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Old 22nd Nov 2017, 02:06
  #17 (permalink)  
Airbubba
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Rockytop, Tennessee, USA
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Originally Posted by Rick777
Had lunch with head of hiring for United today. He said last year 51% of hires had mil background.
Years ago almost all Pan Am pilots had a military background and many were Yalies and Boat School graduates.

And Delta preferred Navy pilots. The gouge was that for interview purposes you couldn't be a Catholic or drive a Corvette. Be careful what you say at the Barbecue Kitchen during the lunch break. And don't rock in Dr. Janus' chair during the psych eval.

When Top Gun came out in 1986 Naval Aviator morale and recruitment shot up.

The Air Force then gave out leather jackets 'similar to those worn by Naval aviators' in an attempt to 'improve air crew morale and retention.'

Leather jackets to cover Air Force flight crews again

June 4, 1987

WASHINGTON (UPI) -- The Air Force will resume issuing leather flight jackets to its combat-ready fliers in an estimated $5 million effort to enhance esprit de corps, military officials say.

'The flight-jacket initiative was suggested by field commanders as a means of enhancing esprit within the combat-ready air crew force,' said Lt. Gen. Thomas Hickey, deputy chief of personnel for the Air Force.

'It is one of a number of efforts the Air Force is undertaking to improve air crew morale and retention.'

Hickey said Wednesday the service 'intends to renew the tradition' of issuing leather flying jackets that 'will be similar to the jackets issued to air crews during World War II' and similar to those worn by Naval aviators.
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/06...8952549777600/
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