Gold Stripes!

[Thumpango]

I am a student PPL. The question I have relates to the gold stripes I have observed at some flying schools. I unfortunately do not know what they are indicating, but I assume the more stripes the higher the grade!
This is probably fairly basic, but could some-one enlighten me as to the significance of say 'one gold > 4 golds' what do they mean in terms of pilot qualification.
Sometimes an instructor will not be wearing stripes at all! What does this mean?
It's a little embrassing to ask at the time!:)

[Keef]

I've never really got a sensible answer to this one for folks at flying clubs. I think it's something to do with the size of the person's ego.

In a big jet, four bars = Captain, three bars = First Officer, two bars = lesser mortal, and one bar = bottom of the heap.

Want to buy a set of 5-bar epaulettes?:rolleyes:

[niknak]

Agreed Keef, personally I always think that gold bars/epulets etc make instructors look like plonkers, and more importantly, give the impression to the general public that they're something they're not.
There's nothing wrong with looking smart or wearing some form of company uniform, but I've always strongly believed that the use of stripes etc is misguided.

[NorthernSky]

Sorry, Keef,

Four bars: Captain (overall, the buck stops here);

Three bars: Senior First Officer (in a proper airline, one who has passed the Command selection process and is waiting for a command vacancy, or who has turned down a command opportunity on a smaller aircraft type to wait for command on a larger type);

Two bars: First Officer (normally fully qualified to operate the aircraft from the right seat, though the Captain has overall responsibility except when the Captain pops to the loo, when the First Officer has 'command' (- never tested in court));

One bar: Second Officer (only has a genuine place in long haul, where a second officer is a 'cruise pilot', authorised to 'fly' the aircraft on autopilot only or to operate the radios etc, but not to take-off or land. Usually this is a licence restriction). Short-haul operators who have Second Officers are saving money by filling the right hand seat with less experienced, less qualified, individuals and usually place restrictions on said individual's operating in terms of weather, defects, etc.

Note that some operators also grade First Officers by ability, with those judged less able only allowed to fly in benign weather etc. How their passengers' legal teams would react to this following an accident has also, yet, to be tested in court. ('You knew my pilot was lacking in ability and you let him land the aircraft...???!!!' etc).

[AerBabe]

The size of the flight bag is also directly proportional to the ego... ;)

[djk]

Thumpango,

I think generally in flying schools where instructors use the gold bars on their epaulettes, it's more to display the ranking of the instructor.

I believe my school uses the following system

4 bars = CFI
3 bars = senior instructor
2 bars = regular instructor
1 bar = tea / coffee boy & general dog's body.

I might be a little out with my definition of the job titles but that's the general gist.

[Reichman]

I've always found that around PPL flying schools the number of gold bars was directly proportional to the size of the inferiority complex. ;)

[KitKatPacificuk]

Stripes are just part of a uniform. A policeman has 3 stripes if he's a sergent. I used to HAVE to wear them as part of a uniform. Not alot I could do really. Get over it!

[A and C]

Gold bars in a flying club are a very important indication that you should be spending your money at another club (see cabair elstree thread).

[Polar_stereographic]

Agree with the above.

Means little in a flying club.

PS

[Ludwig]

None of you understand do you. Gold Bars are vital in any FTO whether PPL or commercial. It is impossible to be taken seriously as an instructor without the appropriate amount of Gold Bars, and possibly in the better schools, some scrambled egg on your hat. I have seen no instructors with those nice bits of gold string like they use for curtain ties, but I'm sure I must have been looking the wrong way.

Without some suitable badge of office how is the average trainee to distinguish a seasoned instructor from the hoi poloi (unless of course there is a local lake or swimming pool across which they can walk)

I'm all for Gold badges, as it means we lesser mortals can treat the warer with the appropraite amount of defferance!

Similarly in behoves every would be top gun C152 driver to ware a number of badges on the flying suit or jacket. There is no truth in the rumour that the numebr of badges is inversaly proprotional to the skill of the warer.

Perhaps someone else would like to comment on the appropraite salute for a gold bar waring instructor.

[Evo7]

Perhaps someone else would like to comment on the appropraite salute for a gold bar waring instructor.


The Double Rimmer (http://www.clay.co.uk/barrie/rimmer/rim4.html), shirley? :)

[suction]

And a variation at a school I used was ............

4 bars = CFI
3 bars = Qualified FI
2 bars = Assistant FI (not able to authorize solos, Navs etc)
1 bar = Ops assistant (Ops manager may have had 2 bars)

Flying club cat no bars but had most respect :D