Japanese Pilots and Gloves
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Japanese Pilots and Gloves
I was recently reading a book on 747/400's and there was a picture of a Japanese crew in one wearing white gloves. Is this a common practice amongst Japanese pilots? If so, what is the background of this tradition?
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From my tape, yes tape, 
of "What goes up must come down" the narrator explains that when flying he would fit his White Kid Leather Gloves on. 
They had the black letter L for L-L-Leeeft and R for R-R-Riiiight.
Just as an aid-memoir. Maybe this is your answer! 
This tape is an excellent 1 hour laugh about flying that I thoroughly recommend to anyone who loves flying
It's on CD as well
of "What goes up must come down" the narrator explains that when flying he would fit his White Kid Leather Gloves on. They had the black letter L for L-L-Leeeft and R for R-R-Riiiight.
Just as an aid-memoir. Maybe this is your answer! This tape is an excellent 1 hour laugh about flying that I thoroughly recommend to anyone who loves flying
It's on CD as well
Yeeeeeeeeees... I've got a book on the building of the 777 and it shows the ANA pilots with crisp, pristine WHITE gloves on.
Well beat this... I used to fly with this Sri Lanken bloke and he had to have big knitted woollen ones, kinda like mittens and not for his cleanliness but to stop his sweat from flooding the yoke! I'm not kidding!
Well beat this... I used to fly with this Sri Lanken bloke and he had to have big knitted woollen ones, kinda like mittens and not for his cleanliness but to stop his sweat from flooding the yoke! I'm not kidding!
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Check with a RAAFie - they still wear gloves to fly.
I believe the origins are two fold - in days of old, cockpit and control colum aloys were susceptible to corrosion caused by sweat and as protection against fire.
Not just Japanese pilots, either........
Woomera
I believe the origins are two fold - in days of old, cockpit and control colum aloys were susceptible to corrosion caused by sweat and as protection against fire.
Not just Japanese pilots, either........
Woomera
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When I taught some Japanese a few years ago, most of them wore white gloves. Only two problems with that is they were golf gloves - hard to get white proper ones aparently & the number 2 it was a 152 & 172.
I asked one of them & they said it was for cleanliness, I guess they must either have real sweaty palms or are really into hygine
I asked one of them & they said it was for cleanliness, I guess they must either have real sweaty palms or are really into hygine
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Many years ago a South Pacific regional airline obtained their first jet. A captain who had a passing resemblance to British actor David Niven, and who played up the likeness even down to the polished accent, was being endorsed on the aircraft. He climbed aboard and settled in to the left hand seat and donned his trademark spotlessly white gloves. The training captain, a grizzled old mid west American boy, who was brought out from the USA to do the training, took up his seat soon after, spotted the white gloves and exclaimed "My captain, planning on doing a spot of welding today are we?"
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To get back to Metro Boy's question - yes, Japanese airline pilots do wear gloves. They are usually white, custom made for the airline they work for (with a stitched logo) and are usually made from Kangaroo skin (just added that for the Aussies).
From my own observations, the gloves are only worn during the departure and arrival phases of the flight and are removed (sometimes with great theatrical effect) during the en-route phase of flight.
They usually have numerous sets of gloves - the everyday ones for the day-to-day routine line operation and the special "extra clean" pair for check flights.
I remember standing in the dispatch office of ANA at Nagasaki about 12 years ago and in waltzed (term used advisedly) a Captain with full length overcoat resting on his shoulders, pencil thin moustache (ala Errol Flynn), cap cocked off at a decidedly cavalier angle and slicked back hair - setting off the whole ensemble was a pair of white gloves being held in one hand (along with a nonchalantly held cigarette) and being "swished" about as he chatted with colleagues and dispatch staff - He would have looked more at home in Hollywood. Yes, Japan has its eccentric Captains as well
Yes, we can laugh and have a bit of a giggle, but it's their way of doing things and when it comes down to it, they can use them for golf once the flight is over. After a training association with a Japanese Airline some years, I too was presented with a pair of gloves as a token of thanks - and they did seem to improve my golf game. . . . .for a while!
Fark!
From my own observations, the gloves are only worn during the departure and arrival phases of the flight and are removed (sometimes with great theatrical effect) during the en-route phase of flight.
They usually have numerous sets of gloves - the everyday ones for the day-to-day routine line operation and the special "extra clean" pair for check flights.
