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Although not considered a military uniform, the David Clark Co. model 1030 pressure suit was the most prized uniform for aspiring Habus. The suits, costing $120,000.00 each, were made up of six layers. Three of the layers were significant. The exterior layer was made of a fire retarding material called Nomex. It contained various pockets , a Velcro patch for your checklist, and parachute harness connections. It also gave access to two important valves, each located around the bottom of your ribcage. The adjustable valve on the left side was connected to a cooling air supply and controlled the amount of air coming into the suit. The valve on the right side was the critical pressure controller. In the event of a loss of cabin pressure, the suit controller sensed the loss and immediately inflated the suit. |
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The inner layer, called the bladder, was made up of a rubber compound and became inflated, much like a balloon, when air pressure was added. The rubber layer was irritating to bare skin, thus the need for a comfort liner made from lightweight Dacron material. Because it was called a "pressure suit" most people thought we flew with the suit inflated at all times. Nothing could be further from the truth. It only inflated when necessary to save your life. Also located inside the bladder was a network of tubes to direct cooling air to the extremities. | ||||
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Between the outer layer and the bladder of the suit was a tightly woven mesh netting designed to provide rigidity and keep the bladder from inflating too much. The netting was woven in such a manner that it utilized the same principle as a familiar child's toy. Remember the Chinese finger pull? When you put your two fingers in and then tried to pull them apart, what happened? You discovered the harder you pulled, the harder it was to get your fingers out. The same principle applied to the suit - the more pressure exerted by the bladder against the webbing, the more rigid it became. To accommodate our feet, the pressure suit utilized a single layer of heavy material, make it look as if we had "booties" on our feet. Over the booties we wore thick, leather boots. Stirrups were attached the heals of each boot by strong Velcro straps. The stirrups attached to retractable cables located on the bottom of the ejection seat. The cables automatically retracted and locked your feet into the correct position when ejecting. The gloves were one item that had to be perfectly tailored to fit each individual. Nothing was more irritating than flying the SR-71 with a pressure glove that didn't fit properly. Each glove had a locking metal ring, mating it to the sleeve of the pressure suit. Cooling air supply tubes ran down the inside of your arms and had to be placed inside the gloves during the suit up. Habus routinely demonstrated how they could pick up a thin dime with a fully inflated pressure suit. |
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| After donning the suit, it had to be checked out thoroughly before a mission. Sitting in a large overstuffed reclining chair, the suit was connected to a pressure testing unit and fully inflated to make sure it held pressure satisfactorily on both systems, and the communications and face heat worked properly. |  |
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