Is it acceptable or appropriate for PPLs to wear 1 gold bar

[kalleh]

Perhaps should we copy the budo guys and wear belts in different colors.

* Before Solo: White Belt
* Solo: Yellow Belt
* First Cross Country: Orange Belt
* PPL Licence achieved: Blue Belt
* PPL+NQ: Brown Belt
* PPL+NQ+IR: Black Belt

I think a regular Ju-Jutsu suit would be refreshingly comfortable to fly in on hot summer days, so we might as well adopt it too!

It's all clear to me now

/Kalle

[Wessex Boy]

We used to quite often bring girls back to our quarters to show them our flying suits and Bonedomes.....

[Mike Cross]

Why not go the full nine yards

[False Capture]

WARNING: The wearing of rank slides (as opposed to epulettes) in some flying club bars is an automatic fine of drinks for everyone in the bar.

This is a serious offence in some flying clubs bars. On one occasion we physically threw someone out of the bar because he thought we were joking.

You've been warned!

[BackPacker]

I did my PPL at Orlando Flight Training in Florida and they required all students on the commercial track to wear a uniform. Even pre-PPL. Once they did either their PPL or their first solo (I don't remember which one) they were encouraged to wear one bar (silver I think). It might also have been for revenue purposes since they were sold in the OFT pilot shop and deducted from your account. It might have been an Cabair thing. Anybody know what Cabair UK requires? They also had an increasing number of bars for the various FIs so there would be uniformed, three (and sometimes even four)-bar people exiting out of Cessna 152s and PA-28s. Great sight if they happened to be parked closely to a Cessna Citation or Gulfstream V.
I was on the leisure track, fortunately, so just shorts and polo shirts. Didn't make one bit of difference to the tower. And we (both uniform and non-uniform students) got to the same restaurants and bars so frequently that it didn't impress the waitresses there anymore either!

[360BakTrak]

They deducted it from your account?! Thats outrageous!! How can they decide what you spend your money on?!?

[BackPacker]

As I said, I was there on leisure in shorts and polo shirts, but the professional-track students all had to wear uniforms. I somehow assume that they paid for the uniform shirts and slacks themselves, and had to pay for the bars as well. At least, I remember one student complaining about that. If it were me running the place, I'd give the bars for free as an exam present for whatever exam you passed that gives you the right to wear them.

[BackPacker]

Something else. I read a tip somewhere on the net (might have been www.earthrounders.com) that if you ever do a round-the-world trip or similar in a small aircraft, and end up at airports that are not used to GA, it helps a lot if you do wear a proper uniform with whatever amount of bars suits you. I'd suggest four for the PIC, even if he/she is only a newly minted PPL(SEP) and three for the navigator (who might not have a license whatsoever). Not to brag or show off, but as a requirement to get taken seriously by the various airport staff. Sometimes they simply refuse to believe that someone in shorts can be capable of piloting a plane, let alone be the owner/operator of that shiny one there on the apron.

There's even guys who fly in shorts but change into uniform just before landing.

[Mike Cross]

I believe it was Dick Smith, ace Australian Caravan pilot who recommended it. I don't think he was suggesting you wore it to your local hostelry though.

Hmmmmmm.......... slightly lateral musing........ Isn't Margaret Beckett a Caravan pilot?

[FREDAcheck]

I think you'll find she's a car driver who tows a caravan. Is that the same thing?

[Lister Noble]

Gold bars on shoulders

Am I missing the point here?
Gold bars weigh a hell of a lot,three on each shoulder ,don't they make the shoulders ache?

Lister

[BackPacker]

Yeah, but at least you're sure you can get full tanks of fuel wherever you are.

[Lukesdad]

Does anyone know where you can buy those 'medal extension kits' so beloved of banana republic dictators?

I have a fifteen metre duckling swimming badge as well as several other prestigious awards that I would like to display in the clubhouse!

[BackPacker]

No, I don't, but the Aviation Hobby Shop here does sell five-bar epaulettes. I'm willing to go get them and post them at cost to anyone who's interested. On the condition that you have your picture taken, airside, at a major international airport while wearing them. Or in another situation where you shouldn't have been unless you're a genuine three- or four-bar, but managed to bluff your way in with just those five-bars. (So genuine three- or four-bars, airside cleared ground crew and such, who just intend to quickly slip on the five-bar for the picture need not apply.)
Obviously pictures to be posted in this thread.

[Lukesdad]

You're on!

[FiiS]

Don't some schools make you wear one bar ..? Erm, I'm struggling to think of the exact example but an ops chap I was talking to at an interview said he was terribly embarassed in the States being made to wear "one bar" and then returning back to work in Ops with the "real pilots" at work - he had no wish to wear one silly bar but was made to in accordance with the place he was training at, to show he was a stude.

I'll agree with the majority though - it's not the military, so just don't if you can help it all!!

[Chuck Ellsworth]

I'm going to let all you people in on a little bit of useful information regarding the wearing of gold bars .

I have a supply of condoms with four raised gold bars on them, these things are the best thing I've ever seen to really make women think you are special.

Remember the bars must be raised to be effective.

[flybymike]

what puzzles me is that absolutely all of the pilot catalogues advertise epaulettes for sale and I guess that they are a pretty good revenue earner. Given all of the disdainful remarks on this thread, just who exactly is it that buys these things!

[Billredshoes]

been there done that follow link and scrol down

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...ght=epaulettes

[B2N2]

Above left chest pocket:

Medals for:

Short field take-off
Soft field take-off
Zero flap landing
Cross wind landing
Preflight and taxi procedures
Use of checklist and a special commendation for actually writing down ATIS

Banner across the chest:

First solo (top)
First solo cross country (middle)
Special commendation for landing after dark on solo cross country (bottom)

Right hand side (left on the picture)

Second solo cross country
Crossing a MATZ
Landing at a towered airport (with a clearance)


Is that clear enough now?