Epaulettes......rank !

[Fly Jimmy]

Hi All !!!

Just a quick question if some of you could help me. Im about to purchase epaulettes, but I dont know weather to get 1, 2, or 3 bars on my shoulder (doubt its 3, but am unsure). I have completed my CPL and MECIR and ATPL theory and have 300 hours in my first job.

Thanks to all responses in advance
Jim

[jtr]

None. If you need them, your boss will either give them to you, (sure) or tell you how many pieces o gold you need. Hence your question will be answered.

Save your money for something useful.

[Fly Jimmy]

Hi jtr,

My boss told me to purchase them and that he would reinverse me! I didnt even think about it really untill now, and dont want to really ring and sound like a dumb arse, so just thought id ask you guys!
Thanks!

[EngineOut]

Generally speaking,

If you are flying a single - 2 bars, if you a flying a twin - 3 bars.

It will vary between companies though.

[404 Titan]

Fly Jimmy

Ask your boss. It isn't a stupid question. You may though look stupid if you purchase the wrong ones.

[DirectAnywhere]

You know you've made it in GA when your boss reinverses you.

I lost count of the number of time I was reinversed.

[compressor stall]

Without the circumlocution, what exactly did your boss verse you in? :8

I was versed in a few things before I "made it" but I have been versed in (much better) things since.... ;)

[DirectAnywhere]

It's not the verse, it's the inverse that matters!

Take that any way you like...;)

[compressor stall]

which way hurts less? :ooh:

[Engineer]

Do one of two things

1) Buy four bars and tell your boss you are practising for the day you become a captain :O

2) Buy one bar to save money that should really impress your boss :ok:

[Super Cecil]

I'd recomend the ones they use on the Ferry's, they've got some little squiggly lines on them that look far more impressive than even 6 bars. If you ask me you been playing with your bars too much. :8
When you go in the shop to buy your bars, ask about a pilot watch as well. Expect to pay at least $3000 for a good one, you'll have sneering rites round the Aeroclub for years with Ferry bar epaulettes and a pilot watch. :ooh:

[compressor stall]

After a gondola ride through the canals of Venice three weeks ago, mrs stall and I were at a resturant and all the waiters were wearing white shirts with well worn three bar epaulettes, identical to the ones I used to wear.

Felt like a flashback to Kununnurra! :}

[tinpis]

Dont forget the gloves.


http://www.augk18.dsl.pipex.com/Smileys/masturbate.gif

[Milt]

Isn't a "reinverse" an inverted double immelman followed by a roll off the top and then a buzz circuit with no part of final being on a constant heading.

[tinpis]

Hmmm..thought that was an "Ozzle Twizzle" Milt?

[jtr]

Where 1 in 10 are there to help you, and the other 9 are there to sh!t on you.

[Continental-520]

Fly Jimmy,

Get two. You won't look stupid.

I really doubt anybody will care too much anyhow, unless of course you rock up with four.

Congrats on your entry to the industry...may you fly lots and above all enjoy yourself.

520.

[emeritus]

I agree with ENGINE OUT... 2 bars for s/e, 3 for m/e.

That way leaves 1 bar for anyone who may be junior!!!

How things have changed..way back in 50-60's one would have been laughed off the aerodrome if you fronted up wearing Epaulettes!

All troops joining Airlines ( Ansett-ANA anyway)in the early days had to make do with HALF a bar for the first six months.
Certainly made you realise where you fitted into the system.

After 2 years and providing you had your ATPL Subjects you were upgraded to senior F/O and sported 2 bars. This meant you still had to look up to Captains but were able to look down on junior F/O's!!! :cool: :cool:

[The Messiah]

It's 1 bar for every $100k you earn.

[Transition Layer]

I had to have a second look at the title of this thread.

At first I thought it was "Epaulettes.....wank!"

:D
TL

[ace4bars]

The 4 bars have always worked well for me. Best purchase I made in aviation


Ace

[Capt Fathom]

It's 1 bar for every $100k you earnYes!! I'm rich. GA is good!

[Mere Mortal]

Listen to Ace4bars, he knows how to stir everyone into sledging frenzy.

How's the multi turbine jobhunting going?

