Military AircrewA forum for the professionals who fly the non-civilian hardware, and the backroom boys and girls without whom nothing would leave the ground. Army, Navy and Airforces of the World, all equally welcome here.
With so many 'serious' issues on PPRuNe just now I wanted to use the forum to answer a question that's been bouncing between me an a WO for a while .
The regs don't seem clear .. (RAF) ..
If a female in uniform has long hair it has to be in a bun net or pinned.
Aircrew cant use either due to the FOD risk ?
Thus a ponytail dangling down from a bone dome is OK ?
What about when no helmet is being worn ?
Any AP quotes appreciated, could even win me a beer
Try getting a proper job. Then you wouldn't have too much time on your hands and could worry about real issues such as manning, equipment, life and death etc.
Well said MGD. The last thing we need at this present time is frivolity. Shame on you all for not taking this seriously. Don't you know there's a war on?
minigundiplomat ? so grumpy .. I've manning & budget issues to last me forever thanks very much ..
Every time we get in to the air we have life & death issues to face.. So much of late focuses on the families hearts that we break doing what we do and for the guys and girls on the ground that are supported from above, who have it so very hard. Yet we lift our spirits & aim higher.
So every time I get ribbed about female aircrew with hair 'dangling down' by the WO, how much would I love to have a few taught responses, wave a photocopy of an AP para x under his nose .. and perhaps more important of all with the pressure that we face, just smile knowing we all have had a joke and a bit of banter triggered by his gold tipped stick gesturing ..
On the hair/helmet issue did anyone see James May trying to stuff his locks into the standard issue space suit helmet for his "trip into space" recently?
Gosh you guys seem to have it good - when I were a lad, most of the WAAFs had a leg on each corner and a moustache - awful bristley IIRC, but I always assumed that was QRs
OK, sorry not to have a more amusing reply but....What, exactly is the WO's problem?? If he/she is whining about ponytails being worn on the dispersal, he/she needs to wind his/her neck in.
If, however, females think they can wear a ponytail generally around the Squadron, then I suspect the WO has something to moan about.
However, a solution would be to wear a bun till just before they put their flying helmet on when they should just tie it in a bun using the same type of hair band/tie/bobble to secure it that is used for the ponytail-if they tie it much lower down, it wont get in the way of the helmet any more than a pony tail would. No pins. No hair nets. No fod. No brainer.
Alternatively, plait it from the nape of the neck and put an elastic bobble at the bottom then fold it under and tie it in what looks like a neat bun.
Sure, it as to be sorted out when you take the flying helmet off but believe me, from 10 years flying experience, I can safely say it stops the WO moaning.
The nightmare is simply that I can't find the regs or worse that they don't exist to cover ..
All the obvious choices : Rubber bands, clips, nets etc. cant be used due to the the obvious fod / cocpit contamination hazard.
In blue uniform the teams har is super smart.
In a flying coverall, it would be unworkable to keep putting up / down / band on / band off etc; no doubt these things would get lost etc. but I cant find the exception to allow for 'relaxed' hair for female aircarew.
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