View Full Version : 2 stripes, 3 stripes
Fodgett
13th Mar 2004, 20:52
Can anyone inform me what is the difference in meaning of 2 stripes and 3 stripes?
Are 2 stripes for Junior FO's, who have yet to complete their line training? and 3 stripes for Senior FO's? Because I can't recall seeing 2 stripes uniforms except amongst flight engineers and navigators in the old days.
Thunder Child
13th Mar 2004, 20:59
This has been covered a hundred times - but here we go anyway.
4 - Captain
3 - SFO (ATPL)
2 - FO/SO (Frozen ATPL)
Broadly speaking, although someone will correct me as their company's philosophy may be different.
Human Factor
13th Mar 2004, 23:17
Varies from company to company but TC is broadly correct. You will occasionally find single stripers around as well but I think they're few and far between these days. Often two/three stripes is dictated by time served in a company as much as ATPL or not.
Over here in The Colonies it is:
4 = Captain
3 = First Officer or Flight Engineer
oxford blue
14th Mar 2004, 15:35
You're all ******s if you think that it matters. Some companies do this, some companies do that.
A captain is a captain. End of story. Bottom line is - he takes the credit if it goes well - he takes the blame if it goes badly - even if it had nothing to do with him. But, if he'a good captain, it will have depended on him. However, not all captains are good ones - but they all wear 4 stripes.
As for the rest - some of you may wear 3 stripes, some of you may wear 2 stripes. What does it matter - as long as you get paid - and as long as you may be a captain yourself one day?
There are also some gradations within captaincy. The most recently appointed captain wears 4 stripes. So does the Chief Pilot - immeasurably more senior. And the Flight Operations Manager. And the Senior Training Captain.
Should they wear 5 or 6 or something? Or a big broad one as Commodore of the Fleet? Of course they don't. They're just captains - just like the most junior captain.
Don't get too hung up about it - it's only a game - played to impress the bums on seats in the passenger compartment.
aviate1138
14th Mar 2004, 15:52
Oxford Blue said in part......
"A captain is a captain. End of story. Bottom line is - he takes the credit if it goes well - he takes the blame if it goes badly - even if it had nothing to do with him. But, if he'a good captain, it will have depended on him. However, not all captains are good ones - but they all wear 4 stripes."
Aviate 1138 says.....
Yes, I was at a friends strip with two vintage and three microlight aircraft when a Robinson R22 appeared and proceeded to hover taxi above the parked aircraft. We held onto struts, wings, tails and undercarriages until the idiot had passed over and landed nearby. Out stepped a 4 stripe pilot who was surprised when his Boss, who had arrived in one of the microlight CFM Shadow, fired him on the spot. That at least saved him getting decked by a bunch of angry, bruised aviators. But an R-22 with a 4 striper is overkill isn't it?
Aviate 1138
Think you should calm down a bit oxford blue!
All of the above are simple answers to a simple question - hence it appears in the 'Question' forum.
Let's try not to scare away people who have an interest in the profession - jumping down their throats isn't likely to help!
Your point is taken tho......
Flying Mechanic
14th Mar 2004, 17:23
2 Stripes -Newly joined
3 Stripes- Putting CV's out all over the place
4 Stripes- Ready to leave.
Hope that helps.
Also some theory floating around , the number of stripes correlates with the number of marriages you had and the number of houses you had to sell due divorce!
mad_jock
15th Mar 2004, 10:26
FM's idea does seem to run true.
I was advised by my IR instructor not to get married until I had at least 3 type ratings (1 heavy) under my belt and my command course done.
My company only has 4 stripes for Captain and 3 for FO's. I always thought the stripes were for the benift of the punters not for point scoring in the crew room.
And what does it matter anyway. The Captain is the boss and the FO's job dosn't change if they have 1,2,3 stripes. I personally think they are used sometimes as no cost pay rise to boost peoples moral. The mgmt give them an extra stripe which makes them fell good but not alot else changes.
MJ
oxford blue
15th Mar 2004, 10:35
Hey, 5150, sorry if my post came across as aggressive - it wasn't meant to be. I certainly wasn't trying to suggest that Fodgett should be slapped down - how does anybody learn anything if you don't ask? It was true that I didn't think much of Dragon Driver's response, which was not only snide and silly, but also unhelpful, and that may have come out in my reply.
mattpilot
15th Mar 2004, 11:47
Yes, I was at a friends strip with two vintage and three microlight aircraft when a Robinson R22 appeared and proceeded to hover taxi above the parked aircraft. We held onto struts, wings, tails and undercarriages until the idiot had passed over and landed nearby. Out stepped a 4 stripe pilot who was surprised when his Boss, who had arrived in one of the microlight CFM Shadow, fired him on the spot. That at least saved him getting decked by a bunch of angry, bruised aviators. But an R-22 with a 4 striper is overkill isn't it?
Then what do you think about a 4-striper coming out of a 152? :}
Many flightschools, including mine, like to hand out stripes.
woodpecker
15th Mar 2004, 12:12
Most of our vintage (ex-Hamble) joined with one stripe!!
mad_jock
15th Mar 2004, 12:55
:D Dragon Driver
I think oxford blue is actually one of the managment at OAT.
Quite high up from what i have seen of his posts on wannbies.
As much as I dislike his companys marketing of certain courses with attached implied promises of jobs. He dosn't normally come across in this manner.
MJ
No offence taken my end OxB. I do actually agree with what you're saying, but OATS are are the worst of the worst when it comes to stripes! Well, them and Cabair! (Here, have some silver bars and pretend you work for BA).
I was just thinking about Fodgett that's all! Unaccompanied minor perhaps..........
Cheers
Up & Away
15th Mar 2004, 15:00
Its ridiculous when a pilot wears 4bars to fly a R22 or C150 when clearly NOT qualified.
Its a set of 'Wings' that a pilot or an instructor wears that matters not the bars.
It is NOT true to say a 'captain' should always wears 4bars thats been the reason so many do so now.
Lets give value to licence as it was
1bar = PPL
2bars = CPL
3bars = SCPL
4bars = ATPL which includes an IR !!
IF you have all the licences then where 4 bars!! you deserve it.
the CAA used to always quote specifically 'commander' of the aircraft not 'captain'.