Beyond ‘Top Gun’: This is how fighter pilots dress in real life

Complete every feat that Maverick achieves the best weapon worthless clothes. fighter pilots like him, they must wear suits prepared for the combat they will face during the flight. Are multiple layers of clothing adapted to each of these problems, ranging from the possibility of fire to the consequences of a very strong vertical acceleration compared to the Earth’s own gravity.

These costumes have changed over time, which is quite logical. The first projects were made when there were almost no women dedicated to piloting fighters. Therefore, they did not have suitable clothes for them. Fortunately, little by little women like charlie blackwoodcharacter played by Kelly McGillis in the best weaponwere introduced into the profession, pressing so that tcuts tailored to your needs.

But regardless of gender, what do these costumes look like today? What Veteran Maverick Should Wear in This Latest Part the best weapon To get through the times when take your plane to the limit? Let’s look at it from the inside.

The innermost part of a fighter pilot’s clothing

First, fighter pilots must protect your body from fire. To do this, as explained in the American company Carter NY, they must wear a fireproof flight suit. Thus, they are protected from possible fires or electrical arcs in the aircraft.

The most common is to use Nomex, an aramid-based material developed in the 1960s by DuPont. It consists of a mixture nylon, aramid and kevlar variant, which is such a lightweight and durable material that it is used in the manufacture of bulletproof vests. But in this case, the agglomerated particles vulcanized rubberultimately achieving material that very well insulated from fire.

Therefore, given the danger of some maneuvers carried out by pilots topgan, as well as in real life, it is important that first layer covering the body contain this material.

It is noteworthy that the first 1960s nomex suits They were designed exclusively for men, but over time they were adapted to the body of women working as fighter pilots.

The G suits are a staple of the Top Gun movie.

After the Nomex suit, fighter pilots both in Top Gun and in reality are required to wear G-suitsalso known as anti-gravity suits.

These are suits that reduce the discomfort that pilots experience while flying. large upward acceleration against earth gravity.

This is achieved through inflatable bladders that inflate with increasing acceleration, pressing the pilots’ bodies in the legs and abdomen. In addition, they have cuts in the groin and knees, which allow the mobility of blood throughout the body without interfering with the irrigation of the brain. Thus, serious problems such as black vision, consisting in the appearance of a black veil over the eyes and, if it continues over time, causes loss of consciousness. Logically, this is very dangerous for those flying at high speed in an airplane, so it should be avoided at all costs.

Now it’s important to note that the costume is important, but it doesn’t solve everything. fighter pilots they have to train learn to work with these upward accelerations. If these skills are added to what they get in an anti-gravity suit, they can withstand 7.6 times more than the force of gravity.

as with Nomex flight suits, they were also originally intended only for men. However, over time, they adapted to the body of women who work as fighter pilots.

Other accessories

Airline pilots also often wear oxygen masknecessary when flying at high temperatures or with very extreme accelerations.

And while it may seem somewhat out of place with her outfit, we can’t forget bootswhich usually Leather with metal toe caps.

At the same time, the pilots the best weapon they are ready to launch their fighters at full speed. But that’s all men and women who do it in real life. Once they are properly dressed, they just need to use all their training to get their Mach number high.