The MA-1 flight jacket has been around for many years. It was first issued to USAF crews around 1950 and has been a popular choice for aviators worldwide ever since. This example was sent to us by the guys at meanandgreen.com, and is made by the original manufacturer, Alpha Industries. However, there are a lot of cheap replicas on the market, and it is only when you see the genuine article that you appreciate just how bad some of the copies are. The real thing is consists of a sage green nylon outer shell with a bright orange inner lining. Between the layers is a polyester fiberfill material that has excellent insulation qualities, which makes this jacket very warm to wear. Should you be unlucky enough to force-land miles from civilization, you will find that the jacket is reversible and the bright orange lining will help rescuers find you more easily. It has a zip pocket on the left sleeve which can take four pens, and features chunky, heavy-duty zips which won’t fall apart when you most need them. The MA-1 comes complete with a decorative ‘remove before flight’ tag (which can be detached altogether if you prefer) on the arm zip, making it ideal winter warm-wear for any pilot.
This article appeared in the December 2007 issue of Today's Pilot magazine, and is reproduced here with permission.
You can buy the Alpha Industries MA-1 directly from this site.
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