Epaulette Etiquette
 

I want to throw this question out there, as I can't find any resources regarding this, and wanted to know what the general etiquette is out there...

What is regarded as good etiquette when wearing your bird droppings?

Don't have your squeeze sew them onto your pyjamas as one social hand grenade was spotted wearing during a fire drill at a large hotel in the UK.http://avcom.co.za/phpBB2/images/smi...on_mrgreen.gif

Use them when you are flying passengers-they are after all for the benefit of the people in the back-don't be a pratt and cruise into you local pub or restaurant dressed in your finery-apart from everyone thinking you"re a wally its also unprofessional to see a pilot with "bars " on and a beer in his hand.

I agree with what you are saying, but that is stating the obvious.

Do not use them in bars (spit)
Do not go to a restaurant in them after work (spit x2)
Don't go and do your grocery shopping at Pick and Pay with them etc etc etc....

Anyone that has done that, really needs some help.

There should be military etiquette regarding epaulettes, but this obviously shouldn't be in line with pilots, but there might be some good reference points regarding that.

Anything interesting from the older generation regarding this?

So why bother asking?

Sorry chap but don't have a clue what you mean!!

It's pretty simple really. Have your lady staple them to your shoulders before you commence your evenings entertainment, and make sure she applies some anti-bacterial cream to your shoulders when she rips them off in the morning...

Don't forget to clean the blood off before you wear them to work. Upsets the pax if you don't.

Last month, Fourways Mall, Saturday morning, three guys, mid 20s ,white shirts and wearing Epaulettes, I kid you not. What where they thinking or did they think it was the new terminal for Lanseria?:E

On a serious note, some companies I worked for (not south african) insisted for security reasons to remove epaulettes once you leave the airport and not to signal your self out as aircrew (also normal sweatshirt etc over white shirt, evne in crew bus). Better to look like a bunch of tourists than a bunch of foreigners who if kidnapped will be worth an insurance pay out from an employer policy (ok white guy sticks out in middle Africa but we where talking S.America etc where you could "blend in").

trying to impress the flange is what they were thinking...tw*ts!

Any military folk out there? Do the military guys remove their "pips" as well when walking into a shopping centre?

Nope. But we never ate, drank or smoked in uniform unless it was on the base. Hiked home and back to camp in uniform but never left camp for any other non military reason unless in civvies. That was a while back, though.

Came as quite a shock the first time I saw a brigadier slouching on a street corner picking his nose, I can tell you...:eek:

Okay, so I spoke to some people who have been in the industry since before I was born.

It seems that, generally, wear your 'droppings' on an airfield, and only on an airfield. The rest of the time keep your ego, and 'droppings', in your shirt pocket.

Other times that it is generally accepted to wear them are when you need to do official business, that requires you to be identified as a pilot, e.g. filing flight plans, need to go for some official business at an aviation related organization...
or
when traveling, for example, from SA to let say Angola, where they can be quite difficult at customs. This shows the officials that you are crew, and it makes life MUCH easier when entering the country.

As for seeing people wear their droppings in shopping centres, or anywhere else for that matter....
All I can say is.... shame.... go and give the poor boys a huggy. Their moma's probably didn't.

Most bizaare topic I am afraid?

So, on reflection, nothing new has been said and everyone does what everyone thinks anyhow.

If you are on duty wear your uniform, if you are not on duty, but feel it appropriate for some reason, wear the uniform, if it makes you feel special and big by wearing your uniform in 4ways mall, wear your uniform in 4ways mall...

Who cares?

Epaulette Etiquette
 

I think young women should be obliged to obey whatever someone wearing epaulettes tell them to do. Immediately and without hesitation.

Fat Reggie - Have you been tripping? I will be glad to welcome you back to earth with or without your epaulettes. :-)

Flame Lilly....
 

Well it's a fleeting fantasy of mine anyway. Damn fleeting.

