Engineer Epaulettes?
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 91
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From: CGN, EDDK
Engineer Epaulettes?
Hello,
Don't laugh, since the request might sound a bit silly:
I'm looking for a pair of engineer's epaulettes for a possible flying spanner job.
I have heard that some countries are a bit suspicious if somebody is listed as crew on the general declaration, but doesn't wear a uniform (actually a former colleague of mine spent several days in a Chinese jail, because they didn't consider him as crew and demanded a visa from him, which our ex-boss back then insisted he wouldn't need), until he was bailed out by the embassy.
To look "crewy" I was looking for a standard pair of epaulettes to go with the standard uniform (white shirt, black trousers, black tie), but all I could find are pilot's epaulettes.
While epaulettes are not customary for engineers in my own country, Germany (and I would never wear them at work on a line or hangar job due to looking like a dork), I have previously seen British engineers wearing them. I also know that engineers in India use them.
Does anybody know where I could source such a pair (as LAME I think that three gold on red background would be ok)?
Rgds,
Jan
Don't laugh, since the request might sound a bit silly:
I'm looking for a pair of engineer's epaulettes for a possible flying spanner job.
I have heard that some countries are a bit suspicious if somebody is listed as crew on the general declaration, but doesn't wear a uniform (actually a former colleague of mine spent several days in a Chinese jail, because they didn't consider him as crew and demanded a visa from him, which our ex-boss back then insisted he wouldn't need), until he was bailed out by the embassy.
To look "crewy" I was looking for a standard pair of epaulettes to go with the standard uniform (white shirt, black trousers, black tie), but all I could find are pilot's epaulettes.
While epaulettes are not customary for engineers in my own country, Germany (and I would never wear them at work on a line or hangar job due to looking like a dork), I have previously seen British engineers wearing them. I also know that engineers in India use them.
Does anybody know where I could source such a pair (as LAME I think that three gold on red background would be ok)?
Rgds,
Jan
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
From: Portakabin
'You can have mine i never wear the things'
Smudgethecat shame on you!
what on earth do you wear in the flying club?
I wear a tool belt aswell with a hammer in, it really tops the lot off and is considered de rigeur in my part of the world.
TMAB
Smudgethecat shame on you!
what on earth do you wear in the flying club?
I wear a tool belt aswell with a hammer in, it really tops the lot off and is considered de rigeur in my part of the world.
TMAB
Last edited by themoonsaballoon; 11th July 2007 at 16:20. Reason: clarity
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 445
Likes: 0
From: Mumbai, INDIA
http://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/secp/145
http://estore.smallwoods.com/browse.cfm/2,16.html
Try these links Jan.
regds
MEL
http://estore.smallwoods.com/browse.cfm/2,16.html
Try these links Jan.
regds
MEL
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: Alloway
Perrin
Well the moonsaballon, work and fly in the middle east without uniform and you will end up at the wrong end of a AK47, happened to me in Jordan and never took them off out there after that.
BA uniform stores have the lot.
BA uniform stores have the lot.
Last edited by Perrin; 12th July 2007 at 13:37.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 91
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From: CGN, EDDK
Perrin
Well the moonsaballon work and fly in the middle east with out uniform and you will end up at the wrong end of a AK47 happened to me in Jordon and never took them off out there after that.
Well the moonsaballon work and fly in the middle east with out uniform and you will end up at the wrong end of a AK47 happened to me in Jordon and never took them off out there after that.
If I would wear them (even white shirt, black trousers, black neck tie, as I have seen many British and Irish engineers do) e.g. on an ordinary line job in Germany, I'd be laughed out off the crew room.
Jan
Joined: Feb 2006
Aviation Qualifications: LAME
Posts: 1,129
Likes: 168
From: Station 42
MD11 - bars can save a lot of trouble when dealing with petty officials and the military in some parts of Africa. The more stripes the merrier but I always used singles (whatever 'they' represent) and they usually worked just fine. A 'small' monetary gift of, say, $5.00 can be useful as well if the wheels start grinding to a halt in places like Kinshasa. Annoying but worth the lack of strife!
I agree with Perrin, having had the business end of an AK waved under my nose...
I agree with Perrin, having had the business end of an AK waved under my nose...
Cunning Artificer
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 3,125
Likes: 7
From: The spiritual home of DeHavilland
While doing flying spanner work in "South Asia" we were issued with jackets with the gold bars on the sleeves. We didn't get a big hat or a big watch though... 
