Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephan Wilkinson
You're correct in that the suit was never used, but it did exist. The Hortens had one of their employees--not clear whether or not he was a pilot--actually wear the suit and sit in the prototype's cockpit. They found that it would have been impossible for him to operate a number of the cockpit controls without extensive modification to them, so the pressure suit was never actually used.
It was indeed designed and made by Draeger, who had specialized in manufacturing deep-sea diving gear.
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That is not supported by the fact that the company that made the suit did not put a pilot in it for show. This is supported by two of the books I mentioned. It was routinely worn after development was complete. The person wearing the suit is identified as a pilot. A never used 'emergency suit' was designed that was supposed to save the wearer by rapid entry if the cabin pressure was lost. A photo or two of that suit was published. It was that suit that would inhibit the pilot from operating any controls after inflation. It would have been more suitable for passengers in larger aircraft.
The history of Draeger goes far back. The Draeger Rescue Apparatus is mentioned in an article published in The Engineering and Mining Journal in 1911, and refers to training on the system in Washington state.
Ed