about sums it up for me too............ except for the stir value of course..... thats pretty important. :E

Of course Wiz! :ok:

Normaly take them off and leave them at work so I dont forget them the next time.
Anyone know what the go is with the 4 bars and then a Gold star after? Now that must special. :}

I got a gold star, just not on my eppaulettes. Got it for doing my homework in year 5:}

I've got a set of novelty bars with 8 per side which I sewed together for a party once (almost all pilots there so it was ok).

FRQ CB

I have seen a particular helicopter instructor that has a pair for the aeroclub.
Has about ten a side and has C172 style struts. I couldnt drink many beers after seeing that.......... my stomach was way to sore from laughing. He was definitely taking the piss outta the club. :}

I was never inclined to wear them, and only did on one trip (as specifically instructed). I was the very junior copilot coflying a Twin Otter the length of Africa. One of the very few requirments of my mentor was that I bring shirts capable of wearing epaulettes. I though it was silly, but followed the instructions. I was presented with two four stripe epaulettes, and told to wear them at all times. I was amazed at the difference it made in getting around the airside, and otherwise getting things done with little delay.

I've never worn them since, but I never forgot that at some places just expect to see pilots look like, well, pilots, and my mentor knew it!

If it's the Co. that I think you are talking about, then the 4 strips and a star are for the checkies. Don't worry, they are not impressed about it either.....

if your the penny pinching type, dont be afraid to wear them outside, the discounts at most stores you walk into is worth the ridicule at the airport along! not to mention the fantastic service you get when walking into a packed electronics store.

as reported in the paper, a pilot is one of the most respected jobs in society, use it to your advantage. who cares what they think at the aeroclub. hey, if it got me a new stereo installation immediatly at strathfield car wreckers, on a busy saturday, just walked in, said i want a stereo now, and installed asap, they said fine, we can do it for you now sir.. its well worth it. oh and who said a little ego massaging was a bad thing..., wear them, we made the financial and social sacrifices for our skills, just as judges have. im proud of my achievements.

everyone knows our employers do not respect us pilots, but the public does...(on the same level as judges and doctors i might add) use it to your advantage, and get the respect (and discounts)you deserve. :O:ok:

edit, when wearing the uniform in shops etc, its always either on my way to or from work.

OK, its pedantic, but eppaulettes are the flappy bits on your shirt with the buttons, that you attach the bars to.

The navy-blue cardboard covered in cloth with bars attached just slide onto eppaulettes - theyre usually called Bars, or Shoulder Bars.

or as we call them, slides.

Quote:
OK, its pedantic, but eppaulettes are the flappy bits on your shirt with the buttons, that you attach the bars to.

Aren't the flappy bits called a "passant" and the bars called epaulettes?

(Just keeping up the pedantism :};))

It's interesting but I actually agree with most of these comments even though they are quite different. I do believe pilots should wear their uniform with pride while at work, our profession does deserve to be treated with respect by the public and within our own industry.
I tend to take mine off as I leave the airport but I also agree with Keg in that we can be way too paranoid about it.
As for how many bars, there is no set standard but generally;
4 bars - ATPL captain
3 bars - CPL captain(ME) and ATPL F/O
2 bars - all others

Decisions, decisions!

I can never chose between my flash-looking pilots shirt with 4 gold bars on the epaulettes (cause I am Chief Pilot of Forkair) or my cool miliitary style flightsuit (cause I coulda been a fighter pilot if I had wanted to) - so just wear my comfy old Yakka work shirt!

Dr :8

I'm with Keg. I don't put on the uniform just for the sake of wearing it around town, but if I have to stop in somewhere on the way to/from work, I'm not going to bother taking off pads/wings/badge etc.

The one exception is to the bar, where I believe the shared rule of all pilots is that if you wear pads or wings inside, you have to shout the bar. Everyone there.:E

In my old company when I first started, the Captain pointed to his 4 stripes and as he touched each one he said a word "I - don't - do - paperwork".

Then he pointed to each of the 3 stripes on my shoulder and said in similar fashion "I - do - paperwork".

:}:rolleyes:

Gee......I always thought that each bar represented how many times (with a built in personal upscale factor of course!) one has been f***** over by a sawn off little kiwi medico, or a jumped up little PPL holder who took enough of an interest in aviation to buy a GA company or a bunch of w***** amatuers running an aero club or some scum bag piece of filth who managed to get an AOC in Butt F*** FNQ or a gutless little jerk who owns a pub in Western NSW or a f****** airline driver who shouldn't still be GA running a business or a...........the list goes on!!!
Me personally?........prefer my wages being paid on time, prefer working reasonable hours, prefer seeing my kids for a decent period.
Bars......what a wank! Seriously......Wake up boys and girls.....bars don't pay the bills!

Pilot one of the most respected jobs in society.
 

May not be so if the general public read the crap on this thread, and the civvy pilots certainly were not when they decided to go on strike and Mr Hawke drafted the RAAF. Those "bus driver's" in Macca's are "Coach Captains", even heard one contend he was a "Coach Commodore".

Geez Stallie, not only the best job, but you don't have to wear slides either!:ooh:

I would give anything for a job where the uniform was a t-shirt and shorts...:ok:

In QF the star designates one of the management blokes.

Someone's been looking at wikipedia. I was going to make the same point as Lasiorhinus given that was always the way I've viewed them. I thought I'd check with a google search and discovered that epaulette does indeed refer to the rank slide rather than the passant. I'd always called the passant the epaulette and the bits with the bars 'rank slides'.