Flight Suit Pen Pockets suck for Lefties

[MellieM]

Can I move my pen pocket from my left sleeve to my right?

I'm a lefty and its a pain to always have to retrieve my pens with my right hand, then pass them over to my left.

I asked at the paraloft, but the annoying contractors said they couldn't do it "legally". I tried bribing them with cinnamon strudel muffins, still no luck. I was told that there was NO ONE on this entire base who could swap that pocket over to the other side... I was also told that once I get to "big Navy" (i.e. out of flight school) that MAYBE I could have it done but ONLY if my CO approves the uniform change.

I've been told by several priors that the paraloft CAN and WILL do it, and that ours here at Whiting is just being lazy....

OH What to do??? Any suggestions from you seasoned pilots/ Fos?

 

[Schnugg]

Have it down out in town on your own dime.

 

["The Brick"]

they did the same to me.....if they realized that the aircraft was not being controlled for the 2 seconds that it takes me to switch the pen over to the other hand they might change their outlook on it.....no?

 

[MIDNJAC]

You should not be using a pen from that pocket in flight anyway, easy way to FOD out your cockpit. Get a string (like the one in your leg knife pocket) and tie one end to your kneeboard (preferrably not the shitty issued one), and the other end to a pen. You can then wear your kneeboard on the leg of your choice....problem solved, and your IP won't yell at you when you get to advanced

 

[scoolbubba]

You should not be using a pen from that pocket in flight anyway, easy way to FOD out your cockpit. Get a string (like the one in your leg knife pocket) and tie one end to your kneeboard (preferrably not the shitty issued one), and the other end to a pen. You can then wear your kneeboard on the leg of your choice....problem solved, and your IP won't yell at you when you get to advanced

Never had a problem with fodding out a plane with a pen from those pockets...even without the FOD flap. My flight suits are AF hand me downs and I've used a pen out of that pocket my entire time flying. I didn't like getting stabbed by a pen everytime i moved my legs/having a string right around the black and yellow handle between my legs either.

Slap that bad boy on the right side one one of your suits and see who says anything. If it's good to go, press with the rest of them.

 

[UMichfly]

Never had a problem with fodding out a plane with a pen from those pockets...even without the FOD flap.

Probably 'cuz you guys are NATOPS limited to 30 degrees AOB or something like that anyways...and your plane doesn't have a habit of trying to fly upside down every time you let go of the stick..err...yoke.

 

[gotta_fly]

I'm a lefty and its a pain to always have to retrieve my pens with my right hand, then pass them over to my left.

I only have a handful of flights left in the T-34, and as a fellow left I can honestly say I have never once felt inconvenienced by this. Like others have said, it's your money/ time/ comfort so do what you want; however, you might want to give it a little more time and see if you can get used to it so you don't have to customize every flightsuit and jacket you ever get issued.

 

[MIDNJAC]

I only have a handful of flights left in the T-34, and as a fellow left I can honestly say I have never once felt inconvenienced by this. Like others have said, it's your money/ time/ comfort so do what you want; however, you might want to give it a little more time and see if you can get used to it so you don't have to customize every flightsuit and jacket you ever get issued.

+1. In my honest opinion, I think it will end up being a non-issue for you guys. I guess if it really ends up being a major PIA then I don't see why it would be a big deal to get it swapped, but I'd personally save that money for a 9G+ and an approach plate strap or something. You'll be using those far more than you will be using your pen in the cockpit, at least in primary and beyond.

 

[wlawr005]

velcro one of these bad boys to the instrument panel

 

[scoolbubba]

Probably 'cuz you guys are NATOPS limited to 30 degrees AOB or something like that anyways...and your plane doesn't have a habit of trying to fly upside down every time you let go of the stick..err...yoke.

T-6 bubba right here...jackass :icon_tong. I did my maverick maneuvers already.

The only problem I have now with FOD is when I drop my slurpee or KFC 2 piece chicken and a biscuit dinner in the back of a C-12 on those night instrument hops. It can get a little bumpy back there, but we do try to make the ride as smooth as possible for everyone involved.

 

[a-6intruder]

I'm a lefty. Spent 9 years in the A-6 and made 3 cruises. Never felt inconvenienced with the pen pocket on the left sleeve. And we did a lot of writing - standard ATC directions, times at turnpoints for debrief, bomb hits, system data at weapon release (for troubleshooting), etc, etc.

But, I never used a pen from the left sleeve in the cockpit unless it was because my kneeboard pen ran out of ink. I used one tied to my ultra-thin kneeboard the PRs made for us.

I dropped many, many pens getting bounced around on low levels or in the bombing pattern. I wasn't so much worried about fodding and crashing the jet as I was losing my writing utensil and being screwed.

Tie it on and don't worry about it. I did carry a grease pen and used that frequently to get rid of annoying caution lights that wouldn't go away...

 

[Pugs]

But, I never used a pen from the left sleeve in the cockpit unless it was because my kneeboard pen ran out of ink. I used one tied to my ultra-thin kneeboard the PRs made for us..

Lefty here too and used the same process in 2500 Prowler hours. If I could have figured a way to move the kneeboard light over to my left knee it would have been easy. Instead I just flew with my kneeboard on my right leg at night and had to write sideways.

I did carry a grease pen and used that frequently to get rid of annoying caution lights that wouldn't go away...

Never heard of that one. I kept a strip of duct tape across the bottom of the kneeboard for same function.

 

[CPENgunner]

Put a rubber band around the palm of your hand and put your pen/pencil underneath the rubber band so it rests between your thumb and fore finger. That way, its always there to write stuff down and you won't have to worry about constantly reaching into your pocket when you get clearances. Worked like a charm in T6 land. There's no need to worry about FOD either, especially when you torque rolls at the top of a loop and during other assorted shenanigans with all your writing utensils secured to your hand.

 

[A4sForever]

Get yourself an NFO -- a.k.a., a male secretary -- to carry your pens & notes & assorted bric-a-brac ... problem solved.

A male secretary/NFO in the cockpit: they are so choice, if you have the means ... I highly recommend picking one up ....


photo by A4sForever

 

[MIDNJAC]

Put a rubber band around the palm of your hand and put your pen/pencil underneath the rubber band so it rests between your thumb and fore finger. That way, its always there to write stuff down and you won't have to worry about constantly reaching into your pocket when you get clearances. Worked like a charm in T6 land. There's no need to worry about FOD either, especially when you torque rolls at the top of a loop and during other assorted shenanigans with all your writing utensils secured to your hand.

A friend of mine in my class here in -45 land (who had been a Vance dude) tried to do that on a fam flight and got b***h slapped for it. I agree that it probably works okay, but I guess it is not "cool" enough