Wearing Bars?

[Genghis the Engineer]

Originally Posted by Reverserbucket

There's an F/O at RYR who had the motif "Born to Fly" emblazoned within a pair of large angel wings, tattooed across his shoulders whilst still in groundschool before completing any flying training. He was almost chopped after around 40hrs flying experience but not yet solo...

Maybe it provided the motivation he needed?

G

[Reverserbucket]

Well yes, Genghis, he finally managed to solo after a not-insignificant amount of remedial training and retook his exams and finally managed to pay for a job with a European airline so I guess it did.

[Sir Niall Dementia]

The "going on the pull advantage" goes when you read your job terms and conditions, everywhere I've worked since 1989 has the caveat that uniform shall not be worn in pubs, bars, restaurants etc. Its considered to be bad form to be swallowing booze when anyone in the place could be expecting you to fly them later. I well remeber a crew from a now defunct airline being fired for having lunch in a hotel restaurant in uniform, there was no booze, but a passenger queried it and the airline fired the crew for gross misconduct.

SND

[Pace]

:SND

I agree with you that consuming alcohol wearing a uniform is not good practice even if it's at the end of the day after a flight! Alcohol and a pilots uniform don't go and people who see you don't know whether you have finished your flight or about to go on one later that evening!

As for the pull factor it's not the uniform! Think I would feel an idiot chatting up the fairer sex in uniform ) but the occupation in conversation does work with SOME women IMO you have to use what you can

Pace

[flybymike]

It's impossible to talk about pilots and alcohol without posting this link again

http://youtu.be/eC5_W_YsPKg

[Reverserbucket]

I was invited to put my uniform on by a young lady once, many years ago...but that was quite a while after we'd left the bar

[Pace]

It works better in some countries than others where say your a pilot and they think your a sky God never having met one or been near a High wing Cessna 150 jet
But never tried it with a uniform ))

Pace

[Sir Niall Dementia]

Pace;

No uniform could ever help my looks!

SND

[Pontius]

PACE

I'm reliably informed by chaps who fly with you, that you're rather fond of informing people, that you are in actual fact a 'jet pilot', and usually within seconds of meeting them!

There's a lot said in jest and that quoted would not surprise me in the least. I particularly enjoy the threads where Pace inserts, with monotonous regularity, 'twin', 'jet', 'trans-Atlantic' etc into posts where it is totally irrelevant what was flown or where. 'Seneca V' often pops up because that's FAR more impressive than writing 'Seneca' Even in this thread we see 'jet' and 'from America' mentioned in the same sentence.

Come on, Pace, stop hanging out in the Private Flying section all the time, where you enjoy the adoration of those who think twins are for the God-like only and regale us elsewhere with your jet flying tales and exceptional skills in being able to fly across vast stretches of water

[flybymike]

Why's everyone picking on Pace?

I think I'd be far more impressed with someone capable and brave enough to fly a Seneca1 than a SenecaV.

[Pace]

I think I'd be far more impressed with someone capable and brave enough to fly a Seneca1 than a SenecaV.

I would totally agree with that! You will find that I am honest in what I say and it works both ways!

I also honestly post my big mistakes which I have got away with and which many SkyGods would never want to humiliate themselves by exposing. Check previous postings

I also make technical mistakes in these threads and appreciate there are many with more detailed knowledge than I.

So I try to post honestly and can only post on aircraft which I actually fly and flights which I have actually done even if they involve the occasional ferry over vast distances of water} (I would not have the guts to do those trips in winter or summer in a SEP)

I also try to post in a challenging way over conventional thinking not because I am right but to open up discussion with colour and humour if I can.
This thread I started as a humorous thread not some self glorification and enjoy posting in the private pilots forum for a number of reasons.

One I fly private GA aircraft ( Even If I am paid a little to do so) GA and private flying are not all PA28s as some consider. But can be PC12 TBM and jets

Two I have 30 years experience good bad and indifferent and hope some may learn from my big mistakes.

Three my heart is in the colourful varied world of PPL GA flying not the disciplined AOC world so I feel at home here

Pace

[Auster Fan]

I do wonder whether a certain, apparently elusive ferry pilot who features in a number of threads on the Biz Jet forum wears them...?

[Sir Niall Dementia]

Auster Fan;

I suspect his are tattoed on!

SND

[hub61]

I happened to turn up at a fly in, old guy lands an even older aircraft and walking towards me I see bars on his shoulder - initial thought was "prat" - then I noticed he had 5 bars - made me smile!!

[airwave45]

You Tube

Count the bars !

[thing]

I'm always confused by glider pilots who turn up to the club in nomex gro bags.., protection against cigarette burns maybe?

One thing that does strike me as amusing is flying into an air display, Old Warden, Duxford etc in my usual garb of jeans and tatty leather jacket (so tatty I've had to bin it and buy a new one which is embarrassingly shiny as yet being as I'm still grounded) and seeing the spotters in flying jackets covered in badges.

[Sir Niall Dementia]

thing;

A few years ago I was flying in one of the big international displays, one of the display rules was that all crews would be in the full, nomex grow bag. The manufacturer I was flying for went the whole hog and put wings, bars and aircraft patches on the suits. I walked into breakfast in the hotel on the third day and found a load of spotters dressed in all the kit. I joined the group of pilots I was in the hotel with and eventually we left to get changed and catch our transport. Outside the hotel were fleets of busses for the spotters and one for us. The tour guides for the spectators got very confused when out of the hotel came another bus load of people dressed in flying suits like advertising hoardings. One lady tour guide was desperately trying to herd the Frecce Tricolori and the Patrouille de France onto her bus, while they were signing autographs. Our keeper was trying to get them back, the Chinnook crew were impersonating the spectators, and the Luftwaffe guys were pretending to be the coach drivers.

The spotters had a great time, but the thing I think they all really wanted was the signs from our bus, on front, back and both sides were huge signs for the police manning the traffic control and security at the airport reading "Air Display Pilots. Traffic Priority!" Who needs bars, wings and badges with that kind of announcement!

SND

[flybymike]

Nice story!

[thing]

Nice one Niall!

The only time I've ever thought 'It's OK this being a pilot lark' was when I flew into a display at an airfield, and it literally was that, just flew in and I was treated like royalty. Given a pass to the pilot's (display pilots that is) marquee with all the free grub etc and someone actually addressed me as 'Sir'!!! I still to this day think they thought I was someone else. I didn't make them any the wiser of course...

[flybymike]

The only time I've ever thought 'It's OK this being a pilot lark' was when I flew into a display at an airfield, and it literally was that

Thought you meant that you had flown through an air display for a moment....