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The Great Flight Jacket Thread (wearing/buying Leather, NOMEX, WEP jackets/patches)

Birdbrain

Well-Known Member
pilot
Curiosity question: anyone know why the shiny green nomex jackets were changed out for the matte green nomex jackets? The matte ones pill really quickly and don’t look as slick.
 

Birdbrain

Well-Known Member
pilot
Second curiosity question: the issue nomex thermal underwear I got is “silk weight” and black in color with thumb holes in the sleeves. How has thermal underwear changed over the years?
 

Waveoff

Per Diem Mafia
None
Curiosity question: anyone know why the shiny green nomex jackets were changed out for the matte green nomex jackets? The matte ones pill really quickly and don’t look as slick.
Seems like the manufacturer changed their formulation of Nomex (best guess). They both say “aramid fabric” on the tag.
 

ChuckMK23

FERS and TSP contributor!
pilot
Second curiosity question: the issue nomex thermal underwear I got is “silk weight” and black in color with thumb holes in the sleeves. How has thermal underwear changed over the years?
You have the latest and greatest! Prior was the off white "long john" waffle weave style with mock turtleneck. Warm but static cling city and pilled.

I believe both CWU-36 and 45 are in the system and while aramid, the fabric finish seems to be as a result of how the vendor manufactures the item. Navy folks also have the option of the Massif soft shell style jacket.

The MCPS system is also still out there - consisting of a fleece jacket, fleece vest, and gore-tex style flight jacket that looks like an oversized CWU-45. From reading anecdotes on these forums, what you are issued varies on your geography and squadron/platform. I see AF folks at work wearing a lot of the new high performance outerwear with the two piece OCP pattern "flight suit".....
 

Dontcallmegump

Well-Known Member
pilot
Curiosity question: anyone know why the shiny green nomex jackets were changed out for the matte green nomex jackets? The matte ones pill really quickly and don’t look as slick.

I also dislike the summer weight "grease rag" looking nomex jackets, and there's a lot of cool weather between, just the bag and "cold enough to a student to dare wear the leather". I found a great deal on a cwu-45 that was new on eBay (some reclaim salvage operation or so I guess) and got it sewn up for patches and love it. The PR asked where a stud got a jacket like that and I told them. She remarked that they don't give them out anymore, and I took that to mean not in training commands, and perhaps not many places in the fleet.
 

Birdbrain

Well-Known Member
pilot
You have the latest and greatest! Prior was the off white "long john" waffle weave style with mock turtleneck. Warm but static cling city and pilled.

I believe both CWU-36 and 45 are in the system and while aramid, the fabric finish seems to be as a result of how the vendor manufactures the item. Navy folks also have the option of the Massif soft shell style jacket.

The MCPS system is also still out there - consisting of a fleece jacket, fleece vest, and gore-tex style flight jacket that looks like an oversized CWU-45. From reading anecdotes on these forums, what you are issued varies on your geography and squadron/platform. I see AF folks at work wearing a lot of the new high performance outerwear with the two piece OCP pattern "flight suit".....
Terrific. I love the thermals honestly they’re sleek and warm but I don’t get the thumb holes. I just wear it like a normal sleeve.

Being in Meridian it seemed like playing roulette as to whether you got the winter matte jacket or a winter fleece. I got a summer matte jacket, which perplexed the supply guy because Pensacola issued me a winter matte jacket but said it was a summer one. Anyway it looks the same just a tad lighter in color, less insulated, and a little harder surface.

Honestly it either feels cold enough for the winter jacket or warm enough to just wear a flight suit to me.
 

Waveoff

Per Diem Mafia
None
As far as I know fleeces aren’t even made anymore. They wouldn’t issue them to us pensacola for pri/advanced which seemed dumb since it does get frigid especially for sims. VP-30 (MPRA FRS) doesn’t issue them anymore and my squadron has moved over entirely to the Massif jackets (which I still haven’t received). I am jealous of those that have scored the vests (aka corpus pilots) or the full length fleece jackets (aka aircrew who checked in 6 months before me).
 

Waveoff

Per Diem Mafia
None
As far as I know fleeces aren’t even made anymore. They wouldn’t issue them to us pensacola for pri/advanced which seemed dumb since it does get frigid especially for sims. VP-30 (MPRA FRS) doesn’t issue them anymore and my squadron has moved over entirely to the Massif jackets (which I still haven’t received). I am jealous of those that have scored the vests (aka corpus pilots) or the full length fleece jackets (aka aircrew who checked in 6 months before me).
Hoping my supply department puts an order in post holiday leave, or that I can find something at the relief society used shop. In any case, we are in the leather jacket season in Jax so I’m riding that high until it gets stupid hot real fast again.
 

SynixMan

HKG Based Artificial Excrement Pilot
pilot
Contributor
Terrific. I love the thermals honestly they’re sleek and warm but I don’t get the thumb holes. I just wear it like a normal sleeve.

Being in Meridian it seemed like playing roulette as to whether you got the winter matte jacket or a winter fleece. I got a summer matte jacket, which perplexed the supply guy because Pensacola issued me a winter matte jacket but said it was a summer one. Anyway it looks the same just a tad lighter in color, less insulated, and a little harder surface.

Honestly it either feels cold enough for the winter jacket or warm enough to just wear a flight suit to me.

Later on, those black fleece pieces go under your exposure suit (aka dry suit) to prevent hypothermia in the event of a cold water immersion. The dry suit by itself won’t keep you warm. The thumb holes help keep the sleeves down when donning said suit.
 
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