Pierced Ears

[tornado617]

I have had a look at past threads regarding my question and couldnt find anything really relevant, so it would be fantastic if someone could please help.

Would 2 pierced (lobe) ears affect the road to becoming a professional pilot?I would wear black studs instead of gold loops. Im 20 years old and about to start my pilot training mid 2008. Im thinking about having them done, and just wanted to ask this question to be on the safe side of things. Obviously you could take them both out for interviews, but would a standard size hole be too visible? An odd question, but an important one if it affects matters. Thank you very much.

[plumponpies]

Depends if your a bird or not!:oh:

[EZYramper]

Aviation is a conservative business, make of that what you will!

[tornado617]

well,last time i checked i was a bloke.....................:}:}:}

[mackey]

Loops would be bad (especially if you are male!!),as they would interfere with headsets etc when flight training.
Just remember to dress professionally, as it's a professional environment you are wanting to join.:ok:
M.

[MarkyT]

Alright mate, being a diamond stud wearer myself :cool: i wouldn't recommend wearing gold hoops :eek: EVER! As for having your ears pierced, not a problem! Obviously don't wear earrings to your interview and it'll be fine.

ps. Before anyone makes a point, no i don't wear real diamonds! LOL:ok:

Marky

[Superpilot]

"I ain't getting on no god damn plane you crazy fool!!!"

[londonmet]

In my book any peircings on males is a no no. In any walk of life!

[flytheplane]

Hi,
For most Major,Legacy it is a no go,to be honest it doesn`t look very serious .....

Take the old style!...... Pilots are wealthy and are always gentlemen:cool::cool::cool:,and should be dressed like this,during work as well as in your free time!

[PAPI-74]

....a bit 80's/90's don't you think.

Buy a new pair of Italian shoes...forget the ears!

[Artie Fufkin]

I had a pierced ear back in the 90s, and took it out when I started a professional job (over 10 years ago). My hole is still visible :ooh: and didn't count against me at interview.

You could remove it for interview and for work days, but practically, you'll have to loose the piercing.

[NZScion]

Unfortunately, the pax look at your appearance, and judge you by it, regardless of your ability. If you look like a professional pilot, capable and experienced, they will beleive it. If you look shaggy and unkempt, they will not. Their first impression on how you look will be how you, and your employer will be judged.

Keep it conservative and present yourself as a professional. If you don't, do not expect to be treated as a professional.

[Arthur Dailey]

Personally, I would go for black studs, they go really well with Burberry baseball caps and Argos jewellery:cool:, plus the pax just love it when they see they are being flown by a chav.:ok:

Good luck, I think you'll need it:\

[K.Whyjelly]

Within the airline industry, as mentioned above, it is inhabited by a very conservative bunch of people. The people who recruit you won't be of your 'generation' and won't care much for earrings or other such visible piercings on their employees. The only exception to this rule is for female cabin crew members who have to strictly abide by their company rules and regs on this matter, which in most cases insist on plain studs.

No male cabin crew are allowed these items and in all my years of flying have never seen a pilot (excepting Private Pilots who rightly do as they wish) wearing such adornments.

Off duty and away from work (as long as off duty is not down route night stopping and still representing your company) I guess you can do as you please:ok:

[Re-Heat]

Do you want to be judged on your professional skills or your appearance?

Easy answer.

Why on earth would you get them pierced if you are seriously considering this industry? Have you ever met a professional pilot?

Welcome to the real world.

[MarkyT]

I agree appearance is important, but i know loads of airline pilots with their ears pierced! Get them done:E

Marky

[Piltdown Man]

For the full effect you'll also have to also get a pimped up Corsa with smoked windows, really noisy ICE and pregnant, shell-suited 15 year old girlfriend. That will impress any selection board.

PM

[Norman Stanley Fletcher]

Just to add a voice of sanity to those trying to show some judgement here - the fact you are seriously asking this question means you are looking at the wrong job. In my company you are specifically forbidden from wearing such adornments. This is not, as some ill-informed individuals are saying here, due to conservative recruiters of a past generation who do know know how 'real' people live. It is because airlines know that appearance does matter. Passengers looking through flight deck doors do not want to see people with bangles/earrings/tatoos etc. The want to see conservative-looking people, with conservative judgement and a huge dose of common sense - that is why pilots wear white shirts with black ties. The wearing of earrings by a bloke speaks of the complete absence of those qualities. If you are offended by that, so be it - but that is the way it is. Becoming an airline pilot is an incredibly competitive business with many applicants for each job. You want to put yourself at the top of the list and wearing earrings guarantees you go to the bottom without a word being spoken. If you want to be on X-Factor get a fancy set of earrings, but if you want to be a professional pilot, lose them - dead simple.

