Current USAF Issue A-2s

[JLStorm]

There you have it! Doesn't surprise me, frankly. The non-pilots (controllers, etc) seem to love it, which is some of the reason some pilots don't like it.

Makes sense. It is pretty funny to see. I dont know if the contractors realize how much they stick out. The fact that they dont have wings on their jacket makes it really apparent.

Now what really makes everyone jealous isnt the jackets, its that the pilots get to walk around in flight suits that look about as comfortable as pajamas, while everyone else is worried about being clean pressed, etc. You can almost see the smirk and glint of satisfaction in a pilots face when he walks by someone else in full uniform.

 

[HepKitty]

Now what really makes everyone jealous isnt the jackets, its that the pilots get to walk around in flight suits that look about as comfortable as pajamas, while everyone else is worried about being clean pressed, etc. You can almost see the smirk and glint of satisfaction in a pilots face when he walks by someone else in full uniform.

For real. But then I don't even care about the flight suits as I can't imagine actually wearing one. I just want my own wings. And a D1 but only because I actually like them

 

[Metatron]

So do fighter pilots still get issued A-2s by default, or is it merely acceptable to wear privately purchased versions on duty?

 

[Phantomfixer]

Rated aircrew members get their jacket upon completion of training.. I believe. For enlisted folks it is after certification. Hacker can better inform us on when pilots get them. In the AMC world (tanker/airlift)some aircrews trade their issue A-2 to Pops and other jacket makers for a more comfortable jacket. These have the underarm gussets, hand warmer pockets, and inside pockets. I have also seen fighters jocks trade in their jackets to Pops (Incirlik Turkey). Pop used to sell the issue A-2s that were traded in to a guy in Germany. I bought a few of those trade ins in 2001. There are other venders at Incirlik that will do modifications or make a new jacket. Flight suits are cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Very stiff when new. The zippers are cool though.....

 

[Aviator]

In the Coast Guard, we are issued the G-1 after reporting to the first aviation unit after flight school/aviation training. And thank God for being able to wear a flight suit occasionally in an office environment.

And Hacker, I recognize that pic from AW, I think (though I go by a different name over there) .

 

[HackerF15E]

So do fighter pilots still get issued A-2s by default, or is it merely acceptable to wear privately purchased versions on duty?

The standard for pilots is to get issued the A-2 when you finish Mission Qualification Training in your first operational unit. That's after about 2 years of training, and indicates when a pilot is no-kidding now qualified to go fly the combat mission. Even the fighter guys I have posted about who don't like to wear the A-2 jacket generally go get it issued, at least, even if they don't end up wearing it as a uniform item that much.

The A-2s are "bought" by each pilot's squadron, so they'll get the paperwork from their squadron and go over the Flight Equipment issue office (it goes by a bunch of different names, depending on the base), tell the supply folks their size, and they'll get their jacket. Brand is luck-of the draw based on what they have in stock.

The Pop's Leather (Turkey), Mr Lim's (Korea), or Oxford Leather (Korea) modification plans are a lot less popular now that the current-issue jackets are made with the gussets, inside pockets, handwarmer pockets, etc. Many pilots send their jackets in to Pop's/Lim's/Oxford to get new liners made (the cotton liners SUCK!), get zip-in fleece or goretex liners to make the jackets somewhat warm in the winter, add fabric blood-chits, etc.

Very few pilots get fully "custom" jackets made, but those that do are generally the guys who are physically stationed in Korea or Turkey and can have one custom measured, made, and tailored. I don't know of anyone who has an aftermarket jacket (G+B, Alpha, etc), a WWII repro, or anything like that, although I have certainly heard of squadrons who couldn't get an odd size for a pilot going to buy an aftermarket jacket (usually an Avirex/Cockpit USA, since that was the same maker as most of the issue jackets) to fit that guy.

 

[Phantomfixer]

great thread, glad to see current A-2s getting some air time.

 

[Republic_Flier]

great thread, glad to see current A-2s getting some air time.

same here enough with all this "old" stuff.
Would anyone here recommend purchasing a Cockpit USA current issue A-2 at all?

