cite web |title=How Flame Resistant Clothing Saved an Army Apache Pilot |url=https://www.massif.com/bigvoice/flame-resistant-clothing-saves-apache-pilot |website=Massif |access-date=12 February 2024))</ref> helmets, goggles, masks, gloves and footwear were designed and used. The footwear often could be cut to appear like civilian shoes in the country where the crew member would land if shot down.

[[Flak jacket]]s were also developed to give bomber crews some protection from flying shrapnel, though these increased the overall weight of the airplane and reduced the effective bombload that could be carried.

With the era of [[jet flight]] and improved focus on safety; however, fully fire-retardant materials were required. It was also simpler to make a one-piece suit when it would potentially have to fit over existing clothing or various types of under-garments.

Also, with the coming of jet flight came the development of the [[G-suit]]((Efn|The first G-suits - based on water - were introduced during WWII and used by FAA and RAAF pilots<ref>Rood, 2014, p26</ref>)), a special kind of flight suit (worn alone or in combination with a traditional flight suit) that protected the wearer from the physical stress of acceleration by compressing the body to keep blood from pooling in the legs.  As the pilot executed high-G combat maneuvers, their blood would be pulled from their head and shift downwards into their lower body, starving the brain of oxygen and causing a [[G-LOC|blackout]].  The G-suit was designed to allow some retention of blood in the pilot's head, allowing them to execute high-G turns for sustained periods of time.

In the 1950s and 1960s, even more specialized suits needed to be developed for high-altitude surveillance (such as with the U-2 and [[SR-71|Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird]] aircraft) and space flight. These would include full pressurization, and would be the precursor to today's [[space suit]]s.

==Current standards==
[[File:Swiss Air Force flight suit and ejection seat.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Swiss Air Force]] flight suit and fighter pilot equipment, 2011]]
The current flight suit<ref>((cite web |title=Two Piece Flight Suit: The Ultimate Garment for Aviation Professionals |url=https://www.massif.com/bigvoice/two-piece-flight-suit |website=Massif |access-date=21 December 2023))</ref> that is standard for most air forces and navies is made of [[Nomex]], a fabric made from spun [[aramid]] that is lightweight and fire-resistant. The flame-retardant capabilities of this material make it ideal for protecting aviators in case of a fire. The suit is often green or [[desert tan]] in color, with multiple pockets for specific pieces of gear (such as a clear plastic pocket on the thigh intended to house a map of the aircraft's planned flight path), but color, style, and cut vary greatly from country to country.  The current model flight suit for the US military is the CWU 27/P and is available in [[Sage (color)|sage green]] and desert tan.  Commercial flight suits for civilian flying are also available, and are frequently used by helicopter crew (including non-pilots such as flight engineers, paramedics, and nurses), aerobatic pilots, and others who desire a practical "uniform".

Although there are multiple pockets on the current CWU 27/P flight suit, all pockets are placed on the front of the flight suit or on the arms or legs.  There are no pockets on the back of the flight suit.  This design allows easier access to the pockets while the wearer is sitting (such as in the cockpit of an aircraft), and ensures that the wearer in a seated position does not have to sit on any items in a back pocket (such as a wallet).

Members of the [[United States Marine Corps]] wore flight suits during most vehicle patrols and ground combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, because their standard camouflage utilities were not flame-resistant. Flight suits have now been phased out among ground personnel with the introduction of the [[Flame Resistant Organizational Gear]] (FROG) suit, which resembles the standard camouflage utilities.

==Space flight==
((unreferenced-section|date=June 2016))
[[File:STS 51-I emergency training.jpg|thumb|200px|Astronauts [[Richard O. Covey]] (front) and [[Joe H. Engle]] rush from the [[Space Shuttle Discovery|Discovery]] during emergency launch-mode egress training at [[Kennedy Space Center]].]]
[[File:Expedition 21 crew members with three EMU spacesuits in the Columbus lab of the International Space Station - 20091117.jpg|thumb|[[Expedition 21]] crew members pose with three [[Extravehicular Mobility Unit]] spacesuits in the [[Columbus (ISS module)|''Columbus'']] laboratory of the [[International Space Station]].]]

[[NASA]] astronauts have worn one-piece flight suits when in training or on flights in their NASA [[T-38 Talon|T-38s]]. The current flight suit worn by astronauts is [[royal blue]], made of Nomex. The now-common "[[shirt-sleeve environment]]" of the orbiting [[Space Shuttle]] and [[International Space Station]] has resulted in much more casual attire during spaceflight, such as shorts and [[polo shirt]]s.

From [[STS-5]] to [[STS-51L|STS-51-L]], crews wore light blue flight suits and an oxygen helmet during launch/reentry. [[Apollo program|Apollo]] crews wore white 2-piece [[beta cloth]] uniforms during non-essential activities and the full A7L [[pressure suit]] during launch, [[trans-lunar injection]], lunar ascent/descent, and [[extravehicular activity]]. [[Project Mercury|Mercury]] and Gemini crews wore their [[space suits]] for the duration of the mission, with the exception of [[Gemini 7]].

Pilots and flight crews use several colors of flight suit. NASA crews, for example, wear blue flight suits as a sort of functional dress uniform during training. The orange suits that they wear during launch and re-entry/landing are designed for high visibility, should there be an emergency recovery. White suits are worn during space walks to control temperature.  NASA non-astronaut flight crew at [[Langley Research Center]] wear blue, and crew at the [[Dryden Flight Research Center]] wear either green or desert tan, and all newer suits issued are desert tan.

==See also==
* [[Military rank]]
* [[Jumpsuit]]
* [[Pocket check list]]
* [[Pressure suit]]

== Notes ==
((Notelist))

==References==

((Reflist))


*((cite journal|journal=Journal of Aeronautical History |id= Paper No. 2014/01  |title= A BRIEF HISTORY OF FLYING CLOTHING |first= Dr. Graham |last= Rood  <!-- Farnborough Air Sciences Trust (FAST) Formerly Head of Man Machine Integration Department,  Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough -->|publisher=Royal Aeronautical Society ))

==External links==
((commons category|Flight suits))

((DEFAULTSORT:Flight Suit))
[[Category:Aviation medicine]]
[[Category:Aviation wear]]
[[Category:Safety clothing]]
[[Category:One-piece suits]]
[[Category:Military uniforms]]

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