Replacement Velcro for Flight Suit

[AlphaSigOU]

I could see having the left sleeve pile side Velcro being cut to flag size for CAP, if the flag will remain standard throughout the organization... Whereas it is not so in the AF IIRC.

Generally, in the RealAirForce, fighter jocks wear their wing patch on the left sleeve or the 'target arm' (fighter weapons school grad) patch on the left sleeve, and the squadron patch on the right sleeve.

Trash haulers - ahem, transport and tanker pilots  - wear the American flag on the left sleeve, wing or squadron patch on the right. CAP generally follows the AMC (Alcoholics Moving Cargo - ahem... Air Mobility Command) way of placing velcro on the green bag.

[Hawk200]

A lot of Velcro I've seen on Air Force Life Support prepared uniforms seems to be heavier in weight than the regular stuff you would buy in most stores. Don't know if it's produced to be more fire resistant than regular Velcro.

I don't have a problem with Velcro on flighsuits, as I don't use it. I sew the patches on directly. I don't have to go looking for my patches, and they're always on there when I need the flightsuit.

It would be even easier if we could actually officially use cloth nametags. Just sew it on, and then you don't have to worry about losing anything. Would make having a "go bag" a lot easier.

[SarDragon]

I use the Velcro attachment to reduce laundry damage to the patches. I have 30 yo patches that look like new because they've only been cleaned when necessary (not very often), and then at the dry cleaners. I dump 3 or 4 in a net bag, and ask nicely, and they get cleaned.

[mdickinson]

Vanguard has it.

That's correct.
One 4" x 12" sheet of male (hook) Velcro is $2.10 (part number CAP0599W )
One 4" x 12" sheet of female (loop) Velcro is $2.10 (part number CAP0599X )
Shipping charge is $5.30.

Also look at the hock

No. The Hock Shop carries Velcro only in a 2" x 4" rectangle. That would be useful only for attaching a leather wings patch.

www.flightsuits.com  You can order it by the yard, Navy Blue and Sage Green are available.  Just call one of their sales reps and order either hook, loop or both.

I checked with them. They do not sell Velcro through their web site - you have to call them at  800-748-6693 to order it. They stock different widths - 1/2", 1", 1.5"", 2", 4" - and they sell a minimum of one yard.

The 4" is $6.75 per yard per side. They charge $4.75 for shipping. So if you buy a 36" piece of hook, and a 36" piece of loop, the total is $18.25.

The same amount from Vanguard would cost you $17.90, but it would arrive as three different 12" pieces, not one 36" piece.

I use the Velcro attachment to reduce laundry damage to the patches. I have 30 yo patches that look like new because they've only been cleaned when necessary (not very often), and then at the dry cleaners.

Absolutely. My flight suit gets sweated in a lot during summer flights, so it gets laundered regularly. But I remove all the patches before throwing it in the wash.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned: attaching the "plastic encased grade" with squares of sage green velcro. I think this looks fine and then it doesn't have to go through the wash either.

[SarDragon]

www.flightsuits.com  You can order it by the yard, Navy Blue and Sage Green are available.  Just call one of their sales reps and order either hook, loop or both.

I checked with them. They do not sell Velcro through their web site - you have to call them at  800-748-6693 to order it. They stock different widths - 1/2", 1", 1.5"", 2", 4" - and they sell a minimum of one yard.

The 4" is $6.75 per yard per side. They charge $4.75 for shipping. So if you buy a 36" piece of hook, and a 36" piece of loop, the total is $18.25.

The same amount from Vanguard would cost you $17.90, but it would arrive as three different 12" pieces, not one 36" piece.

I can't think of a single use for a 36" piece of Velcro, especially 4" wide. It stores easier in the 12" chunks, too.

I use the Velcro attachment to reduce laundry damage to the patches. I have 30 yo patches that look like new because they've only been cleaned when necessary (not very often), and then at the dry cleaners.

Absolutely. My flight suit gets sweated in a lot during summer flights, so it gets laundered regularly. But I remove all the patches before throwing it in the wash.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned: attaching the "plastic encased grade" with squares of sage green velcro. I think this looks fine and then it doesn't have to go through the wash either.

Yeah, I use black for my blue flight suit. Almost indistinguishable. The grade does launder well, though.

[pixelwonk]

www.flightsuits.com  You can order it by the yard, Navy Blue and Sage Green are available.  Just call one of their sales reps and order either hook, loop or both.

I checked with them. They do not sell Velcro through their web site - you have to call them at  800-748-6693 to order it. They stock different widths - 1/2", 1", 1.5"", 2", 4" - and they sell a minimum of one yard.

The 4" is $6.75 per yard per side. They charge $4.75 for shipping. So if you buy a 36" piece of hook, and a 36" piece of loop, the total is $18.25.

The same amount from Vanguard would cost you $17.90, but it would arrive as three different 12" pieces, not one 36" piece.

Yup.  Ordered a yard of navy loop from them last week (and a pair of navy flight gloves)  Very pleasant folks to deal with.  Company name is Gibson & Barnes now but flightsuits.com is still their website.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned: attaching the "plastic encased grade" with squares of sage green velcro. I think this looks fine and then it doesn't have to go through the wash either.

I've always done that, up until now, having ordered navy embroidered insignia for my navy-colored bag.  Some folks don't care for the velcro method, but I never liked the fact that the plastic sewn directly to the fabric tends to collect condensation on the underside either. 

[SarDragon]

I guess I need to wander over to the new store and see what's new. Haven't been there in a couple of years. It's about 6 miles from here.

[O-Rex]

Williams & Williams (nametags4u.com) sells velcro in various colors and shapes at reasonable prices.

[Fifinella]

WIWITAF, we cut the "pile" or loop velcro to size for all patches except the square on the right shoulder for "morale patches".  I don't have a problem with continuing to do so in CAP, as long as you use the sage green velcro that is less obtrusive.

I also vote for the velcro rank, for the condensation reasons Tedda mentioned.  And I concur that patches stay nicer-looking longer if they are not routinely laundered.

(Of course, we also used to cut the overflap off our shoulder pencil pocket, and cut off our survival knife pocket... )

[BlueLakes1]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned: attaching the "plastic encased grade" with squares of sage green velcro. I think this looks fine and then it doesn't have to go through the wash either.

The biggest problem I have with velcro on the grade is that it tends to get hung up on the seatbelt in the aircraft (or car) and pulled off the shoulder. Its a pain when one gets pulled off and lost somewhere and you're asymmetrical.

That being said, I often recommend to new Lieutenants that they use velcro, as their promotions come quickly. Once they hit Captain and have a standard three year TIG before promotion, I recommend direct sewing. YMMV, of course.

[Hawk200]

...The Hock Shop carries Velcro only in a 2" x 4" rectangle. That would be useful only for attaching a leather wings patch.

Just about every flightsuit I've ever seen in the Air Force doesn't have a large piece of Velcro on the arm, it's usually a couple of 2x4" strips, sewn one directly below the other to where they essentially make one attachment point.

The only cases I've seen of single piece that's larger than 2 inches wide is in CAP.