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Safety and Safety Gear

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Dave Baxter

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In keeping with my goal to help those with there airplane of not getting hurt either physically or financially I would like to include this thought?

A new low time pilot has just acquired a Starduster Too and asked this question? How come more of us pilots do not wear safety gear? Such as Helmets Nomex or Kevlar fire suits gloves and shoes, or for that matter some sort of parachute? As he, like me is a race car fan and has been involved in first hand motor racing as well as rides a motorcycle on the street!

As a 25 year veteran of the fire dept, and one that did live fire training at our fire dept training center and a NASCAR fan, neither would think of racing or fighting fire without all of the proper and appropriate safety gear? But think nothing of getting in our airplanes wearing street clothes insulated coveralls cloth helmets tennis shoes wool scarfs and leather aviation jackets!

I have several military flight suits that are fire resistant but rarely wear them, I do have nomex gloves and rarely fly with out them. So I think this is something we all need to take a hard and closer look at, or am I wrong?

Almost every one can tell a sad story about some one that survived an accident only to succumb to fatal burns! I do not wish to be gruesome but The prototype Acroduster Too that was lost several yrs ago in Kentucky the passenger was injured fatally but the pilot survived for almost a month only to succumb to life threatening burns, and of course the Amanda Franklin tragic loss several yrs ago in south Texas, I believe she was wearing a fire suit but had a safety cable that was unable to to be unhooked that made it impossible to free her from the burning airplane! I do not know this for sure, and anyone that does please correct me?

My point is are we prepared, I have always preached to those when welding or using things that could or might cause a fire especially when welding on and airplane that if you have a fire extinguisher handy, and know how to use it you will probably never need it! I can also tell several stories of people doing simple or stupid things that have resulted in burning them their car or house down that in retrospect would never have done something so foolish had they given it more thought!

As for most of our airplanes that have the fuel tank in front of the pilot or passenger, and that passenger is a friend or love one, and we do not want to do anything stupid with them aboard? But should they and we not have the appropriate safety gear and use it?

Wes this and you guys that have flown airshows or competed in IAC as far as safety gear an parachutes please comment on this post as for most of us week end wannabe pilots that think we are bullet proof what is your take?

Listed below are several sources for this type of gear and I think it is something we should all revisit and consider? There are a number of companies that also deal in flame resistant clothing. The prices are from around $ 100.00 to $ 500.00 and the average around $ 200.00! Just asking as I think it is something that bears a much closer look? Dave

[FONT=&quot]http://www.racingdirect.com/Racing-Suits/c6/index.html?gclid=COjr8ovswLwCFU5efgodpyQAPA[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][/FONT][FONT=&quot]http://www.saferacer.com/auto-racin...&gclid=CKL4q6bswLwCFY17fgodaGQA4w&order=price[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]http://www.allseasonsuniforms.com/nomex.htm?gclid=CL2gzYSxzbwCFQNufgodvSYAfg[/FONT]

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