In Delhi, our flight switched from International to domestic with a night charter service from Delhi to Bombay using a domestic operator's ticketing and cabin crew. On the first trip I was taken off the aircraft and through Immigration/Customs then round to the Domestic Terminal to re-board. There I became the rope in a kind of tug-o-war with the company rep hanging onto one sleeve and pulling me in and a Policeman hanging onto the other and pulling me out. The flashy uniform with gold bars didn't impress him at all - he refused to believe I was crew on a domestic flight because I was a European. I refused to get off the aircraft thereafter and stayed aboard all the way, through Delhi to Bombay and back through Delhi to Kathmandu.
In Delhi, our flight switched from International to domestic with a night charter service from Delhi to Bombay using a domestic operator's ticketing and cabin crew. On the first trip I was taken off the aircraft and through Immigration/Customs then round to the Domestic Terminal to re-board. There I became the rope in a kind of tug-o-war with the company rep hanging onto one sleeve and pulling me in and a Policeman hanging onto the other and pulling me out. The flashy uniform with gold bars didn't impress him at all - he refused to believe I was crew on a domestic flight because I was a European. I refused to get off the aircraft thereafter and stayed aboard all the way, through Delhi to Bombay and back through Delhi to Kathmandu.
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,758
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From: It wasn't me, I wasn't there, wrong country ;-)
Flt/Grnd Engineer ranks
All rank markings gold/silver rings backed by purple ground. Grnd engineer narrow rings, F/E normal aircrew thick rings. BA uni stores should help. If no purple ground avble G/E 4 gold, F/E 2 or 3 thick. Also add correct uni jacket/trousers. Carry ID with pic in uni + spare pics for poss local ID issue.
Some uni areas have gone out of use, these are the traditional & recognized values.
PS If senior/chief G/E stars up to 3 can be added above rings to show further seniority.
Some uni areas have gone out of use, these are the traditional & recognized values.
PS If senior/chief G/E stars up to 3 can be added above rings to show further seniority.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 461
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From: UK
I have a vast collection of them, mostly unworn, somewhere in the attic, You can have them all as a swap for a pair of these which I'd wear every day...
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 185
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From: N33 24.7 E36 30.8 E 36 30.8
HI.......
IN MY COMPANY FLIGHT ENGINEERS WEAR EPAULETTES WITH GOLDEN WIDE BARS ON A STRAWBERRY RED BACKGROUND TO DIFFERENTIATE THEM FROM PILOTS...NUMBER OF BARS COMMENSURATE WITH EIQ'S(engineer in question's) TOTAL FLYING HOURS
IN MY COMPANY FLIGHT ENGINEERS WEAR EPAULETTES WITH GOLDEN WIDE BARS ON A STRAWBERRY RED BACKGROUND TO DIFFERENTIATE THEM FROM PILOTS...NUMBER OF BARS COMMENSURATE WITH EIQ'S(engineer in question's) TOTAL FLYING HOURS
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 316
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From: The party.
This is a bit like the origin of the term "boxing day". Who's right?
I have heard the theory of the titanic, but it was the band that kept playing, not the engineers, and it dosen't explain the colour purple.
I am told, and believe, that some queen gave the colour purple to the engineers corp.
Epaulettes are actually the flap of the shirt, the "SLIDE" is the striped removable fabric with gold stripes.
In a few countries, it is accepted to wear 1 to 4 gold stripes with purple bands inbetween and also a black band for the engineers having died in wartime.
I do agree that wearing multiple strips of gold are worth there weight when flying through certain countries, especially asia.
I have heard the theory of the titanic, but it was the band that kept playing, not the engineers, and it dosen't explain the colour purple.
I am told, and believe, that some queen gave the colour purple to the engineers corp.
Epaulettes are actually the flap of the shirt, the "SLIDE" is the striped removable fabric with gold stripes.
In a few countries, it is accepted to wear 1 to 4 gold stripes with purple bands inbetween and also a black band for the engineers having died in wartime.
I do agree that wearing multiple strips of gold are worth there weight when flying through certain countries, especially asia.
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: London
Epaulettes
Here at our Company Dennes we can supply the Epaulettes you require - we make them at our Gatwick base.
For the record we can supply the rest of the uniform that you attach the Epaulettes to!!!!
So please leave me a message if we can help you - or anyone else for that matter with all your Aircrew Uniform requirements.
For the record we can supply the rest of the uniform that you attach the Epaulettes to!!!!
So please leave me a message if we can help you - or anyone else for that matter with all your Aircrew Uniform requirements.
