OK, I have never worn a flight suit, and would look like Mr. Bib if I did. However, for those who know the answer the question:
Why aren’t flight suits camouflage colored?
All that I’ve seen are OD green, Navy blue, or Khaki (all Army as near as I can tell), no doubt a requirement from way back when they were first ordered, and probably the Nomex could only be made mono-color. That was then, this is now.
It seems camo is getting more and more complicated and effective, but the usual flight suit is still OD green. Seems to me that they should be camo, so that when they decide to stroll on the deck they have a better chance of hiding.
It’s always possible that they exist and I haven’t seen them (or they’re a huge secret), but it seems odd. If the Chinese can send a man into space, we can make camo flight suits.
Can anyone enlighten me?
Found mention of one through a google search at
http://www.raf303.org/alexei/site/museum/suits/other/camosuit.html
Seems like the Russians thought like you do.
Hmm, or I think like the (former) commies. Hmmm.
Marine pilots wear camoflauge helmet covers. I think it is one of those things where the lowest bidder won, and one way they cut costs was to go for a monochromatic outfit.
In the late ’60s early ’70s the U.S. switched to nomex fire retardant flight suits that initially came in one color, OD. I suspect (but don?t know for sure) that the solid colored flight suits were a restriction based on the material, nomex, rather than a command decision.
I wore the nomex suits when I worked in altitude chambers (67 ? 71) and they were a bitch in hot weather.
I did see Marine and naval aviators wearing solid sand colored flights suits in the first Gulf War, and now the USAF has two types of coveralls (sage green) CWU-27/P and CWU-28/P Indian orange, so maybe the available color palette of nomex is expanding? I still haven?t seen any camo nomex flight suits but I retired in the late 90?s and haven?t kept up on personal flight equipment changes
After Korea and prior to Vietnam the philosophy concerning downed aircrews was enhanced visibility so there were easier to find; hence the ?Indian Orange? flight suits.
http://i24.ebayimg.com/01/i/01/18/17/54_1_s.JPG
Even today most military issued flight jackets have an Indian orange reversible side to provide greater visibility for downed airmen.
Dye colors for Nomex used to be extremely limited, but now are available in any color or design. Here is the proper attire for that quick trip to the corner store: http://www.simpsonraceproducts.com/catalog/suits/suitmain.asp