Your ex-girlfriend says "hi".
MM

[gaunty]

Nah tinny the "Ozzle Twizzle" has a derry turn from base to finals.:uhoh:

[swh]

Stallie,

"mrs stall".....when did this happen ... please tell :ugh:

:ok:

[tinpis]

hmmmm.....at my age if I get any sorta bar Im grateful.

[compressor stall]

well she ain't officially mrs yet, but we're picking up the tetrahedral carbon atom arrangement next week.... :8

[SR20flyDoc]

I agree with ENGINE OUT... 2 bars for s/e, 3 for m/e.

Or 1 bar for every 100K

Well, I own the plane, and can give you the name of a shop which sells 5 bar stuff;

http://www.lhshop.nl/?shopid=LM427e445f3d2a65dad20cd33013&parent_id=274 (http://lhshop.nl)


Have fun :ok:

S.

[tinpis]

You be sooooorrry stallie...............:sad:

[rmcdonal]

Don't buy, steal. What kind of a poor GA pilot are you??:8
Or even better paint them on. Then you can always add a few bars later.:E

[Centaurus]

GB's pilots shop at Essendon used to flog T-Shirts with five gold bars etched on, plus gold wings and a pair of sunnies sticking out of a pocket -all etched on. I gave one of these T-Shirts to the President of Pleasant Island in the Pacific and he was delighted -saying he had always wanted to outrank the 4 bar pilots of his 737's. A few locals wore them with pride on a couple of other Pacific islands. The T-Shirts, that is.

[Squawk7700]

We call them w*anker bars at my school. The more you have, the more of a w*anker you are. Gold wings are my pet hate. What do they mean?????

[EngineOut]

squawk 7700,

that is because you are at a school!!!;)

[swh]

Congratulations Stallie,

:ok:

[Kornholeo]

Squawk you call them w@nker bars but you secretly wish your school made them an essential item so you could wear them too. Admit it...

In WA, charter pilots usually wear 3 bars. If you're some kind of two-crew capt then wear 4. If you're an instructor at some dero club, wear 2 unless you're a CFI or CGI, then wear 3. The CP wears 4 at the flashier dero clubs. I think that's how it works.

Wings? Someone said "do they even mean anything???" or something equally stupid.

Of course they mean something. If your company has wings then wear them with pride and a sense that you are better than normal people, they mean "you can fly" and are licenced to do so. Not really, but that's what people will think and if they try to cr@p on your sense of accomplishment then fcuk 'em.

If your boss ain't got wings then who cares, don't go buying some chook-wings from the aero-shop as they won't mean much at all, I suppose.

But don't let tools like Squawk make you feel like a "w@nker" just because you do what most pro-pilot employers in Aust expect you to do - wear fruit on your suit.

Just please don't wear it to the pub/deli/coles supermarket/etc...

[Transition Layer]

Kornholeo

If your company has wings then wear them with pride and a sense that you are better than normal people, they mean "you can fly" and are licenced to do so.

I really hope this is a wind-up otherwise you have some serious issues son.

TL

[Captain Sand Dune]

The only wings worth wearing are silver ones anyway.....................:} :}
(pulls on tin hat and ducks for cover!!)

[drshmoo]

Transition Layer
At your Airline:yuk: :8 :}
Does your boss make your wear your ****** bars whilst scrubbing planes for hours on end. You do have an affinity towards them. I remember when you first met "Clear Props" mum and when your eyes met for first time, the stars in the kimberley came into alignment and the rainbow serpent blessed you both with with a lovely young lad who to this day runs around oombie with that distinctive "shire boy gold locks" and he wears 4 bar epaulettes just like his daddy did flying the old c206 on the oombie wyndam run.

[Gwan B Yirheid]

What about brown wings.... do they count?? :ooh: :ooh:

[7gcbc]

this thread deserves 5 stars, however..........


As these are anonymous forums the origins of the contributions may be opposite to what may be apparent. In fact the press may use it, or the unscrupulous, to elicit certain reactions.,

[Captain Sand Dune]

What about brown wings.... do they count??

Depends how scared you were, I suppose:}

....now if anyone mentions red wings:E ..........

[currawong]

I'm with 7gcbc. This stuff is great.

tinpis mentioned in despatches for imaginative use of icon....

