Forum: General F-16 forum

I'd like to know a few specifics about how your manworn gear is set up, and in some cases, which gear is used.

To be precise, I want to know what equipment you wear, starting at your flight suit and working your way out, top and bottom, when you're strapped in and equipped for safety and survival for a long duration, transatlantic flight.

I know the following:

The CSU-27/P flight suit is worn, followed by either the CSU-13/P or CSU-15/P anti G pants. Plus boots, of course. That takes care of the lower body equipment.

If you are using the Combat Edge system, you wear an MBU-21/P pressure vest. If not using CE, I would presume that some sort of survival vest is used. but I don't know which type, and I don't know if that vest would be worn in conjunction with the pressure vest if you are using CE equipment.

I understand the headgear well enough. HGU-55/P helmet, (CE variant if using Combat Edge), oxygen mask (MBU-5/P, obsolete but usable, MBU-12/P, standard for non-CE use, MBU-20/P if using Combat Edge)

So, what I don't know is (I think) limited to what you wear on your chest and how your mission changes this selection.

There is a reason why I want to know this. There is a good chance that I will be taking a flight in an F-16B in the near future, and it will be a long duration (11 hour) flight over the Atlantic Ocean. If I can provide suitable and serviceable manworn gear on my own, it helps my chances of getting on the flight as I'm a civilian and don't have easy access to ALSE shops, and the circumstances surrounding the flight make it better for me to provide my own gear. I already have most of it or have arranged to borrow it.

CJ

F-16.net Sponsor

Everything is very good explained, with all the different steps, every step is documented with a picture on http://www.f16cockpit.net/FGear.html

So that makes:
1. Flying suit
2. Anti G-suit
3. Combat edge oxygen block
4. Counter pressure vest
5. Torso harness
6. Survival Vest

What dose the USAF Issue survival food pack consist of, what dose it taste like, dose it come in different flavors Wink

And where is the bathroom on a 11 hour mission?

Anonymous wrote:

what dose the USAF Issue survival food pack consist of, what dose it taste like, dose it come in different flavors Wink

It's dehydrated food bars, plus some others items. Dried oatmeal bars, corn flake bars, a chocolate covered cookie bar and packets of chicken broth, Iced Tea mix, and sugar. But those are not packed in the survival vest, only in the seat kit, due to size. We also give them about 12 ounces of water in flex-packs. Plus more in the seat kit, along with a reverse osmosis pump to make more water.

They are ok. Not the greatest, but in a survival situation, they work.

As for 11 hour missions, as you asked about. The pilots are given piddle packs. They can pee in there. We give them condom type of contraptions that have a hose at the end, so they can do it with minimal fuss. The females have it alot tougher. Some have the diaper types, while others use the female version of the piddle pack. HIH

Jeff

Wow that was err... surprising Smile

I'll remember when I join the air force to borrow some MRE and don't get shot down Laughing

For long rang transocean flights can't you opt to take a transport instead?

Anonymous wrote:

for long rang transocean flights can't you opt to take a transport instead?

How would the jets get there? They have to be flown over to the deployed location.

Storm

I remember pilots "rigging" up their personal CD players or Walkman players with the ear bud type headphone so they could listen to music on the long flights from the states to OSW/ONW. Guess that wouldn't be "required" gear! Very Happy

How much room is in them and is it mostly personal belongings or flight gear that is in the cargo pods

p.s. you guys ever accidently drop one of your luggage pods?

Loader wrote:

I remember pilots "rigging" up their personal CD players or Walkman players with the ear bud type headphone so they could listen to music on the long flights from the states to OSW/ONW. Guess that wouldn't be "required" gear! Very Happy

Yea, I've supplied many the cords for those rigs. Our Eagle drivers did the same things.

Storm

Anonymous wrote:

or how much room is in them and is it mostly personal belongings or flight gear that is in the cargo pods

p.s. you guys ever accdently drop one of your luggage pods?

The travel pods are pretty spacious, it's just the door that is restrictive. Usually only a few change of clothes are carried, if the jet has to divert for problems. The bulk items are carried on the ESTA cargo aicraft that accompanies the flight across the pond.

Storm

I am switching these questions from the Current USAF F-16 pilot gear thread, since this one came first:

1- Is there any difference between what the pilot carries during a combat sortie over Iraq for example and on a training mission in the USA, and over water and over land?

2- What happens when a pilot walks to the changeroom?
- what does he wear when he walks in
- What is the sequence to put the gear on
- Is any assisstance needed,
- Is it required to sign logbooks or similar,
- How long does it take.
- Is the flight gear assigned to each individual pilot.
- How many flight suits does a pilot have.

