Is it such a big deal??
The punters up the back expect to see the pilot looking like a pilot, if you're wearing scummy jeans, tattoos inked down your forearms and a nose ring to top of the look, do you think the punters will feel like they are in safe hands?
People respect someone in uniform as they are conditioned to that simple fact (police etc) and sometimes you need to demonstrate that authority with the bogans up the back (and the company mag light usually found in the back of the two front seats).
I have 2 bars inked on the 'ole fella, when he gets excited they stretch into 4. The bitches love it, and if I love them, they get a gold star!
Yibbidi Yibbida, thank ya mother for the rabbits!