:E

[Super Cecil]

So Currwong, flying a turbine you'd have 4 bars? :8

[7gcbc]

I confess , It was indeed Tinpis who prompted the 5 stars, just could not go past that one :D

The Ferry "bars" are indeed nice, and besides those guys (at least the smallgreen and yellow inner harbour cats - Supply, Alexander, Golden Grove, Lil'Jonnie ) have some great rudder controls, almost like a u-boat, still I digress, back on topic...........

[Continental-520]

Most people can walk.
Most people can talk.
Most people can ride a bike.
Most people can drive a car.
Most people can read & write, to a degree.

But most people can't fly.

Without suggesting I'm "better" than any "normal" person (whatever that's supposed to mean), I am proud of what I do for a living, regardless.

Whether that makes me better than anyone is up to the individual reading this, but I DO feel a LOT better than other people of my age group smoking dope, stealing from others trying to scratch a living, painting graffiti on bus stops and such, just as you should if you're amongst the good breed of society.

Not a stab, just my thoughts.

520.

[Gwan B Yirheid]

Mr Gwan B Yirheid CPL/MEIR


Me – Good morning I’m your pilot today

Punter – Do you want to be a commercial pilot some day

Me - I am a commercial Pilot

Punter – Are you?

Me – Look I have a licence to prove it (show punter NZ Commercial Pilot Licence)

Punter – Phah hah hah haa…. You’re funny, did you make that at home on your computer and get it laminated yourself!!!

Me – This little piece of plastic cost me $60,000

Punter – Is that right… but it doesn’t matter because pilots get paid lots of money anyway.

Me - (big sigh!!!)

Punter – So do you want to be a proper commercial pilot and fly for an airline?

Me – I’ll just pop you into the back seat of the C207… it’s the best seat in the plane…. Oh and here’s some extra air sick bags just in case you need them!!


Solicitors have nice offices to show their status, doctors have a stethoscope and a flash car to show their status, architects have flash houses to show their status.

I’ve got a crap piece of plastic, a scabby over night bag with 2minute noodles in it, a car that was built the same year I was born, and…. I’ve got three gold bars on each shoulder. A lot of blood, sweat, tears, stress, money and f*@ked up relationships have gone in to getting me where I am today and the gold bars are the only things that give “Me” any indication I’ve made it. I really don’t care what anybody else thinks. I think I’ve made it because I’m being paid to fly with gold stripes. Yeeehaaaa!!!

Small Things!!!

GBY


PS - Is your red wings similar to the "Dolmio Grin" :O

[Transition Layer]

Continental-520,

I probably should have been more specific in what I was poking fun at, which was the comment:

a sense that you are better than normal people

Mmm...

Anyway, I agree with what you are saying, but the arrogance seeping out of Kornholeo's post was a little sickening (that is assuming it wasn't a wind-up, which you can never discount on pprune!)

Speaking of wind-ups, drshmoo your continued efforts to gee me up have not gone unnoticed...keep up the good work buddy. Please call me next time we might cross paths so I can ensure I have my sunnies on to combat the golden glare that will no doubt be beaming out of the cockpit of the chieftain (hopefully the LHS for a change!). If I recall correctly, even the name tag was gold plated!!!! Love your work!

TL

P.S. I have also thoroughly enjoyed this thread.
P.P.S. Gwan B Yirheid - I copped exactly the same treatment from a charter pax yesterday, in addition to his greeting of "Great, i'm being flown by a kid, I hope you know the way". What a tosser.

[Super Cecil]

Transition layer, keep up the clearosil and in a couple of years when your voice brakes your face will heal up.

Gwen B and all your friends, how does it make you superior by wearing some sh!t on your shoulder? The punters might put crap on you but without them you wouldn't have a job (or whatever you call paying to work). :8

Next thing you wankers will want to be called "Captain", you now have as many Taxi drivers as you do pilots but their on more money.:uhoh:

[Pinky the pilot]

A heck of a long time ago when I gained my CPL (now 20 yrs) I was told most forcefully by my Instructor who later owned a SA regional airline,
'If ever you fly any aircraft I own with fare paying passengers you WILL (emphasis intended) look like a professional pilot, and that means collar and tie, wings on your shirt and the appropriate epaulettes!'
'Nuff said.

You only live twice. Once when
you're born. Once when
you've looked death in the face.

[Super Cecil]

So Pinky, you fly in Nomex now? you wear fire resistant gear under your nomex suit? you wear nomex gloves? a professional aerial applicator would. There is a difference between taking a job seriously and just doing what your told. I think bars on nomex overalls might be a bit much.

