Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Non-Airline Forums > Private Flying
Reload this Page >

Gold Bars and Flying Suits

Private Flying LAA/BMAA/BGA/BPA The sheer pleasure of flight.

Gold Bars and Flying Suits

Old 24th Aug 2017, 14:36
  #21 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Fresno
Age: 74
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Bit touchy aren't you Martin 123? Are you a 'grow bag and gold bars' kind of guy? Personally, I completely understand wearing a flying suit when flying an old biplane or warbird, and certainly see the logic in wearing a uniform with gold bars in many parts of the world - it's what the natives expect the Captain of an aeroplane to wear, and does make dealing with officials easier.
However, a flying suit with gold bars looks odd - combine the look with a single engine piston and it just looks silly. IMHO of course.
Thud105 is offline  
Old 24th Aug 2017, 14:36
  #22 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Montserrat, in the Caribbean
Posts: 36
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
4 gold bars

I pays my money and wears what I want. 4 gold bars, Pilot shirts, the lot. What is important is that I have never bent any metal or infringed, am competent and safe. I have a healthy respect for air law and fly within the limits of mine and the aircraft's capability. Many of my flights are over 100 nm and involve flying overwater to countries outside the UK FIR. Those are the things that matter and impact 3rd parties if I get it wrong. Its my prerogative to wear how many gold bars I feel like. I don't see sports fans being constantly lambasted for wearing team colours. It must be a pilot thing . . . No wonder general aviation is declining when the young see that the aviation scene is dominated with such miserable old farts . . .
TRPGpilot is offline  
Old 24th Aug 2017, 14:39
  #23 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Fresno
Age: 74
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
What's a pilot skirt?
Thud105 is offline  
Old 24th Aug 2017, 14:42
  #24 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Montserrat, in the Caribbean
Posts: 36
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Thud105
What's a pilot skirt?

You are being a Dick Tracey. Quit while you are ahead . . .
TRPGpilot is offline  
Old 24th Aug 2017, 14:47
  #25 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: go west
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Thud105
Bit touchy aren't you Martin 123? Are you a 'grow bag and gold bars' kind of guy?
no I'm not, but what if I was? is passing judgement based on the appearance of someone any better than being pretentious and wearing bars? Live and let live
Martin_123 is offline  
Old 24th Aug 2017, 14:47
  #26 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 406
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by TRPGpilot
I pays my money and wears what I want. 4 gold bars, Pilot shirts, the lot. What is important is that I have never bent any metal or infringed, am competent and safe. I have a healthy respect for air law and fly within the limits of mine and the aircraft's capability. Many of my flights are over 100 nm and involve flying overwater to countries outside the UK FIR. Those are the things that matter and impact 3rd parties if I get it wrong. Its my prerogative to wear how many gold bars I feel like. I don't see sports fans being constantly lambasted for wearing team colours. It must be a pilot thing . . . No wonder general aviation is declining when the young see that the aviation scene is dominated with such miserable old farts . . .
Wow! I didn't know wearing gold bars stopped you bending metal and infringing. I'll order some right away.
FREDAcheck is offline  
Old 24th Aug 2017, 14:49
  #27 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: go west
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by TRPGpilot
I pays my money and wears what I want. 4 gold bars, Pilot shirts, the lot. What is important is that I have never bent any metal or infringed, am competent and safe. I have a healthy respect for air law and fly within the limits of mine and the aircraft's capability. Many of my flights are over 100 nm and involve flying overwater to countries outside the UK FIR. Those are the things that matter and impact 3rd parties if I get it wrong. Its my prerogative to wear how many gold bars I feel like. I don't see sports fans being constantly lambasted for wearing team colours. It must be a pilot thing . . . No wonder general aviation is declining when the young see that the aviation scene is dominated with such miserable old farts . . .
amen to that!
Martin_123 is offline  
Old 24th Aug 2017, 15:56
  #28 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: The World
Posts: 1,271
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It all depends on when and where. Summer country remote field flying bars are a joke, while they might help pass sec in 10min instead of 2h at Gdansk ...

Always nice to see is Pauls comments: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f6q2VKsvQEQ
ChickenHouse is offline  
Old 24th Aug 2017, 16:07
  #29 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Fresno
Age: 74
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
"Its my prerogative to wear how many gold bars I feel like."

Indeed it is - you do know some pilot suppliers now sell five bars? They look really cool......

".....and involve flying overwater."


