Wearing Bars?
True story, but thankfully not to me - but I was professionally in the vicinity.
Two people in a flexwing, fluffed a landing at a farmstrip, rolled over, fuel tank burst, covered them with fuel. They crawled out - minor injuries, very shaken indeed. Thankfully, there was no spark, so they didn't turn into human fireballs. No idea what they were wearing, but I'd guess probably nice warm padded Ozee suits or similar.
Somebody at the farm, very generously, said "go and shower the petrol off, we'll lend you a couple of sets of clothes, then run you to A&E to get checked over".
So wearing borrowed clothes, dropped at A&E, said they'd get a taxi back later.
A&E, quick diagnosis, decided they needed to be quickly checked over sans clothes, knew they'd been in an air crash, so elected to cut the clothes off - not taking any arguments on the topic.
A few hours later, pilot and pax, rather sheepish, return to the strip in hospital gowns and a taxi, and present their kind rescuers with their clothes back - chopped up in carrier bags.
G
One the subject of Gold Bars. My brother was telling me that years ago as a new hire ATR42 pilot he was standing in full uniform in the foyer of a small country hotel, with his captain, waiting for a taxi to the airport for a very early flight. A Guinness lorry pulls up outside, and the driver comes in, and the only two people he can see are the two lads in uniform. He shouts "Hey, would you run out the back and open the gate, I have a delivery to make".
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In terminal Two at LHR I once saw a Soviet Admiral of the Fleet who was the size of a house with a chest full of medals complete with big hat fresh off the Aeroflot IL62 from Moscow being accosted by a Japanese tourist who thought he was a porter and wanted him to carry his bags.
How we laughed!
How we laughed!
Quote:
It always pays to remember - when they are cutting you out of your crashed aircraft - the medics will also cut off all the clothing that is covering your injuries - and that could mean your glorious bars ending up in the dirt, and being trampled on, by all and sundry - and with you being transported into ER, as just another barely-dressed, hapless, injury patient!!
Flydive1...
Yes, that would be my first concern if I was badly injured in a crash
It always pays to remember - when they are cutting you out of your crashed aircraft - the medics will also cut off all the clothing that is covering your injuries - and that could mean your glorious bars ending up in the dirt, and being trampled on, by all and sundry - and with you being transported into ER, as just another barely-dressed, hapless, injury patient!!
Flydive1...
Yes, that would be my first concern if I was badly injured in a crash
My humble opinion, I am a very low hours pilot with too much to live for to take chances...
I do know of one person who perished in fire (R.I.P.) crashing after turning low and slow for finals.
And in my groundschool a pilot owner twice had the smell of smoke in their cockpit (once from an electronic device install and secondly from bodged repair of said install)
That's 3 fire incidents in spam cans that I can recall in the last 18 months.
If a Nomex suit is available , ALWAYS wear it , even if someone has put a few badges on it , no one really cares. and if it gives you some protection from flames until you land then good for you.
As for wearing stripes and bars,I can also understand this for when we have friends / family aboard and we wish to convey as sense of professional environment.
Yes I will admit to having worn stripes before and it did stop my best mates from having any sort of messing in the aircraft , so if it works ...
I do realise I may have to buy a few of our respected forum members the occasional pint when I roll up to the bar wearing stripes, which is not such a bad rule now that I think about it.
Be safe,
Fionn
I do know of one person who perished in fire (R.I.P.) crashing after turning low and slow for finals.
And in my groundschool a pilot owner twice had the smell of smoke in their cockpit (once from an electronic device install and secondly from bodged repair of said install)
That's 3 fire incidents in spam cans that I can recall in the last 18 months.
If a Nomex suit is available , ALWAYS wear it , even if someone has put a few badges on it , no one really cares. and if it gives you some protection from flames until you land then good for you.
As for wearing stripes and bars,I can also understand this for when we have friends / family aboard and we wish to convey as sense of professional environment.
Yes I will admit to having worn stripes before and it did stop my best mates from having any sort of messing in the aircraft , so if it works ...
I do realise I may have to buy a few of our respected forum members the occasional pint when I roll up to the bar wearing stripes, which is not such a bad rule now that I think about it.
Be safe,
Fionn
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I have to admit I'm ambivalent about flying suits. I do own one, and I know it makes sense to wear it even in a 152; and many of the members of my club are ex military and wear one all the time. But that in itself makes me feel a bit waltish if I wear mine...
I think it's very important to wear one's achievements with pride and more importantly, for safety. On the drive to the airfield in my 911 RS 2.7, I would feel under-dressed if I didn't slip into my Sparco racewear for the journey. Once there, it wasn't that difficult to change quickly into a flying suit. I found the name-patch helped new students introduce themselves and my bars and wings let them know immediately that I was someone who could be trusted to give advice and guidance. Once aboard my PA28-180, pens, pencils and papers were organised and in their correct place and my passengers gained comfort from the professional image projected. At the end of the day, it's common sense!
I only wear mine when flying a girl on a first date in our C172 shareoplane............. chicks love that stuff
Typical jokes told by women about pilots:
How do you know when you're half way through your first date with a pilot? He says: "Enough about me, let's talk about flying."
Never ask a man if he's a pilot. If he is, he'll already have told you.
What's the difference between a pilot and a jet engine? When the plane stops, the engine stops whining.
