2 Piece or Onesie Flying Suit

[Norm]

Long time oneise wearer here, wondering if a 2 piece (nomex shirt and pants) is a nice upgrade from the old jumpsuit style flight suit? Funny side note, on my first 100hr job a visitor to the hangar mistook me for the janitor in my old drab surplus flying suit, I had a laugh, not because my feelings were hurt but because the full time janitor made a lot more money than my 100hr wonder wage.

[GrayHorizons]

Not that I wear flightsuits, but I have worn plenty of coveralls.

they are, lets say...not very flattering. Long torso, short limbs...the crotch about knee height. Awesome.

I envy Pilots with fitted flight suits because you easily fit that Top Gun persona. While maintenance staff looks like a mass murderer on a day pass.

A two piece would be more flexible for wearing in several ways. 

But my only concern would be in an accident with a fire, if it would stay covering all of you and help prevent those burns. 

Something to keep in mind.

[DGP]

3 hours ago, Norm said:

Long time oneise wearer here, wondering if a 2 piece (nomex shirt and pants) is a nice upgrade from the old jumpsuit style flight suit? Funny side note, on my first 100hr job a visitor to the hangar mistook me for the janitor in my old drab surplus flying suit, I had a laugh, not because my feelings were hurt but because the full time janitor made a lot more money than my 100hr wonder wage.

Reminds me of the day I walked in a hangar in Wpg looking for the ops manager that had hired me over the phone. I see this old fellow moping the hanger floor...ask him about the guy I was looking for...next day I find out the old guy moping the hangar floor owns the company....I found an old shop coat that a former employee had discarded and my new name was Jack ! HAH!

[Crusty]

Two piece.

Think doing a #2 in your winter flying kit - just drop trou with a 2-piece if it's really cold instead of stripping down with a one piece...less chance of dropping a log into the shoulders of the onesie that's coiled around your ankles, which ends up on the back of your neck when you pull everything up...oh, yeah...

Think doing #2 in mosquito and black fly weather - just drop trou and only the heinie gets bit with a 2-piece...the dangly bits too if you're slow...otherwise too much pink showing with a onesie...

...and it's easier to pork out with a 2-piece than it is with a onesie, having to reduce your bacon, beer and black forest cake input...ever seen a guy in a onesie who was too girthful for it? Eeegads! 

[Heliian]

Unless you're wearing a nomex suit and underclothes, it doesn't matter.  

Only a one piece with proper layering will offer full protection.  

[Crusty]

In all seriousness, the link I'm providing is dated (1996) but still very relevant for today's helicopter crews. Basically Nomex or Nomex-blend is the current working man affordable gold standard, but layering as Heliian states, is essential to get the maximum benefit of Nomex.  But the most important note on layering - natural materials only (cotton, wool, silk) and stay away from man made fibres such as nylon and polyester.

The following statement is taken from the link document:

Clothing and life support equipment are effective only if worn in the manner for which they are designed.

https://watermark.silverchair.com/milmed-161-1-54.pdf?token=AQECAHi208BE49Ooan9kkhW_Ercy7Dm3ZL_9Cf3qfKAc485ysgAAAmswggJnBgkqhkiG9w0BBwagggJYMIICVAIBADCCAk0GCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQM3JoDh1I40qGz2bqtAgEQgIICHu5VPEA6Q52I2NTO8yjFaYTW8arg888tXueUdstp56M7lTCUxLchV_ocVBLfJo7H57PJcFwsrjCb02h4zqlbxJrGdOZyx75L1PckpOmyOz-BpZNwMx1x2x_3np-5DBB25HQZrpxGzvNAgHGnyIvPeBceafKFY7Hqi-C0EJCwmkA2U5erJ1990uwKNsFL2zABeJo39AvGiIvWT591ja5D9Dtf5DjlqHYOrmZqQtud_1COkv2iyHbygDvodMuUAD0vGMvulhpmB4QHlZgXEigSLgXdnEtVw0AFGeKDLex3E3pNitMVprL9YuJc8r0uFdU8XWT9vIGtItb33QcsK9i8el-476pMojtZAVVvm5iFok31J-mWjjxr4HXki6KrKUMEenf_vaeSHZpydS3N5e0vsQgxump1gdCYRNHdhsy4CqdbGYGgSWH391sSJ-UkZ7IYqbERGY-BvJEJu-1Qv2q978s0u_3A2z2R-rhjTsx2gMwBWFPiwTjZ43Rzz4F5jhhpvkLaoKme7v3_ivhNAtKsPaz7d1Zrc5DEC7rsRt27ij8mckCDNNdR0IIA3fMJ1THwZspcAL3K2LdUAyxS-dvqN-1Y3DbtJoORSDgyHB5F6fh2Ocit0YgJMqmUZaoK8nIILM9CCbjGJQfYDTB0bmtHf_TTQrd-Ym6o0yEgWmHxypl-HbCRqjjde-BHlCrX2foKut6B273e9FSh1fN-Hah7

 

The following link is a document titled Industrial Flash Fire and Burn Injury Fundamentals with an Instrumented Manikin Demonstration of Protective Clothing Performance, is an excellent scientific study for fabrics (Nomex vs Cotton). It's not very long and has excellent information applicable for aircrew clothing.

https://nascoinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Industrial-Flash-Fire-and-Burn-Injury-Fundamentals_ASSE-.pdf

 

[Bif]

The downside with a two piece as well is, if you're like me, as soon as you're given the option to only wear half you end up doing that all the time. With my 1-piece, I wore it every flight. No choice, unless I wanted to wear street clothes.

With the 2-piece, I find myself way too often flying in just the pants and maybe a softshell jacket (or even a t-shirt in summer). Or, just the jacket and a pair of Carhartts or what have you. 

Flexibility is good in one sense, I suppose. But it also kind of defeats the purpose.

[Crusty]

I understand what you're saying Bif.  I guess it boils down to personal discipline...it never fails that the one time you should have, you didn't, and then you pay some kind of price...

[Norm]

I think I'm going to order the 2 piece, with the points provided it just seems practical for bush aviation. Thanks

[R0T0R]

Always nice to go in your underwear Under the flight suit on the hot days on fires...just saying.