The first workable anti-gravity suit or flight suit, was developed by a Canadian team led by Doctor Wilbur Franks in 1941. However, G-suits for non-aviation purposes have been around since 1906, when Doctor George Crile invented a G-suit to treat shock. The Franks Flying Suit Mark II (FFS Mk II) was the world's first "G" (gravity) suit used in combat. This flight suit was invented by Canadian Wilbur Franks in 1941 to prevent pilot blackout from high acceleration and G-force.

Wilbur Franks also co-invented the RCAF Human Centrifuge which was used to stimulate G-forces at high speeds, to train pilots in maneuvering combat aircraft under G-force pressure.

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Wilbur Franks - Biography
University of Toronto physiologist Wilbur Franks' research resulted in the world's first anti-gravity suit. Flight suits used by today's astronauts are a direct descendant.
Wilbur Rounding Franks
March 4, 1901 - January 4, 1986
Birth Place: Weston, Ontario
 

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