Re: PPL Instructors wearing collar and tie
I am a Chief flying instructor for a small aero club in New Zealand, and have been watching this thread with interest!
Our colonial ways here may shock genteel personages from your Northern hemisphere, but our climate is hotter, the outdoors culture figures hughly!
Quite often I will wear a white shirt and tie in winter, minus the tie in summer, but sometimes jeans and a tidy tee shirt,(surf shorts- Dec to March- our summer) in summer.
For evening and after hours flying, it is shorts with tee shirt and sandals or bare feet in hot conditions or when at a smaller grass airfield, that is a carry over from the meat bombing and glider towing days.
I dont feel that standard of dress has any relevence on the way I teach, either PPL or commercial training(We do dress up for flight test day!)
HOWEVER, when doing a commercial operation(Charter) always collar and tie, shoes shined to perfection, etc etc.
Just a couple of days ago, I had two teenage students ( 16 and 19) both wore shorts, barefeet, and one had a tee shirt on , the other a tanktop.
It was very hot in the Cessna152, and pilots dressed COMFORTABLY fly better and safer than than ones dressed like a tailors dummy!
( I might add I was dressed the same, it was beautiful evening!)
I have had a student here collapse with heat exhaustion in the 1990's.
I am sure that will spark some comments from 'overseas', I can just hear the comments now,
'oh well. another silly colonial' !!
Cheers!