Agaricus bisporus & Up & Away
Intelligent discorse at last. I commend and thank you gentleman for addressing the subject in a most direct manner. It would seem from your individual comments that you are in violent agreement as to which bars should be worn by whom. The only question it seems to be who is a Captain?
I do recall the sixties, seventies and eighties. The situation regarding this matter was as 'Up & Away' recalls. There were many heated discussions during this more elitist period as to who could use the title Captain. Many airline pilots held the opinion that no helicopter pilot should ever be allowed the title Captain or wear Captain's bars. Within the helicopter community there was a twin-engine vs. single engine criteria and an ATP vs CPL dispute. There were even arguments cocerning the number of passengers carried (big helicopter, little helicopter).
With no known standards or published etiquette, it became a matter of personal or company policy and until this thread, I have not seen the matter debated in by the helicopter community in many years.
As to egos; there are no egos in aviation.