The world's first practical flight pressure suit.

Abstract

The first practical flight pressure suit was developed in 1934 by Wiley Post of global flight fame. B.F. Goodrich Company assisted in the development. The final pressure suit used a liquid oxygen source and had arm and leg joints that permitted easy operation of the flight controls and also enabled walking to and from the aircraft. In his Lockheed Vega, the "Winnie May," Post set unofficial altitude records (as high as 50,000 ft), discovering the jet stream in the process. In March 1935, Post flew from Burbank, CA, to Cleveland, OH, in the stratosphere using the jet stream. At times, his ground speed exceeded 340 mph in a 179 mph aircraft. Post's pioneering accomplishments were the first major practical advance in pressurized flight.