On a recent stop at a northern airfield they told me the landing fee was double if I wore a hi-viz, and double again if I wore bars.
Never ask a man if he's a pilot. If he is, he'll already have told you.
What's the difference between a pilot and a jet engine? When the plane stops, the engine stops whining.
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I only wear mine when flying a girl on a first date in our C172 shareoplane............. chicks love that stuff
But yes have to admit being a Pilot does have a pull with SOME of the fairer or darker sex!
But still think a uniform would work up to the point you got to the door of a Cessna 150 in your full regalia and then the pull of the uniform would drop as fast as another part of your anatomy
Better off the rugged look of jeans and T-shirt plus maybe Raybans for the C150/172/PA28
Pull = impressive uniform = impressive aircraft = a good night
Pull = impressive uniform = Cessna 150 PA28 = ahhh what a ****
= no pull retreat with floppy bars and drooping RAF handlebar moustaches ( they are back in fashion with long beards if you didn't know 
Question ? Do bars mean your a commercial professional pilot or any pilot acting as Captain of an aircraft? and how low down the aircraft chain do you go before looking a clot wearing them? Single engine PC12 OK? Twin Piston ok ? single piston Cirrus Malibu ok ? where is the dividing line between looking good with bars or a clot?
Pace
Last edited by Pace; 12th Feb 2016 at 15:02.
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Bloggs Flying ability is inversely proportional to the number of badges He/She has on display.
Advice given to new instructors, seems to have been accurate so far.
Advice given to new instructors, seems to have been accurate so far.
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More accurately, I think: pilots like to think that chicks love that stuff.
Typical jokes told by women about pilots:
How do you know when you're half way through your first date with a pilot? He says: "Enough about me, let's talk about flying."
Never ask a man if he's a pilot. If he is, he'll already have told you.
What's the difference between a pilot and a jet engine? When the plane stops, the engine stops whining.
Typical jokes told by women about pilots:
How do you know when you're half way through your first date with a pilot? He says: "Enough about me, let's talk about flying."
Never ask a man if he's a pilot. If he is, he'll already have told you.
What's the difference between a pilot and a jet engine? When the plane stops, the engine stops whining.
one of my closest friends presented me with this one when I got my PPL:
What's the difference between a cockpit and a condom?
.
.
.
condom can only accommodate one dick
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If someone spends £10k to learn to fly as a PPL
CG
I take it back!
Last edited by charliegolf; 12th Feb 2016 at 16:41. Reason: Being WAY out of date on costs!
More accurately, I think: pilots like to think that chicks love that stuff.
Typical jokes told by women about pilots:
Typical jokes told by women about pilots:
How do you know when you're half way through your first date with a pilot? He says: "Enough about me, let's talk about flying."
Never ask a man if he's a pilot. If he is, he'll already have told you.
What's the difference between a pilot and a jet engine? When the plane stops, the engine stops whining.
On a recent stop at a northern airfield they told me the landing fee was double if I wore a hi-viz, and double again if I wore bars.Never ask a man if he's a pilot. If he is, he'll already have told you.
What's the difference between a pilot and a jet engine? When the plane stops, the engine stops whining.
CG
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Many moons ago when my workplace was on the north side at Farnborough it was pretty well under the display line for the airshow. So I had the joy of popping up onto the roof to watch the displays overhead during the practice week. After a typically spectacular display by a Russian fighter - the one that did the cobra maneouvre if I remember correctly - I wandered over to the pan where the aircraft were parked.
The said aircraft taxied to it's place, shut down and the canopy opened. The pilot climbed down the steps and he was wearing bone dome, T shirt, jeans and trainers! Clearly he didn't need any bars to prove anything to anybody!
Jim
The said aircraft taxied to it's place, shut down and the canopy opened. The pilot climbed down the steps and he was wearing bone dome, T shirt, jeans and trainers! Clearly he didn't need any bars to prove anything to anybody!
Jim
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That is the key! Do you have to wear a uniform or do you choose too ?
When I fly my business jet clients they would be horrified if I turned up in jeans!
I would without doubt get a severe telling off and would be required to be properly attired on the next trip!
On a flight into Africa I know I would cause myself problems if I wandered around the airport in jeans
As a PPL turning up to fly a Cessna 150 dressed in a white shirt with Bars I don't have to do that so it would be a decision for some egotistical reason!
The guy flying the fighter jet was not himself on display to the public so it was his choice what to wear!
Ferrying a jet from the USA empty it's my choice what to wear and jeans tshirt is fine and comfortable ))
Pace
When I fly my business jet clients they would be horrified if I turned up in jeans!
I would without doubt get a severe telling off and would be required to be properly attired on the next trip!
On a flight into Africa I know I would cause myself problems if I wandered around the airport in jeans
As a PPL turning up to fly a Cessna 150 dressed in a white shirt with Bars I don't have to do that so it would be a decision for some egotistical reason!
The guy flying the fighter jet was not himself on display to the public so it was his choice what to wear!
Ferrying a jet from the USA empty it's my choice what to wear and jeans tshirt is fine and comfortable ))
Pace
If my company sends me anywhere commercial I wear the bars and stars..simply to cut the line at TSA and to skip ahead of the self loading freight when boarding....
Hey it works...and I was going to hell already anyways..for other stuff....
YEAH rrrright...SKIP..
Hey it works...and I was going to hell already anyways..for other stuff....
YEAH rrrright...SKIP..