1 Capt of a commercial/corporate aircraft flying in either capacity wears 4.

2 FO wears 2 or 3, depends on company protocol.

3 PPLs or non TRI/TRE instructors DO NOT WEAR ANY!!! (unless they want
to look real poser prats)

4 No-one, whatsoever, wears stripes on an overcoat unless they really
want to look a complete w@nker - it is very PPL. see 3 above. That is
just coming the big "I am!" to your oppos...which is saaad!

5 Crew positioning direct to/from a duty.

6 Some places it helps to impress bureautwats/minions at check-in etc
(at uncivilised airports.)

And out of respect, I will never wear bars in another pilot's aircraft. If travelling, I will take them off on enterring and replace them on exiting the aircraft to facilitate easier passage though african airports.

Only put them on when I get to the airfield, and take them off as soon as I am rid of the pax.

Oh yes and did I mention :

I get naked and then place them on my shoulders before I wrap myself up in cling film and climb onto the cupboard, to pounce on the unsuspecting missus as she gets home from work.:E :ok: :\

You silly twisted boy, you...http://avcom.co.za/phpBB2/images/smi...on_mrgreen.gif

Welcome back, Fat Reggie, and thanks for sharing!:p

Used to love wearing mine at the Mall. People would immediately assume you are a security guard - and start tipping you. Handy income enhancement when you work as a flight instructor....

Etiquette
 

Are you really that old that you can remember the pyjama incident? I am impressed!:)

Usual etiquette as far as I am concerned is:
1. PPL etc 4 bars
2. CPL 3 bars
4 Jet FO's 2 Bars
5. Jet Senior FO's 1 bar
6 Capt's, TRE's, Examiners etc 0 Bars (Why not? You've arrived, no need to prove anything anymore!). Grey hair etc. optional but expected.

even the missus stopped being impressed by the bars :{ ...hmmm.is it a prformance-related issue i wonder:}

Bflyer

Time for the Batman suit and "Gentleman's Leather Appliance with Optional Rotating Flange" then...

As for bars? I'd fly in a pair of old rugby shorts and barefoot if the boss would sit still for it.

Wear my Bars on the way too and from work, the traffic cops never bother me when I do. Though must admit have worn them when I pop into the chinese to pick up my take away, since I still got the rest of the drive home. :}

As for short and sandles, one of the lads found out nhis boss didn't mind so he started coming to work in them, all the ramp guys thought he was ill and endlessly enquiring if everything was ok :} Though must admit not a bad choice considering the weather out here.

My bars have gotten me upgraded to business class when flying home for a weekend on SAA. Its amazing, they have real plates and steel cutlery and glass cups and salt and pepper (not in a packet) and a free news paper!!!! And thats not all - they have bigger chairs........


can anyone tell i fly choppers?:p

yes, because you wear your bars in another mans aircraft.....nil respect...:E

IR
 

I know, but it was worth it.

I'd let any Jumbo jock sit up front with me any day - bars or no bars - just no hands on my stick!!

Open offer, just bring the cheque book!:):):)

With the sex of a vast number of inflight systems managers being what it is, I could share my stick with them for a while. Until I get bored.

I.R, why is it a case of no respect to be in uniform while on duty when airlining on an aircraft?

We position all the time by airline, and as soon as we land, we are off to the FBO and into our plane and therefore are always in uniform.

I do take my bars off, but it is not out of respect to the pilots as more so the pax do not consider me part of the active crew?

I can t see why crew would feel it rude or discurtious? I wouldnt.

Or

You

Can

Be

Like certain airlines and drive home in your fancy 4 times 4 with your bars on to show the whole world you are a pilot, Just in case they don't recognize you for the stud muffin you are.

oh pleeeeez - you are all so freakin embarrassed to be pilot now that you do your best to hide them just in case you may be ID'd by a member of the public as a as a as a wait for it ..... a PILOT. Whooaaaaa!:mad: :mad:
or just in case you migh tbe an a$$hole and not wait for it wait for it ....not show RESPECT!!!! Whoooaaaaa!:mad: :mad:

this thread has gotten stupid.