Some of these kids trained now are wearing all the gear before they even get a commercial, it's sort of miltiary training without the military.

Airline stuff, yes it looks the part but that has no relevance on flying 152's and 182's. Neat and tidy agreed. You can be professional without being done up like an African dictator, I think flying a 182 with bars, badges and wings would be unprofessional.

Thinking about it my last post was maybe a bit wide of the mark.

If taxi drivers and bus drivers wear epaulettes with bars all over them well pilots are at least as good as them right? :8

[CBD]

Wings / wa#ker bars / stripes blaahh blaahh blaahh

some say this some say that.

bars bars bars .. doesn't make you a better pilot!

some punters may think so but give them a good flight and they'll remember who you and your company are , not the amount of stripes on your shoulders .

Give them a bad flight and they'll remember who you are and definately remember the company you fly for .. not the amount of gold on you shoulders!


Gwan B Yirheid ... don't like what your doing/don't feel appreciated then do something else! we have all had the same old comment... you old enough to fly?... when you going be a real pilot? , are you going to get your commercial soon? etc etc
take it on the chin knowing you are a professional at what you do and you will move onto bigger and better things in the future.

live the dream:ok:

[v1rotate]

At out airline it's:

2 Bars - First Officer
3 Bars - Senior First Officer
4 Bars - Captain

Funny thing is, I jump into the cab at a destination and the cab driver outranked me! He had 4 stripes!!! Dammit...:confused:

[Gwan B Yirheid]

Super Cecil, you got me all wrong mate, I don't feel superior in any way - some days when I'm flying over glaciers and beautiful mountains on a clear still day I feel totally humbled that I get to do what I do and get paid for it. There is no better feeling than seeing a customer's face when they get to see what I see every day. I also love it when they think I’ve only been doing it for a short while – not because my flying is crap but because I’m still full of enthusiasm for it all, they think we should be bored of it after three years!!!

Am I old enough to fly?? Well my spotty face is 37 next week if that’s any indication and the funny thing is I drive taxis in my spare time to make ends meet. The fact is half the pilots in the town I work either drive taxis or buses to make ends meet.

If you want something to have a go at I reckon it’s these flying schools that make their students and instructors wear stripes. The jumped up little brats already think they’re gods gift, and to then but bars on their shoulders just makes me laugh. One stripe for PPL’s, two stripes for CPL’s, Three stripes for instructors and the CFI who hasn’t done an ATO in his life has four.

Oh yeah and the first thing we all do as soon as we’ve parked the plane up for the night is remove the above mentioned braid from our shoulders, stuff the tie in our pocket and extract a cold stubbie from the fridge.

Cheers

GBY

[currawong]

Come on Cecil, we can't all look like "Roger Ramjet":E

Ties are a safety hazard.

Tee Hee.:E

[beer bong]

What about Unisa! They wear their ****** bars to uni. the uni pub, the library and every where else.

[Pinky the pilot]

Cecil; a professional aerial applicator...
Have'nt a clue as to what you're on about!
These days I'm a full time fruit picker! And have never been involved in ag work.

You only live twice. Once when
you're born. Once when
you've looked death in the face.

[Iakklat]

:mad:

[Super Cecil]

Pinky, in a couple of your previous posts with your line of comment I assumed you were in the game. Anyhoo a professional fruit picker would wear a hat, sunscreen..............

Currawong, some do look like Rodger Ramjet. If blokes want to wear that stuff it's up to them, the days of putting sh!t on somebody for wearing that sort of gear are over hopefully. I think everyone wears helmets these days, the last bloke I saw without one must be 10 years ago. Overalls for AG work are practical and if their nomex all the better.

[ovum]

Super Cecil

Transition layer, keep up the clearosil and in a couple of years when your voice brakes your face will heal up

you now have as many Taxi drivers as you do pilots but their on more money


Kep up tha emacoolat gramer adn speling and in a cuple off yeers yoo mite parse a yeer 1 inglish test

[currawong]

Hey Cecil - I do look like Roger Ramjet at work, but without the big shoulders and dimpled chin.:}

I'm thinking some squigley gold bars and a nomex codpiece might top it off, you know, to impress the punters and the regulator...

