VIKING Life-Saving Equipment has launched the first pilot and aircrew suits with the flame-retarding properties of GORE-TEX PYRAD® technology at their core and the intrinsic flexibility, breathability, and durability aviators have asked for.
Developed by the VIKING PPE design team after crew consultations and aircraft visits in the UK and Norway, the VIKING YouSafe™ Aviation suits are fully authorized by EASA.
Features of YouSafe™ Aviation suit
The fabric’s flame-retarding properties are not based on chemical treatment but are inherent and last for the product’s lifetime.
Lighter in weight than traditional flame retardant materials, the new high-visibility VIKING YouSafe™ Aviation suits are also antistatic, waterproof and windproof. As an added benefit, the material complies with the ISO 20471 standards for high visibility workwear, eliminating the need for safety vests.
Comfort and protection
Comfort is a major consideration for pilots, though suits must protect them against seawater and fire
“Pilots and crew put themselves on the line year in year out in the cause of safety. Their views as professionals must be reflected in suit design,” says Heather McManus, Global Sales Manager Aviation, VIKING. “Exploring their challenges brought out the best in our design team.”
Comfort is a major consideration for pilots in confined and often sweltering cockpits, even though suits must protect them against possible immersion in seawater as well as fire.
Rotary U and Rotary J pilot suits
Available in multiple sizes, the new figure-fitting VIKING YouSafe™ Rotary U and Rotary J pilot suites offer more room for movement in the shoulders, comfortable ‘low profile’ cuffs, and best-in-class immersion suit breathability. The ‘J’ and ‘U’ designations refer to zip preferences.
The rear crew faces different challenges. In this case, the two new VIKING YouSafe™ Protector U and Protector J suits include removable protective knee pads for winch operators, while individual fittings ensure mobility for winch personnel to wear protective body armor underneath the suit.
Track and trace service
Alerted twice before year-end, users switch suits for year 2, returning the first for servicing
Available as a rental package, VIKING YouSafe™ suits are supplied sealed, in pairs. Users unpack one and scan details into VIKING’s track and trace service to start its 12-month useability period. Alerted twice before year-end, users switch suits for year 2, returning the first for servicing.
Taking a lead on GORE-TEX PYRAD® technology and user input point towards VIKING maintaining its position as the number one supplier of Search and Rescue suits around the North Sea, also providing a platform for its ambitions to grow in other markets, adds Heather.
Safe and practical
“Our designers also take pride that the VIKING YouSafe™ suits are the best-looking in the market; there is no reason why style should come at the expense of safety and practicality,” says Heather.
“All suites are designed for easy donning and work seamlessly with VIKING lifejackets, while pocket positions ensure that tools are accessible when the pilots are wearing seatbelts in the cockpit or the crew is using their harnesses.”