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

There will be 27 other applicants for the job. All with the same hours and licenses. 26 of them won't have earings.

Why take the risk?

WWW

[henry crun]

You obviously have not had them pierced yet, so don't make a decision now, leave it for a while.

Do your training, get the licenses, get a flying job that pays the sort of salary you want, then think about having them done; after retirement would probably be the best time.

[thesexypilot]

Flying is an old boys network and pierced ears are a real no no. I myself couldn't give two sh*ts what you look like but to those who are hiring it will make the world off difference.

Essentially as bloke wearing an ear ring/stud your saying you have an alternative way of doings things and your quite happy to sway from the norm - with first glance you've failed your psycometric tests - be very careful.

On your days off do as you please, but never :=, ever wear a stud or ring into an interview or at work as a pilot in an airline.

good luck matey!

:O

[AdamLT]

personally, i have to say the money would be better spent on your training, even though its a fraction of what a lesson costs.

every little helps....so they say :ok:

[dartagnan]

stop being a KID, be a MAN!!! real men don't have piercing, tatooes, and all these crap on their body!

[MarkyT]

Piltdown man and Arthur Dailey

I'm dissappointed that someone who expresses their views so strongly can have such sterotypical opinions! Shall i assume you use viagra:eek: because of your age?

Marky

[BellyAir]

...make me laugh.

Often they are scruffy, shell-suited ne'er-do-wells who haven't washed their hair for weeks, not shaved for months but look at their ear lobe and how attractive it is!

[tom775257]

Honestly, if I were to get my ears pierced (not that I would ever would do such a thing) I would have the piss ripped out of me incessantly by the other crew, that I would guarantee. Most airline pilots I have met seem to have a fairly similar personality type, I think it would be looked down on (as a bloke) in the airline world.

[tornado617]

I think i will decide against having them done.At the end of the day, if it goes against me during an interview and could jeopardize my dream, then its not worth it. Thank you to all that have helped make my decision.:ok:

I asked a civilised question, and some of the replies are amazing.Professional pilots only have ONE thing in common, and thats their occupation. Every single person is different. So, just because I was considering getting my ears pierced, It means that i have chosen the wrong career?I agree with looking professional. Im a young lad,unlike some that responded to my question :). I want to make the most out of my life.

aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh, well done for calling me a chav. your wrong, but I admire the amount of effort put into that lame insult:D:rolleyes:. im going to sniff some glue and make some chav girl pregnant now:}.

[d71146]

I personally do not think that will go down well at all.
I know what my flight manager would have said if I had turned up with metalwork in my ears but I do not propose to put it on this forum just to say that one of those words would be 'laddie'

[Luke SkyToddler]

Hahahaha

I got told by my flying instructor early on in my PPL to get rid of my safety pins in my ear - not because of my perceived image problem but because they were ripping holes in the student headsets!

I still have a secret love of punk rock and you know what - as soon as I get another few years of this long haul big jet money I'm going to jack the whole lot in and move to fiji, start my own float plane company where I will undoubtedly wear hawaiian shirts, flip flops and probably pierced ears as well. And I'll give any wannabe who turns up dressed accordingly, a job on the spot :ok:

But sadly, for as long as I want to continue working for my present employer - or get a job with 99% of the other decent airlines on this planet - then yes it's true that earrings, tattoos, excessively wacky hairstyles etc are a definite no no.

[EGCC4284]

OK let me throw a spanner in the works, what about those who put gel in their hair and think its cool to have a fashionable whacky hair style.

Do you think its acceptable to be putting gel on your head when you are going to be wearing headsets that everyone else has got to wear them as well.

tornado617, you may think differently when you are older and more mature. Ear rings give someone the opportunity to make an opinion of you before they have spoke to you.

I use to see a security bloke at Manchester who was getting on a bit and had a bald head. He use to wear a massive ear ring with a diamond just like David Beckham has and he looked a right plonker.

[plumponpies]

Hair gel's alright! Only enough to look gromed.
Most have their own headsets anyway, mines covered in slimy sh*te!.....stops it going missing;)

[d71146]

N.S.F. Absolutely Correct.