[Super Cecil]

ovum, the incorrect use of apostrophe is another good one to winge about. Keep up the good work, you'd have to be ATC with an attitude like that. :8

Currawong, after you get the gold shoulder you can post your piccie along with the Ag machinery you said you were going to post.

[ovum]

Super Cecil

What's even more amusing is that you don't even know it!



Transition layer, keep up the clearosil and in a couple of years when your voice brakes your face will heal up

you now have as many Taxi drivers as you do pilots but their on more money


Have a look and try again genius

I wouldn't normally have a go but if you're going to try and be funny, amusing and attempt to demonstrate wit through pointless digs at people (much like this one), at least get it right.

Oh, by the way....you spelt whinge wrong too.

[drshmoo]

..................sounds like 1000's of years of womens oppression spilling out over spelling mistakes:} tough times

[JSM]

I think the BARS are for the punters, they instill confidence. Its not that they make you fly any better, but if 2 pilots were standing next to each other, one in shorts and T shirt and the other in a uniform with Bars etc, im sure the punters would sence more confidence in the pilot in uniform.


Oh and by the way if your gonna get new ones, make sure they are placed under the tyre of your aircraft and ran over a few times before you wear them.

[jb05]

i think anyone who can't wait to put gold bars on their shoulder has a small penis,has very little flying ability and is a premature ejaculator,hence the required ego boost.Everyone i know who can fly worth a damn doesn't care what he is wearing and its the furthest thing from there mind!tnucevoli, good luck and happy hunting!

[Ultralights]

what if your flight uniforms consist of a bright red survival suit, or the kahki green flameproof overalls? is it bars or patches ?

[Capt Kramer]

Isn't a clean uniform, shoes and a tie more important?

[jb05]

c'mon guys where's your sense of humour? i agree that neatness is definately an issue when dealing with the public and a good thing. i'd still rather fly with a 2000hr pilot wearing stubbies and thongs rather than with the pumped up little roosters who call themselves student pilots at our local aeroclub.it has to be seen to be believed. they look down on u when they first see u walking around casually dressed and don't even bother to say hello,next thing they see you taxing in after greasing the pitts in a three pointer and they all stare at you funny as if to say "you can't do that in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt!" and then want to be your best friend.as for being professional at work,i'm all for it.as for these shallow little c@##s...

[EMS R22]

Epaulettes=Poofter.I once saw a couple of clowns wearing theig f:mad: g outfits at the pub!They were trying to pull women with the "im a pilot" line!

[jb05]

thats the kind of s@#t i'm talking about, and i bet they could'nt fly their way out of a wet paper bag!

[EMS R22]

They were from the local aeroclub and thought their s:mad: t didnt stink!These "Mavrick's" are probably flying punters around as we speak!I landed outside there once to gas up my angry palm tree and was looked at like a piece of s:mad: t!

[OpsNormal]

Have a look and try again genius

I wouldn't normally have a go but if you're going to try and be funny, amusing and attempt to demonstrate wit through pointless digs at people (much like this one), at least get it right.

Oh, by the way....you spelt whinge wrong too.

How about a full stop after the word "genius" and a space in front of the word "you".

How about you sharpen that razor sharp wit and try and get it right yourself.

By the way, Clearosil is spelt as such.

;)

[Ultralights]

pilot wearing stubbies and thongs
usually the aircraft owner! :}

[jb05]

the aircraft owner has worked out that there is more to life than how u look and just enjoys flying and making student pilots in uniform look incompetent!

as for the other children on this forum who are having a spelling and puctuation competition, keep it up , its quite amusing. but we all know ATC workers can\'t read or write and that should help clear up that argument!

[Tinpis2]

i have 5 gold bars !!!:cool:

[tinpis]

i have 5 gold bars !!!

Phew...!! away and empty yer pants.:suspect:

[reducing_Nr]

I now remember why I dont frequent this site all that often.

Once again, someone has posted a question in view of a honest answer. All that has arisen is a bunch of GA frustrated wallies with their smart arse replies all wishing they were wearing the 'bars' and the 'wings' flying for an airline somewhere. I have worn both 'wings' and 'bars' both in the military and in GA. I currently work for a GA company which requires them to be worn..big bloody deal!

Yes, you will always find the type that wear their unifornms around in public and believe me I have experienced that with some fast jet pilots doing the same thing......who really cares, does it intimidate you that much?

