Originally Posted by
Ken Scott
Whilst it would have been preferable to allow this thread to stay dormant it now seems that the RAF’s hierarchy has decreed that beards are not compatible with the wearing of oxygen masks so they are now banned for all aircrew, at least in 1 & 2 Gps. Not sure if it’s ok for those rotary fellows. It seems it is ok for engineers etc who fly on aircraft to be bearded as they are not aircrew, even if they might have to use a mask in an emergency (much like the aircrew then).
I’m sure it all makes sense to somebody but I don’t know whether they will apply the ruling to those who wear beards on religious grounds.
It it will be interesting to see whether they extend the ruling to everyone on the grounds that their respirators might leak. I’m not sure how FAA jet pilots used to/ do cope?
Still ok for aircrew to have a beard in 22Gp.