Wearing a G-1 Flight Jacket Off Base?

Nowadays, most of us wear brown boots with the flight suits too.

One thing that always amazes me... most of the flight boots I see look more
like hicking/hunting boots than anything else? In this day and age, why not
use something lighter and that allows for a finer feel and touch?
_____________
José Herculano

One thing that always amazes me... most of the flight boots I see look
more
like hicking/hunting boots than anything else? In this day and age, why
not
use something lighter and that allows for a finer feel and touch?
_____________
José Herculano

Good point. Back in my day, we wore pretty much what we wanted as long as it
had some remote military connection. Some wore dress shoes, safety shoes,
Boondockers (ankle high boots) were popular, and of course boots. By the end
of Vietnam, where ejection was a real possibility, boots were the choice of
many, with a few even buying Cochran (sp?) Jump Boots.

I almost always wore boots and two pairs of socks, as my feet were always
getting cold.

On 10/26/03 5:17 AM, in article ,
"José Herculano" wrote:

Nowadays, most of us wear brown boots with the flight suits too.

One thing that always amazes me... most of the flight boots I see look more
like hicking/hunting boots than anything else? In this day and age, why not
use something lighter and that allows for a finer feel and touch?
_____________
José Herculano



José,

Standard answer is that the boot is designed more for what happens before
and after the flight (especially if there are more takeoffs than landings)
than for what it does in the airplane.

i.e. steel toes for that rare flight deck mishap and high boot backs and
rugged soles for that parachute landing and hike to the nearest Texan and
his pick-up truck.

Not much delicate feel is required on rudder pedals. Stick, yes. Pedals,
no. Although *misapply* controls (e.g. high AOA and right stick and left
rudder), and you could be off to the races.

--Woody

Doug \"Woody\" and Erin Beal wrote:

One thing that always amazes me... most of the flight boots I see look more
like hicking/hunting boots than anything else? In this day and age, why not
use something lighter and that allows for a finer feel and touch?
_____________
José Herculano


José,

Standard answer is that the boot is designed more for what happens before
and after the flight (especially if there are more takeoffs than landings)
than for what it does in the airplane.

Ah yes. There was the time we had the wrestling match in front of the
fountain at the Rosey Roads O Club, and ended up in said fountain with
bag and boots on. For the dawn launch the next day, tossed the sneakers
in the helmet bag, and put them on once ensconced in E-2 cockpit (boots
still soaking wet). Flew the hop in my go-fasters. Forgot to swap back
after landing, and drew many odd stares from the E's during post-flight
walkaround.

It was interesting, flying with sneakers. The boots really muffle a lot
of the feedback you can get from your pedals.