Get over it people and get a life! I have spent 11 years with the military and now enjoy a career in GA. I still enjoy the thrill of flying after 16 years in the industry. It saddens me that some of you give it a bad name.

Jimmy, congrats on securing a job, many dont stick with it long enough.

Now that feels better! :O

[Ultralights]

Get over it people and get a life! I have spent 11 years with the military and now enjoy a career in GA. I still enjoy the thrill of flying after 16 years in the industry. It saddens me that some of you give it a bad name.

I have been in the game for 16 yrs, and never once wore bars or wings!

im usually in thongs and stubbies.

[scrubed]

I have been in the game for 16 yrs, and never once wore bars or wings!Well bully for you ultralights...

I've been flying 11 years and been in various companies that want me to wear:

Wings
Gold bars
Wings and gold bars
None of the above

I was happy to wear them all and didn't feel like a ******. Anyone who trips over themselves to hang **** on those who wear all the fruit is truly the ******, typified.

It's YOU who has the tiny dick, not the winged one, if seeing someone wearing the gear gets you SO UPSET.

Hey EMS R22 and jb05, it's painfully obvious you two are one and the same. Doing the old argument back-up routine which has definitely been done before as WE ALL know... ;) :ok: haha.... Good one.

JB why are you so hung up on spoiling the fun for these young fcuks who just want to be pro-pilots (like you want to be) and don't need all your heavy and un-cool sh!t coming down on them...?

Don't worry yourselves guys, they will look back at themselves and cringe about strutting around with the wings etc, without your help.

Meanwhile you just make yourselves sound like the dickheads that you are. It's an Aussie thing, I'm sorry to say. Men in the rest of the world don't know why you get so strung out on little things like that.


PS On the spelling thing, keep up the tragic work, you lot. You will make very good airline pilots one day with such a pathetic grasp of elementary spelling, punctuation and syntax.

[Ronnie Honker]

I am somewhat passionate about the thin silver ones, rather than the gold ones (which tarnish after about a year, and look like crapulence).
If you're the Commander, I don't see any problem wearing FOUR bars, regardless of how many engines it's got.
The Cessna Caravan will outperform a lot of twins, and carries a much bigger payload than most.

I got my gloves from a mate in the Air Force - they look good, and stop your palms sticking to the pole, when the going gets tough (and the tough get going!). :ok: :cool:

[v1rotate]

I have been in the game for 16 yrs, and never once wore bars or wings! I'm usually in thongs and stubbies.
Why does the term "Cowboy" spring to mind.:rolleyes: You obviously never worked for an commercial operator or airline before.:hmm:

[bushy]

Uniforms are one of the few good things we got from the military. Why do you think they wear them? Because it helps them do the job they have to do. The same applies to aviation. The uniform is one of the tools you use to help do your job better And the size of the aeroplane has little to do with it. Many pilots in small aircraft do difficult and demanding work.
There does not seem to be anything written on the subject, but general industry practise seems to be.
No-one with a CPL or higher wears one bar. That seems to be for cadets who are not on line yet.
Two is for an active line pilot, and three is for a more senior line pilot.
Ansett used to say that four bars indicated a person who has been a captain for more than ten years.
This sounds fairly sensible, and pilots should wear uniforms when dealing with the public. Wear it properly, behave in a responsible manner when wearing it (like always), and NEVER be seen drinking alcohol in uniform.

[maxgrad]

Scrubed... aka wind up merchant with the tu$d farm in his mouth.

I was going to agree with you about this one but you fell over your tongue attacking everyone again.

This one is real hard.. If your boss or ops manual says wear a jesters hat, do it or find another employer!

Flying no idea tourists around... wear the stuff...it impresses them no end. Just don't wear a greater than thow attitude .


Spelling...failed that in school...probably proving it here...get over it.

Your turn:}

[pilotads]

i think that anyone would rather fly with the 2000 hour guy in the stubbies and thongs. But how the f**k would you know that he had 2000 hours. Epaulettes and wings really say "hey i've got 2000 hours and am a professional pilot." Anyone who thinks different is some backyard, shonky, don't give a f*** operator or pilot who would treat his pax like sh*t and end up with no buisness.


A good well kept and professional uniform is free advertising

[4Floors]

All concerned.