I remember standing in the dispatch office of ANA at Nagasaki about 12 years ago and in waltzed (term used advisedly) a Captain with full length overcoat resting on his shoulders, pencil thin moustache (ala Errol Flynn), cap cocked off at a decidedly cavalier angle and slicked back hair - setting off the whole ensemble was a pair of white gloves being held in one hand (along with a nonchalantly held cigarette) and being "swished" about as he chatted with colleagues and dispatch staff - He would have looked more at home in Hollywood. Yes, Japan has its eccentric Captains as well
Yes, we can laugh and have a bit of a giggle, but it's their way of doing things and when it comes down to it, they can use them for golf once the flight is over. After a training association with a Japanese Airline some years, I too was presented with a pair of gloves as a token of thanks - and they did seem to improve my golf game. . . . .for a while!
Fark!
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And how many of you know of a pilot that sustained fatal injuries from an in flight fire this year?
How many of you wear those light blue polyester short sleeve shirts?
Have you ever even used a fire extinguisher in anger?
Like helmets, too late to put them on when things start going wrong.
Have a colleague that should have been using both. Had neither on when the engine stopped. Came down in timber. Lucky for him it did not burn. Hit his head on impact and banged up his hands getting out.
Some folks have operational taskings that make safety equipment very wise. Sad when folks that do not understand this take the pi55.
Although, Fark!, your bloke sounds pretty queer...
How many of you wear those light blue polyester short sleeve shirts?
Have you ever even used a fire extinguisher in anger?
Like helmets, too late to put them on when things start going wrong.
Have a colleague that should have been using both. Had neither on when the engine stopped. Came down in timber. Lucky for him it did not burn. Hit his head on impact and banged up his hands getting out.
Some folks have operational taskings that make safety equipment very wise. Sad when folks that do not understand this take the pi55.
Although, Fark!, your bloke sounds pretty queer...
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Perhaps not such a silly idea
A little known fact is that as a professional group, pilots have the highest rate of skin cancer affecting their hands.
Told to me by my Dermatologist who is the leader of his professional organisation.
Yes it does hurt getting the little bastards burnt off
Told to me by my Dermatologist who is the leader of his professional organisation.
Yes it does hurt getting the little bastards burnt off
BAe/Ansett at Tamworth used to teach Jap. cadets. They all were required to wear gloves while flying. They had an 'outside' pair used for preflights etc, and an 'inside' pair for use whilst flying.
The Jap. instructors & testing staff seconded to the college were the same.
The Jap. instructors & testing staff seconded to the college were the same.
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The RAF is still issuing and wearing white calfskin gloves. I assume the white was originally chosen for its flash-proof qualities, but as an added extra it makes hand signals between aircraft in formation extra easy to see.
Whether that's useful for our Jap mates in their airlliners is another question...
Whether that's useful for our Jap mates in their airlliners is another question...
Man Bilong Balus long PNG
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The last time I was in Japan was three years ago when I spent three months flying a Robin R400 towing gliders for a gliding club at the large town/city of Takikawa in Hokkaido.
There all Bus and Taxi drivers wore collars and ties along with white gloves. What really seemed strange was the stop/go sign operators at road works also wearing the same.
But what really 'blew me away' was the sight of a bobcat operator busily digging a trench for new utilities to be laid for a new housing development. Grey slacks and shirt, collar, tie and white gloves!!
Wish I'd taken a 'photo! If only just to show to the South Aussie flagmen with the ripped jeans, blue singlet with day-glo safety vest and three day stubble.
You only live twice. Once when
you're born. Once when
you've looked death in the face.
There all Bus and Taxi drivers wore collars and ties along with white gloves. What really seemed strange was the stop/go sign operators at road works also wearing the same.
But what really 'blew me away' was the sight of a bobcat operator busily digging a trench for new utilities to be laid for a new housing development. Grey slacks and shirt, collar, tie and white gloves!!
Wish I'd taken a 'photo! If only just to show to the South Aussie flagmen with the ripped jeans, blue singlet with day-glo safety vest and three day stubble.
You only live twice. Once when
you're born. Once when
you've looked death in the face.
Japanese wear white gloves as a sign of 'professionalism' when they do any work requiring their hands... flying is just one.
They all say its for cleanliness - they believe it too - but the only reason is tradition...
They all say its for cleanliness - they believe it too - but the only reason is tradition...