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Flight Equipment

taxi1 said:
How do the cummerbund inflation kits work?
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Jump to about the 3 minute mark


Having done water survival in both the different is amazing. You don’t lose the ability to reach up vertically and the float gives you about a foot or so higher head out of water reach.

Also when not based overwater you can simply swap the system for cummerbund straps that done have all the infflation and oxygen support kit on them.
 
Lawman said:
Jump to about the 3 minute mark


Having done water survival in both the different is amazing. You don’t lose the ability to reach up vertically and the float gives you about a foot or so higher head out of water reach.

Also when not based overwater you can simply swap the system for cummerbund straps that done have all the infflation and oxygen support kit on them.
Click to expand...
Interesting, how does it hold an unconscious person in the water?
 
Brett327 said:
Service connection for a dental issue is tough if it isn't an injury of some kind. Depending on your rating, you may still qualify for dental care through the VA, but it's probably no different than what you get via your retired dental plan.
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Must've gotten mine before they got stricter, not that I don't have an issue but it isn't an injury. And I wouldn't have even bothered if a dental hygienist had not made a point of telling me I had an issue on my last full active duty physical when not a single Navy dentist had.
 
Roger_Waveoff said:
We can basically all thank the Washington Post for their October and November 2025 hit pieces on VA disability. There's a lot of scrutiny on the system that wasn't there before.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/inve...veterans-affairs-fraud-fake-disability-cases/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/inve...025/va-disability-ratings-profit-consultants/
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They bring up some fair points though, I am still baffled as to how someone can get disability for sleep apnea or diabetes without something very specifically service-related. And the consultant stuff is out of hand too, and illegal in many cases.
 
Flash said:
They bring up some fair points though, I am still baffled as to how someone can get disability for sleep apnea or diabetes without something very specifically service-related. And the consultant stuff is out of hand too, and illegal in many cases.
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Sleep apnea was a presumptive eligibility thing for a while. Not uncommon for 50%.
 
Pic from a VP-40 Public Affairs video showing aircrew wearing what looks to be standard HGU-55/P helmet configured with new Gentex flexible boom microphone.

Also notice no bayonet fittings for O2 MBU style mask.

When do VP P-8 crews operate with helmets on?

Screenshot_20260130-075737~2.jpg
 
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Lawman said:
Horse collars are stupid, and far less survivable than the cummerbund inflation kits now available.
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After over 80 years I kinda figure the Navy knows what it is doing WRT to flotation gear, I never had a problem with the horse collars when flying.
 
Flash said:
After over 80 years I kinda figure the Navy knows what it is doing WRT to flotation gear, I never had a problem with the horse collars when flying.
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I’ve worn the cumberbund before by First Spear and they can get a bit bulky on your sides. A better solution could be the Mustang Survival RATIS. Smaller than a typical aviation horse collar and you can set it to inflate on impact with the water, delayed, or manual. I barely knew it was there when I wore it
 
Flash said:
After over 80 years I kinda figure the Navy knows what it is doing WRT to flotation gear, I never had a problem with the horse collars when flying.
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The collar on the CMU-33 was/is pretty terrible. If you try to actuate it as your body would naturally pull, you can very easily break the valves on the bottles. This also causes the zipper to stay engaged. The last three times I went through water survival, they made a big deal about this, but then when people would get in the water (myself included), we'd struggle to pull correctly. The last time I went through, I finally figured it out, but again, it requires the perfect geometry, which isn't the greatest design if it's at night, your cold, and maybe not all your appendages are working.

Trying to actually move around (ie, swim) is a pain, and hooking up to the hoist with how they placed the carabiner wasn't exactly easy. The newer vests had the carabiner moved (I can't remember where...on the shoulder/chest?), but I never wore those so not sure how much easier it is to get to.

While more niche, the collar also causes issues when you have to wear paraloft pool gear. Depending on your build, it's easy for the collar to bow out and up, causing it to rub against your helmet and/or push your helmet/head forward. More of a helo RAG issue than a fleet issue, but still annoying when the PRs take months to build up a vest (or your company can't get your vest in service due to "parts availability").
 
The "AI" machines tells us that AF and Army use either the LPU-10/P underarm style or the LPU-9/P yoke style. Definitely see the advantage of the underarm style especially for egress after ditching.

switlik.com

LPU-9/P - Inflatable Life Preserver

U.S. Air Force Life Preserver Low Profile, High Buoyancy Flotation.The LPU-9/P is a U.S. Air Force crew member life preserver used in ejection seat aircraft. It is a yoke-style life preserver with a three-layer cell design, providing twin flotation compartments for buoyancy redundancy. Download...
switlik.com switlik.com

switlik.com

LPU-10/P - Inflatable Life Preserver

U.S. Air Force Life Preserver NEW USAF approved design which modernizes and improves the performance of legacy USAF Underarm Life Preserver. The LPU-10/P is designed to be worn under parachute and restraint harnesses without causing interference. It is approved for use during flights over water...
switlik.com switlik.com
 
ChuckMK23 said:
Pic from a VP-40 Public Affairs video showing aircrew wearing what looks to be standard HGU-55/P helmet configured with new Gentex flexible boom microphone.

Also notice no bayonet fittings for O2 MBU style mask.

When do VP P-8 crews operate with helmets on?

View attachment 44496
Click to expand...
Only when entering the placid waters of Kaneohe Bay. :)
 
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