Any number of Gold/Silver bars on eppaulettes attached to the shoulders of freshly pressed white/blue/khaki etc. shirts are the uniform provided to pilots (for a "small tax deductible" cost of course) simply to instill a certain level of confidence in passengers choosing to travel with that operator.

Of course we would all prefer to be doing our jobs dressed in boardys and a shearer's singlet, but unfortunately a steriotype was created long before most of us entered the industry suggesting that any pilot with any idea of which is the pointy end of an aeroplane wears the above mentioned uniform, the more bling, the more compitent the pilot. Any emotionally entact pilot will agree that however many bars their employer will require them to wear is no real reflection of how professional they really are but more a reflection of the difficulty of the particular job that they are required to do, or of the length of their employ with the operator.

Those of you gloating about the fact that you have never had to don the sailors suit in order to perform your job are obviously involved in non-passenger carrying commercial operations eg. freight and agricultural ops and have therefore never been required to display any reflection of qualification to the great unwashed (public) or more likely than not the majority of you are happily immersed in non-commercial operatioins altogether rendering your armchair opinion null and void!!

Takes looong deep breath... :oh:

Enough said on the topic, lets get back to bitching about working for nothing! Who first??

[EMS R22]

scrubed

Sorry mate jb05 and myself are two different people. Better luck next time with your sharp detective work.

[Ultralights]

scrubbed and V1rotate, i have been flying for over 16 yrs, and trained by some well known and respected pilots, namly a Jack and Brian, one of DC3 fame and another of Syd Airways, and in no way would i be considered a cowboy, or let myself be.

the only reason i have never worn bars is because i have never worked as a pilot! but i do own and fly my own aircraft, and currently building my own little twin. so the thongs and stubbies are simply the most comfortable to wear! and cheapest to buy.

i dont ever remember my instructors wearing bars or wings either while under instruction...

[Tinpis2]

Mate, really Asymetrics handling in thongs may not be the best option !!!

[Erin Brockovich]

A good indicator of how professional a particular pilot is the way he/she wears the uniform. Clean ironed shirt and pants, clean or polished shoes. Shirt tucked in and pants not sitting halfway down ones ass. Presentation = Attitude = Professionalism.

I’ll bet that almost any pilot in a tedious GA job who takes the time to look the part will also take the time to – do a thorough pre-flight, load the a/c within limitations, read the notams, report unserviceabilities, conform to duty times, fly safely, fly efficiently and do all the above for the appropriate remuneration.

If we respected ourselves as pilots we might be respected in return with a decent living. Instead of being embarrassed to wear the uniform, be embarrassed to work for less than the Award or an AWA.

[confirm-finals?]

Come Malaysia.... AFI (grade 3) instructors get to wear FOUR (4) gold bars!!!

WOW!!!

[Piltdown Man]

Don't bother with the expense - spend it beer. Far more impressive and people won't think that you are prat! Not one of the really good pilots I've met on the GA scene wore any but every single one of the gash ones did!

[Aerodynamisist]

If you realy want to impress the ladies grab your self a pair of these http://www.bushwings.com/frontpag.html (the stories on this page are a great read too) mate of mine had a pair with a blinking red LED in the middle looked great.

On the subject of wings mine were presented to me by a notable world war two ace in a ceremony when I got my commercail. I wear them with pride. Drinking with wings or bars on is a hainus offence - perpertraitors should be forced to shout the bar.

[Reverseflowkeroburna]

EB , you are spot on! Whether the wearer has one bar or ten matters not, there isn't anything less deserving of a uniform at all, than some of the bewilderingly scruffy individuals who look like they've just rolled out of their cot.

From the pax's POV, how the hell are they going to fly from A to B, when they can't even dress themselves without mummy's help!?

Filthy, 10yr old gold bars aside, I think the greatest (and possibly the funniest) act of sacrilege I ever did see, was the shirt, 4 bars, wings and all..............worn with a ratty pair of old jeans!! I think they even came with a hole in the ass! :yuk: :yuk: :yuk:

I take it by some of the comments, that some of you want to be professional pilots when you grow up..........Maybe CASA need to incorporate Ironing techniques into the syllabus and mirrors onto the back of your whizz wheels??

Have the appropriate pride & respect for yourselves & what you've earnt..........And you'll know when you've earnt it!

Now I'm off to close the shutters before the incoming! :ok: