Dear Marjorie.

[Chequeredflag]

Dear Marjorie,

I need help with a personal problem. It seems I cannot visit a pilot shop without buying something, whether it's needed or not, and on a recent visit to a Transair shop, I purchased one of their navy blue bomber jackets - you know, the one that has a gold pair of wings embroidered onto the breast.

Actually it's a nice, practical jacket, and warm for winter use, but the problem is I cannot bring myself to wear it - as a lowly PPL holder, I feel really pretentious, and really don't want other aviators to think I'm a prat!!

What should I do?? Do others wear such an elblazoned jacket without feeling self conscious or should it go on Ebay?? As I say, I really don't want to look a prat!! Your advice would be appreciated.....

[tuscan]

Dear Prat,

dont bother with ebay........It may burn well if you need it to keep warm this winter.

[rauxaman]

Buy a poppy and put it over the wings... then you can get used to wearing it until Nov 11th... then it'll be cold enough for you not to feel a prat and appreciate the tog value :)

Talking of dress sense... brought my winter long johns today... they call them "base wear" these days and charge twice as much.

PS... I'll give you a tenner for it.

[BackPacker]

A sharp knife and some diligent handwork will remove the embroidered aircraft.

Unless it's been in service for a while and/or been washed a few times, this will probably not leave any trace of what's ever been there.

Oh, and stay away from pilot shops from now on. Buy stuff online, but do it in two stages. Make your shopping list on day one, store it, and on day three review the shopping list to see if there's only stuff on there you really need. Take off whatever you don't really need, and do not add anything else back onto it. Then order.

[eharding]

Turn the jacket inside-out and wear it anyway. It will be equally as warm, and people will be impressed with the motif on the front that declares "Dry Clean Only. 100% Man-Made Fibres. Do not expose to open flame. Made in China"

[flybymike]

I once had one of these jackets. I "coloured in" the gold wings with a dark blue permanent marker pen which made them far less conspicuous and ostentatious, but yet they were still just visible as a discreet signal of your magnificence.;)

[Lister Noble]

I have the same problem with garden centres/nurseries.
My wife and I are plant magnets,in fact we are just off to a local nursery in a few minutes.
But we don't have coats with pictures of plants stuck on them!
;);)

[gsora]

It cost you a small fortune to qualify for your wings and a lot of effort, wear the jacket and stuff the detractors.

[tuscan]

Dont listen to gsora!!!!!!!!!! Yes it was a small fortune and you felt good about it, dont blow it now for the sake of a ridiculous garment.
I also think a tenner is too much,at my local filling station you can get a few bags of coal for that........

[jxk]

Yeah, and what about the blokes that walk around with a flight bag, you know the one 3x2x1 ft black leather big enough for the kitchen sink, where just a simple plastic bag from Tesco would do!

[tuscan]

Is the bag for your head if you wear the jacket:eek:?

[jxk]

Now come on, you should know that a bag is not the appropriate head-ware, it's a stupid looking baseball cap that you wear when you're between the age of 5 - 12 years old.

[tuscan]

Dont forget your RayBans:cool: Oh! and your flying gloves, an image Ive seen in many a clubhouse on a nice day when you arrive home and the barstool pilots have only moved from bar to bathroom between pi**ing contests.:rolleyes:

[Chequeredflag]

OK, looks like I'll have to dump the jacket, but for my next trip to Transair, would a leather helmet and goggles look stupid in a Warrior?

[Chequeredflag]

Oh God!! The 3'x2'x1' flight bag, I've got one of those too, AND it's full!! I really do need some counselling, I shall be bankrupt at this rate.

Problem is, my medical has been suspended for 5 weeks now following a major op (though it will be reinstated shortly), and I'm a bit like those that give up smoking, and eat 24 hours a day to compensate.

[DavidHoul52]

Do you mean... like this?

http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq182/DavidHoul52/4bc7_1.jpg

[tuscan]

What happens after 5 weeks, are they putting your head back on?;)

Only kidding, hope your fit for fighting soon....

[Chequeredflag]

Head to go back on indeed, which is why I need the leather helmet!

By the way, in an appalling week for GA (and another three fatalities today in a helicopter crash near Cheltenham), this thread is meant to be a bit of light hearted fun - hope nobody's offended.

[DavidHoul52]

"Raybans and flying gloves"

http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq182/DavidHoul52/952639326434.jpg

[tuscan]

With pockets like that who need a flightbag.....:eek:

Chequeredflag,

with weeks like these we need our humour, no-one will be offended, if they are they can move onto another thread.

This should become a thread for outrageous flying accessory photos, I must try and find one.:D:D

[tuscan]

http://www.converse.edu/library/HarrietQuimby/IMAGES/Harriet%20outside%20the%20plane.gif

Next time you need to justify your purchase just get your wife one of these smart outfits, you will be instantly forgiven.

[gsora]

Oh ****, wear your hard one wings or sport a Tesco bag, no brainer?

Your a pilot show off a bit. You know, like the nuts who drive a BMW to prove how good they are.

[tuscan]

Careful now gsora, poor Chequeredflag has exposed himself enough, he might just happen to keep his flying case in the back of his M3:uhoh:. The baseball cap with wings will be on the parcel shelf...

http://www.breaktaker.com/albums/pictures/oops/FlyingCar.jpg