If you're 100nm over the water in a SEP I'd be more concerned about wearing a life jacket than gold bars! Again, all IMHO of course.
Thud105 is offline  
Old 24th Aug 2017, 17:01
  #30 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: The World
Posts: 1,271
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
"4 bars 'a day is okay for getting to your work space as aa A380 capt, but one 'a night is okay if their tap ain't going empty" ...
ChickenHouse is offline  
Old 24th Aug 2017, 17:02
  #31 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Vienna
Age: 50
Posts: 359
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by TRPGpilot
Its my prerogative to wear how many gold bars I feel like.
Of course, but it's everyone else's prerogative to find gold bars or flying suits with "squadron insignia" etc. ridiculous in a PPL/club flying context.
Armchairflyer is offline  
Old 24th Aug 2017, 18:20
  #32 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: UK
Posts: 3,325
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Gold bars and flying suits in a spam can??? One word: Pretentious.

Of course, everyone has the right to be pretentious if they like. Just don't moan about it if that pretentiousness is pointed out.

And in my experience (and that's all it is - nothing more) I've observed that such folk might perhaps be compensating for not being entirely on top of their game.
Shaggy Sheep Driver is offline  
Old 24th Aug 2017, 18:44
  #33 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: West Yorkshire
Age: 67
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
When flying I don't usually try and dress up to look like a Pilot although I confess to once wearing my NASA T shirt and feeling self conscious.
I think I got away with it though as when exiting the plane I covered it up by donning my Hi Viz (not one of those vests but a rather nice padded number with long sleeves, pockets, zip and a hood).
Middle of Summer - sweltering.
Ray_A is offline  
Old 24th Aug 2017, 19:29
  #34 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Ayrshire
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Jockstrap and gaiters is de rigueur for flying a Pitts I am reliably informed.
4RTR is offline  
Old 24th Aug 2017, 20:52
  #35 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 682
Received 9 Likes on 5 Posts
Originally Posted by TRPGpilot
Many of my flights are over 100 nm ...
Blimey.
hoodie is offline  
Old 24th Aug 2017, 21:32
  #36 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Belgium
Age: 64
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I have a very strong opinion here :

The chap that hand flies a Piper Cub in 15 kts gusty winds, in rain and hail and snow, for 3 hrs deserves the flying suit and the gold bars and all the lot.

The (ahum) Captain that just landed a 747 at whatever International airport deserves neither the flying suit nor the bars. He's not a pilot but a computer programmer that "accidently" (because he "had" to) took the yoke 30 seconds before landing.

Only the "hand-flying chap" knows what flying really is.
Vilters is offline  
Old 24th Aug 2017, 22:29
  #37 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Cambridge, England, EU
Posts: 3,443
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by TangoAlphad
It is an odd thing this and it is almost the more you are required to wear a uniform the happier you are without!
Once shared a house with a guy who had to wear a suit at work. He'd come home in the evening and change into jeans and T-shirt to go out on the piss. I'd come home in the evening and change into a suit to go out on the piss.
Gertrude the Wombat is offline  
Old 25th Aug 2017, 02:03
  #38 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: north of barlu
Posts: 6,207
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Ahhh this subject gets its annual outing , I did see a boke in a microlight with the flying overalls and the four gold bars on each shoulder ...... I was just surprised that the thing could get off the ground carrying the gaudey apparel and his ego.
A and C is offline  
Old 25th Aug 2017, 06:42
  #39 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: GA, USA
Posts: 3,182
Likes: 0
Received 11 Likes on 8 Posts
Originally Posted by Martin_123
could not care less what people wear when they fly, or what they wear in general and I certainly don't see the point creating a thread about this topic once a year or so.. does broadcasting your disapproval makes you feel better about yourselves?
Why? You wear a flight suit and bars?
In my mind you're trying to come off as somebody who's more qualified then they really are.
There are laws against impersonating police, fire department, ambulance personell but unfortunately there are no laws for impersonating professional career pilots.
When enrolled in a career flight training course wear a uniform as long as it's not anything that makes you look like you've dressed up as airline captain.
B2N2 is offline  
Old 25th Aug 2017, 07:23
  #40 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: UK
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I don't wear gold bars, never would, haven't earned them. I spent too long being forced to wear a flying suit to now do it voluntarily.

However, I don't give a monkey's muff what anyone else wears.

Nice to have the summer gold bars thread, though. When's the kneeboard one due?
MaxR is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.