Do pilots wear nappies?

[OfficialPastelPoppet]

I was watching plane take off videos on YouTube and it got me wondering. Do pilots wear nappies?

Ive never seen a pilot leave the cockpit during any flight im on. Even when I was on an 8 hour flight from UK to US.

So do they have an en suite in the cockpit or do they just wear a nappy?

 

[theancientmariner]

Have you ever flew in the 1st row before? I can't remember if I saw him/ her sneak to the laboratory or not. But im sure there are pilots that do wear diapers out there.

 

[ChrisKrinkle]

No. Most modern jets have a lavatory. Military fighters have the tube that vents outside the plane. And. Well they dont call the green flight suit POOPY SUITS for nothing. I flew vintage airplanes like P51 and T6...they have the tube

 

[boomer2480]

I was a privet pilot and all ways wore diapers

 

[theancientmariner]

No. Most modern jets have a lavatory. Military fighters have the tube that vents outside the plane. And. Well they dont call the green flight suit POOPY SUITS for nothing. I flew vintage airplanes like P51 and T6...they have the tube

Do the tubes cover #2 or only #1?

 

[ChrisKrinkle]

I was a privet pilot and all ways wore diapers

I did too...nothing saying you shouldnt..why not? But most dont

 

[ChrisKrinkle]

Do the tubes cover #2 or only #1?

1 only. The slipstream from the wind on the plane kind of sucks it out...strange sensation!

 

[PampersboyLondon]

Pilot don’t use them, they have access to a toilet on all their flights and most of the time the cabin crew will protect the access to the area near the flight deck door and on most aircraft they have CCTV system to see that the area is secure before coming out.

On the biggest jets they have a pilots only toilet available at certain airlines in the sleeping quarters

 

[willnotwill]

I've been in several airline sleeping berths and there's never been a dedicated toilet there (747 and 787).

 

[Seasonedcitizen]

I always wondered how they handled pee breaks in a fighter.

 

[Osthagen]

Most probably don’t. I should think that if there’s two individuals controlling the aircraft, as there usually is, then there shouldn’t be too many problems with one of the pilots going to the toilet.

There aren’t a lot of occupations that require nappies — I know scuba divers often do wear them, as do astronauts but those aren’t really everyday things.

 

[ChrisKrinkle]

I always wondered how they handled pee breaks in a fighter.

Piddle packs. Like a diaper inside a plastic bag. Then dispose. Or the tube

 

[CodyBaby]

I can confirm I saw at least 1 pilot getting out of cockpit and went to the bathroom that was dedicated to first class passengers, happened on my return flight from Cuba on February 5th 2020, we were upgraded for free to first class because of a bad incident on our economy row of seats they were badly broken and couldn't be fixed before departure that was already 3hrs late than expected, first time in my life it ever happens, wow, the service there is awesome, but I wouldn't pay 489$ extra each direction just for that.

 

[Llayden]

I was in the US Air Force for 14 years working on fighter aircraft. I have spent much of my life around military aircraft and pilots. Fighter pilots use "piddle packs", larger aircraft at least have piss tubes (large containers you pee in to) and some have actual lavatories. However...there are diapers available.

The last pack of diapers I saw in the "life support" section were some form of Molicares. When I got my first "incentive flight" (back of an F-15) and I was being fitted for my mask and suit in "life support" I spotted a pack. I "jokingly" asked if I could wear one for the flight (I was legitimately concerned). They said I could, but it wasn't quite "normal" either. What I remember them telling me is that most of the military aviators will wear them only on very long flights in a fighter, if they are having "issues", or bomber crews would wear them.

Now, I do wonder if they are more common now with more female pilots? I knew and worked with many female fighter pilots, but I never thought about how they handled their needs? I don't think "piddle packs" would work for them. Most fighter sorties are fairly short duration, but if they're flying a CAP with tanker support a pilot could be stuck in that little cockpit for 8 hours or more. Especially if flying over either ocean to get to overseas locations.

 

[NovaDL]

Correct, as Llayden said, smaller aircraft have "piddle packs" for #1. Incidentally, there have been a few instances of crashes while using these, particularly in more cramped cockpits like the F-16. If they're not careful, it's possible for something to get snagged on the controls and result in an unrecoverable situation. More than one pilot has had to eject as a result.

 

[ChocChip]

I’ve mostly heard of nappy use among female pilots of small planes, as usage of collection devices preferred by males is anatomically difficult.

Commercial planes generally have 2 or 3 pilots depending on flight length and it’s likely to be possible for one to leave the cockpit to use the toilet.

 

[ChrisKrinkle]

Correct, as Llayden said, smaller aircraft have "piddle packs" for #1. Incidentally, there have been a few instances of crashes while using these, particularly in more cramped cockpits like the F-16. If they're not careful, it's possible for something to get snagged on the controls and result in an unrecoverable situation. More than one pilot has had to eject as a result.

Yup. Just I said above. And the P-51 I flew had a long tube under the seat. We never used it because our airshow flights are quick. But we kept it there, for authenticity.. .and it works the same way it did in 1943!

And honestly...a thick diaper would be really uncomfortable in that tight five point harness.

 

[hodori779]

The "piddle packs" only work for male pilots. At least in the US, female military fighter pilots have been known to wear some form of diaper, especially on longer flights (think an 18-20 hour flight from the US to the middle east). In fact, during both Gulf Wars, bomber aircraft flew non-stop from Whiteman AFB and Holloman AFB to Iraq, dropped their bombs, and then turned around and flew back to the US (My cousin flew F117s in the Gulf War, and he told me that those long missions were a pain...)

I know that some larger cargo/bomber aircraft have an onboard toilet, though.

 

[Llayden]

In fact, during both Gulf Wars, bomber aircraft flew non-stop from Whiteman AFB and Holloman AFB to Iraq...

I know that some larger cargo/bomber aircraft have an onboard toilet, though.

Still do. The B-2 only takes off and lands at Whiteman AFB. It flies LONG sorties constantly.

Not all of our larger aircraft have lavatories though. I spent my entire career around fighters, and only traveled on cargo aircraft. My last duty station was with KC-135's though (Boeing 707 airframe). That's a tanker/cargo aircraft that flies long endurance missions, and I was surprised as heck to find it did NOT have a lavatory. It only had the "piss missiles". I don't recall there being any sort of seated position to relieve ones self. However, this picture appears to have one. You can also see the tubes you pee in, and some poor crew chief on the ground has to take care of:

 

[theancientmariner]

I always wondered how they handled pee breaks in a fighter.

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