( I am not advocating wearing your bars in the Meat Company in fourways - you have to draw a line somewhere....but come on some of the last posts here have just been plain anal.)

Wait for it wait for it wait for it....I'm sure it's gonna come my way now....:p

SIC, the reason for not wanting to be identified as a pilot while airlining on duty is more due to the legal-claim culture we now live in.

For example, I have been told by airlines when in unifrom to remove bars because if we as an individual do something, (in an emergency) and a member of the public follow us and then are injured or killed, they apparently have recourse because they were following a 'crew memeber'.

So, on that reason and that reason alone, I am happy to remove them while airlining on duty, otherwise, I dont care.

I would find it hard to believe pilots taking offense for others travelling in uniform, bars included, if they are on active duty, ie. positioning.

Perhaps old school BA pilots, and the French, but thats just cause they ate French and arrogant!

But I agree, the topic to me seems like someone pretending they dont want to draw attention themselves but really wants to by posting such a topic.

'I am wearing bars, but dont look at me because I am pretending I dont want to'

Get over it, it is a uniform like any other!

I agree, I mean what is so bad about driving to work wearing your epps? I wake up, put my uniform on, get in the car and drive to the aiport. I'm not going to now put my epps on onlly when I park at ops. Same goes for going home. I ddon't see it as showing off or trying to be anything special. I'm a pilot and pilots wear uniforms, same as cops, soldiers, nurses (God bless those little white skirts) and I'm damned if I wont wear it in the car on the way to work because some :mad: thinks I'm being a wally. The guy pointing at me calling me a wally is probably some Papa Charlie driver flying for some 3rd rate company anyways who has no reason to be proud of his uniform. Like SIC says, my uniform identifies me as a professional and I'm proud of it, but you wont catch me wearing it to the Meat Co. on a Sat night.

Mo

I agree. Someone once told me that the reason why a pilot wears a uniform (including epps) is so you are perceived as being important by people around you... which i think is true. In our work environment, because pax are generally uninformed, it is absolutely necessary that it is clear to them who is in charge and who can help them.

As far as removing them when you drive home, to each his own i guess... i don't do it because what I do in my own car is my own business, and I'm FAR too lazy to remove and put back on and remove and put back on just to satisfy others :}

A uniform should be worn with pride and I personally think that a uniform is a unit, so if you feel that you should remove your epps right after you sign off, you should actually take off your whole uniform and put on a denim and a t-shirt. Whether you are wearing epps or not people are most likely gonna know you are a pilot (unless you take off your wings and ID card aswell) so what's the difference? Are you ashamed of being a pilot?

Except if you are an ex Bus or Jumbo driver now flying the Mango...

:}

Just to keep things going .....
 

:hmm: Genuine question, would be interested to hear what peoples opinions are on the issue of wearing epaulettes on your raincoat. Massive fashion faux pas, or the done thing?

Genuine answer: I would be pretty astonished if anyone has ever worn an epaulette on a raincoat! Why? Because an epaulette is a very ornamental piece of kit, usually with a curved metal plate at the outer end, and complete with a silver or gold bullion, or coloured material, fringe, then attached to a uniform coat or jacket by means of what was known as a shoulder strap. Think Household Cavalry or French Foreign Legion.

On the other hand, if you want to wear what are now known as shoulder straps, shoulder boards, shoulder marks et al, then please do so, but remember that raincoats are for keeping rain off and not for showing off .....

Jack

PS If you do see someone wearing a raincoat with real epaulettes, please take and and post a photo here so that we can all have a good laugh!

Jack, you just have to go to the Courtyard hotel at C de G and watcg for the CityJet crew.

They wear the stripes on their over coats and then underneath on their shirts too.

I take mine off when leaving the aircraft so as not to be confused with a bus driver or taxi driver........ shouldn't really have to wear them in the aircraft to identify my self as the pilot........me being the guy driving the aircraft should do that sufficiently.
wear em if the boss tells ya to...... don't if they don't care.....like me.