[Adios]

Try searching for tattoos and you'll find a very long thread that address all manner of appearance issues. It will also have you rolling on the floor laughing at some of the responses.

I once saw someone wearing a diamond stud at an early stage interview and suggested he remove it next time. He did and he got the job with a rather conservative company even though the hole was visible. I also saw someone at the same event who had removed his earring, which was one of those larghe sorts you could fit a fat pencil through. The gaping hole doomed his chances of progressing further because he looked totally outclassed by everyone else there.

[tornado617]

I like the sound of your fiji plan!:ok: I think I would soon get bored of pierced ears after a couple of days. then im stuck with two holes in my ears the size of a wizards cuff :}.

I can just imagine someone posting a thread asking whether a tatoo of a hot lass on the face would be acceptable for interview :). Thank you.

[chai ja]

coupla weeks ago in teeside, went onboard an embraer just to say hello whilst we waited for pax.
the fo had a stud up the top of his left ear. very nice guy... but if i had one , i doubt i would wear it to work!
outside of work, tis totally upto you what you wear!

[Han 1st Solo]

My company a sizable UK airline and recruiter of new low houred pilots does not permit any earings or visible piercings on male members of staff, so those looking for that all important 1st job should consider that before getting them done.

MarkyT just how many airline pilots do you know, at 21 and still at Uni? Guess i'll just have to ask you next time AvSoc hits the town! :E

regards,

Han.

[EpsilonVaz]

Get it done!

That'll be one less newbie to compete with at the interviews :E

[MarkyT]

Han, you'd be suprised i do know quite a few. I'd also like to add that i always wear earrings for a night out, but when i'm flying i wouldn't even consider wearing them! Han you've flown with me, and not once did i wear earrings whilst flying. See ya at the next AvSoc geez:ok:

Marky

[redsnail]

Pierced ears on a female pilot is acceptable however, the design of the earings must be conservative studs or "sleeper" style. I can't remember what the policy of multiple piercings per ear is, but I doubt it's widely acceptable.

[Arthur Dailey]

""aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh, well done for calling me a chav. your wrong, but I admire the amount of effort put into that lame insult:D:rolleyes:. im going to sniff some glue and make some chav girl pregnant now:}.""

tornado617, apologies perhaps I was a little too subtle for you, if you read my post properly I did not call you a chav, I merely implied that is how passengers/employers will perceive you, there is a difference. Your quote above says it all. Anyway well done you have made the right decision about EAR piercings.

MarkyT for your info, no I don't use/need Viagra, although I do have a Prince Albert but I try to make sure the passengers can't see it.

[hanover]

Im also 20 years old and have both ears pierced. I am working in an ops department as well as flying with the same company to get my hours up.
I have found that from a PAX perspective, To have a very young pilot can be a bit daunting, then to see that he has both ears pierced just looks bad.
I also tend to find that a lot of older pilots dont really understand younger fashion/trends and it is frowned upon from a view on the flight deck.
My advice to you would be not to have them done (If you havent already done them).
If your ears are already pieced, then i suggest that you should take them out for flying. No matter what your views are about it, or if you dont think that it is fair then to be honest......tough.
When you are flying in the commercial world, you need to be as smart and professional as you can be. You work hard enough to get there, dont let small things potentially ruin it. In my eyes the public view on you is very important but even more important, what a captain thinks of you. I just take them out, save the glam for the socials.
Terry

[tornado617]

Thanks once again for the advice. No, i have decided against the idea. I dont want to ruin my chances after all that hard work. Im sure I would get bored of them in a couple of days, and the charm would soon wear off.

Arthur, no hard feelings matey. I didnt take it as an offence, but a joke. I guess my reply seemed a bit direct, but was meant to be a laugh. Thats usually the case when writing and not talking face-to-face. I agree with you all the way. The passengers are putting their lives in your hands. They want to see a professional to put them at ease, not a young chap that looks uneducated and unprofessional. Thanks.

[MaxReheat]

tornado617- good, you've asked for advice, been offered it and accepted the consensus view from many who are in a position to know the attitude adopted by (reputable) airlines towards male 'body' adornments . Good look with the training. IMHO, any male who consciously inflicts a piercing of any description on any part of the body reveals a deep-rooted psychological personality flaw. :hmm: