Wiley Post’s Succesfull Use of a Pressure Suit

Since the Lockheed Vega that Post used to fly, named “Winnie Mae”, was not airtight or pressurized, and the atmosphere at higher altitudes was and still is too thin to breathe, Post set out to build a pressure suit that would allow him to breathe as if he were at 5,500 feet (1,676 meters).

The B.F. Goodrich Rubber Company helped Post develop a pressure suit. After rejecting two other models, Post successfully tested his third model on September 5, 1934, during a flight over Chicago at 40,000 feet (12,192 meters). The pressure suit had three layers: heavy long underwear; a black rubber internal air pressure bladder; and an outer layer of double ply rubberized parachute material glued to a jointed frame that gave the wearer the ability to operate the controls and enter and exit the airplane. The frame also had rubber boots, pigskin gloves, and a bell-shaped diver’s helmet.  The aluminum helmet’s round faceplate stayed sealed at the height of 17,000 feet and included earphones and a throat microphone.