 

[dunedinmitch]

(This is in response to HackerF15E's post on 12/09/2010 about the condition of one of the newer Cockpit USA A-2s)


Interesting. I just recieved a new Cockpit USA, it is a "commercial" version so it is a different leather (imported), which if anything should be a lower quality, but this jacket is just awesome. Very solid in all respects, the leather is nice and strong, but not to stiff, and has a very nice texture/grain and in no way looks fake or "plastic". Features are all top notch as is the fit and stitching, all in all I can't find a negative (although I have only had it one day). It is the new style (with side hand warmer pockets), so if you don't like that you might want another manufacturer's jacket. I can't imagine what the deal is with the less than "exciting" look of the Cockpit jacket that you picture, if anything it should be even better than mine, but my leather looks NOTHING like that??? Strange. But if you are/were considering a Cockpit USA, I know that the version on their website is awesome (did I already say that?).

 

[dunedinmitch]

same here enough with all this "old" stuff.
Would anyone here recommend purchasing a Cockpit USA current issue A-2 at all?

Absolutely. See my post of a few minutes ago. I just received my Cockpit current issue A-2 today and it is awesome!

 

[dunedinmitch]

Can anyone comment on the US Wings A-2?

Does anyone out there have any feedback on the US Wings A-2s? They appear to have a pretty good and extensive offering but I haven't seen any comments on them or references to them actually having "issue" jackets out there?? I see Avirex, Cooper, Cockpit, Orchard, Saddlery, but no US Wings?

Just curious.

 

[HackerF15E]

I haven't seen any comments on them or references to them actually having "issue" jackets out there?? I see Avirex, Cooper, Cockpit, Orchard, Saddlery, but no US Wings?

That's correct -- US Wings does not supply A-2s to the USAF the best of my knowledge. I have never seen one.

Perhaps they will become a DSCP supplier if there is enough reaction to complaints about Cockpit USA's post-2007 issue jackets!

 

[HackerF15E]

You guys should feel lucky that the commercial jackets aren't anything like the 2007 Cockpit USA DSCP hides. It's not just one jacket, either -- I saw at least a dozen examples with the poor leather quality.

All I can say is, if you see a 2007 series USAF issue jacket on eBay, avoid it like HIV.

 

[dunedinmitch]

You guys should feel lucky that the commercial jackets aren't anything like the 2007 Cockpit USA DSCP hides. It's not just one jacket, either -- I saw at least a dozen examples with the poor leather quality.

All I can say is, if you see a 2007 series USAF issue jacket on eBay, avoid it like HIV.

Wow, that's unfortunate, doesn't make sense for their issue to be of such bad quality, they even have to use US produced goatskin for the issue jackets now... Oh well, I got my "replica" issue and it is sweet. To bad the real Avirex is gone.

 

[Atticus Finch]

Does anyone out there have any feedback on the US Wings A-2s? They appear to have a pretty good and extensive offering but I haven't seen any comments on them or references to them actually having "issue" jackets out there?? I see Avirex, Cooper, Cockpit, Orchard, Saddlery, but no US Wings?

Just curious.

Many A-2 makers claim to be official A-2 suppliers. The companies you mention above are the only producers who have had military contracts since the A-2 was reintroduced in 1988. U S Wings has not. Their jackets are strictly civilian.

AF

 

[Republic_Flier]

So what you guys are saying is that the USAF issue by Cockpit USA is garbage, but their commercial current issue jacket which is almost the same thing is better?

 

[HackerF15E]

So what you guys are saying is that the USAF issue by Cockpit USA is garbage, but their commercial current issue jacket which is almost the same thing is better?

Pretty much, yeah...but it appears that the crappy leathers that ARE being used on 2007 series USAF issue jackets ARE NOT being used on the jackets being commercially sold.

 

[dunedinmitch]

Pretty much, yeah...but it appears that the crappy leathers that ARE being used on 2007 series USAF issue jackets ARE NOT being used on the jackets being commercially sold.

Hi guys. I actually got an email reply from Cockpit. The way they explain it is that they used imported leather (with final manufacturing in the USA) until 2006 when the "Berry Amendment" required USA born & bred goatskins only.

They actually said that their imported goatskins are/were of much better quality than the USA skins??? (I guess they grow better goats in the middle east). Anyway, they currently use USA skins for the issue jackets and the "nicer" imported goatskins for the commercial jackets (not their call).

Regards,

Mitch

 

[Republic_Flier]

So the only difference between what should be two identical jackets is that they are made of different leather.

 

[dunedinmitch]

So the only difference between what should be two identical jackets is that they are made of different leather.

That is what they tell me. Made to the current USAF spec, all other materials are the same, just the goatskin is different. Actually US Wings, Cooper Military, US Auth, and another (I forget) all told me that they use imported goatskins for the same quality reasons, even though they manufacture (most or some) of their jackets here.