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Unfortunately, we do not know whether the RFD Beaufort vest was ever actually flight tested. 

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The life vest on this page was a proposal made the mid-2000s by RFD Beaufort to the Swiss AF procurement agency (armasuisse-ar), who was looking for a life vest to equip the PC-6/7/9/21 and F-5 crews. 

 

The structure of the life vest was very similar to the one that would later enter service as PU-CH-07, but with some differences:

 

Unlike the PU-CH-07, the RFD vest was planned as an automatic (Immersion-activated/ water contact) version only, the manual activated one intended as a training aid;

 

The carrier waistcoat available in three sizes (small/ medium/ large) and also provided with two pockets in order to store survival and signaling equipment, but additionally fitted with a dedicated pocket at the right side meant for a AN/URT-33 PLB (Personal Locator Beacon);

 

The Flotation Assembly (collar) did not have two independent bladders, but a single one with an integral baffle which create two independent chambers (supposed to be less bulky than the separate bladders collars), each equipped with its own 33 grams CO2 disposable cylinder.

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The bladder itself in non-high visibility livery - yellow, but the option to have it provided in Day-Glo orange available;

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The flotation assembly fitted with a “Hydro-static” automatic release system, instead of an “electronic” (as the FLU-8B/P) one, the former considered less expensive in terms of costs and maintenance, but equally reliable. 

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The "Hydro-static” automatic release system.

The manual/ training release system.

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A spare  33 grams CO2 cylinder.

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