3- In the past few years I have noticed, most probably because of the middle east operations the USAf is involved in, that pilots are wearing a combination of tan flight suits and green coloured flight gear, can any body please elaborate on details about this. Do all units have this tan and green combination. When where they manufactured and issued.?

4- Is the Beretta M9 92fs the standandard issue pistol for USAF F-16 pilots?

5- Are these technically the only items that form part of the combat edge system:
USAF Cobat Edge System:

- CSU-17/P Anti-G counter pressure vest: inflates to provide pressure to the chest and back during PBG;
- CRU-94/P Integrated terminal block (ITB) connector (Gentex): used to distribute breathing gas from the aircraft-mounted breathing regulator throughout the manworn system.
- MBU-20/P oxygen mask (Gentex): designed for low profile and low breathing resistance;
- HGU-55/P flight helmet (GENTEX): provides automatic mask-tensioning during PBG;

Hope someone can help. Did not get too much feedback in my previous thread. I am not sure there is a lot of interest in this subject.

regards.

1- Combat: carry a pistol and wear a survival vest. Training: it depends on where you are and what you're doing.

2- "Changeroom" equals Life Support. We come to work in flight suits. From there we put on the g-suit, sweat vest for A/A sorties, and harness. Helmet goes in the bag (unlike our Navy bretheren) until 3 minutes prior to JFS Start 2. I don't put my gloves on until I climb inside just because it's so fargin hot here.

No assistance is required to put anything on, however, the LS troops are there for any readjustments. Don't need to sign out anything unless it's NVGs for night sorties.

Takes about 1-2 minutes to put everything on.

Yep, everything I wear is mine and specifically fit for me. Very important when it comes to the harness and g-suit. I take my helmet, vest, and g-suit with me to each assignment.

Each pilot has several flight suits. I think we are allowed 2 new ones per year, but not sure on that.

3-The desert flight suits are generally issued to guys going to the sandbox although I would love to wear them here in Phoenix. There always seems to be a shortage of the popular sizes, so guys are authorized to wear the standard green suits when deployed. Don't have the slightest idea when they were made but I got my first one issued in '97.

4-I know it's a Beretta 9mm but that's about all I know. Lots of bullets, pull trigger, goes bang.

5-Sounds like you have been geeking out and studied a lot. From a guy with 1000+ hours in the jet, all I can tell you is....sure, but don't forget about the oxygen regulator that actually sends the air to the clothes.

You're right, not too much interest in all the crap we wear out to the jet. It would be better to fly without the PBG, but someone got duped into buying a bill of goods several years ago, so we have to wear it now. Of all the guys I've flown with throughout the years, only one dude has ever worn combat edge into combat. He was a masochist, so that explains that.

Hope this answered your questions.

Dear madsabre16:

Thanks for spending time answering my questions. I did not realise they had been answered.
Since I was a kid many, many years ago, I always admired pilots wearing flight gear
since to me, they were a representation of modern warriors.
Now I am trying to understand more about flight gear after all those years.

Let me ask you, what do you mean by:

Quote:

It would be better to fly without the PBG, but someone got duped into buying a bill of goods several years ago, so we have to wear it now. Of all the guys I've flown with throughout the years, only one dude has ever worn combat edge into combat. He was a masochist, so that explains that.

I would had thought that pilots would be satisfied with it since, it would allow them to make it easier to pull gs safely. I have also read a comment in the book Boeing F-15e strike Eagle book by Davies and he says in page 114 next to a photo of a pilot wearing his flight suit: "Pags models the latest in aircrew attire, including the infamous "poopy suit", but he does not say why it is infamous. Are you able to help me understand this.

thanks again for replying

This is what I just found about the oxygen regulator:

OR0060 “Combat Edge” Oxygen Regulator

The OR0060 oxygen regulator is a panel mounted, diluter-demand, g-compensated oxygen regulator. The regulator provides automatic pressure breathing as a function of both altitude (PBA) and g-forces (PBG) offering maximum protection to the aircrew members of high performance aircraft. The PBG function is activated by a pressure signal from an external anti-g valve and is used with an USAF counterpressure vest and high pressure mask/helmet assembly to form the “COMBAT EDGE” ensemble. The PBG function may be disabled if the conventional mask assembly is used by the pilot. This regulator is currently being used on the F-16A/B and C/D aircraft.

Features:

Relief valve, ON mode-50 mmHg, PBG mode - 80 mmHg.
Integrally illuminated panel.
Flow indicator provides indication of oxygen flow with each breath.
Night vision lighting configuration available.
Compatible with Life Support PBG Regulator Field Tester, Part No. 3300223.

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Forum: General F-16 forum

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