Uniform Stripes...
 

OK, so I'm going to buy myself a set of stripes for my white pilot shirt. "Are you a complete tool?", I hear you cry. Well no, I don't think I am, but I'm flying my little puddle jumper down into Egypt and Sudan and am reliably informed that wearing these would greatly speed things up at airports due to one looking official.

My question is; how many bars should one get (4 I assume for PIC), and is there any difference in meaning between silver and gold? ;)

You are quite right in your anti-tool argument; just don't put them on until you are over the Med!

Generally in Africa, three bars are accepted for commanders of single-crew aircraft; four bars are reserved for multi-crew command. Three will be enough to get noticed, without raising eyebrows of westerners.

No difference between silver and gold as far as aviation is concerned (you can wear anything you like, after all).

Epaulettes are a bit like medals. They are normally awarded to you by somebody else and if you buy them yourself you are being a bit of an impostor. I understand your reasons for getting them though.

I can understand flying clubs giving their instructors epaulettes as they are a symbol of authority although there is something faintly amusing about seeing someone with a white shirt and 4 stripes on his shoulder walk out to a Cessna 152.

Yes 4 stripes is the norm for a Captain of an airliner though flying clubs often use less.There is no distinction between gold and platinum stripes. Gold was the tradition but platinum appeared in the 80's and gold now seems a little old fashioned in the UK though common in the middle east.

If you wear a uniform through places like Egypt and the Sudan it may well lead to other complications. For instance they may ask where is the rest of your crew and if you have a uniform they may not allow you through security unless you also have a company ID card. If they discover you are doing a private flight but are pretending to be a professional pilot and wearing a uniform you might be creating a few extra problems for yourself. I seem to remember David Cyster having problems in Egypt in his record breaking Tiger Moth flight back in the 70s. If he was a pilot where was the rest of his crew, if he was a passenger where was his boarding card etc!

Thanks for the replies, and a very interesting point from suninmyeyes; does anyone have first hand experience of this kind of thing that they can share?

Assuming you are in possession of an ATPL 4 stripes would be fine, 3 stripes for a CPL and I think 2 stripes for PPL (I am not sure about this one), at least that is what cadet's are allowed to wear, once they have gone past the PPL stage.

It is true, that in certain countries at certain airports proper uniform with bars do help proceedings, but be carefull: If you rock up with 4 stripes without a crew ID card, you might be asked for your licence. If that is a PPL, the benefit you were hoping for may be gone very quickly!

I totally agree. I did exactly this in 1985, while copilot in a Twin Otter, we were ferrying from Rotterdam to Lesotho. I asked my captain why he had awarded me four stripes, to his four, when I was evidently the copilot. He said it would just work better, and it did! I was actually intimidted by the respect I suddenly commanded south of the Med!

Perhaps it is a different world there now, I have not been back, and, we were flying a Twin Otter, which is presentably large, but those are my thoughts...

Oh, and for heaven's sake, when you cross back out of Africa, please put the stripes far out of sight, to prevent the ridicule of your peers....

The school where I trained also gave the students (those on the professional track) one stripe after first solo (and then deducted that from their account :ugh:).

I think everyone is reading too much into it. Wear however many you like. Whatever colour you like Gold or Silver. People who call them platinum have dellusions of grandeur. You will look a prat but you sound as though you know the score on that front and won't walk about your local flying club/supermarket dressed in them. They do help massively. They average dude over there sees the bars and all is fine. He doesn't start questioning or pushing the issue. Though a crew badge will help through the airport. Can you get even an Aopa one or one from your airport if your based at a large one?
Flashing the licence will help and again I have never had mine examined closely. They see pilot licence printed on the front and your fine.
A colleague was ferrying a twin turbine through there in his shorts and T shirt and had a real hard time. Went back on board for a quick change and very suddenly everything was much much simpler.

I have a CPL so I guess I could legitimately go for three. I think I'll choose silver, they seem a bit more modest ;)

Thanks for the advice all!

The Luchtvaart Hobbyshop in Aalsmeer (just round the corner from my place) also sells five-bar epaulettes. I wonder what sort of effect they would have.

Ross, what aircraft are you going to fly down in, now that the Diamond has been sold?

I'm taking a Maule MX-7 belonging to a UK owner. We're off to look for a crashed Spitfire :ok: :p

Interesting. Have fun!

By all means put some stripes on to impress gullible officials in the less desirable parts of the world, if it helps you get by. Otherwise, unless you are operating for hire or reward, you are simply feeding your ego if you wear stripes on your shirt.

Oh Ross....... No no no no no no no no no.........

Calm down Steve, calm down - it is to solicit responses from all parties that I post these threads :p

and don't forget that big leather flight bags are rather passé in the UK a plastic shopping bag from Schiphol Airport is considered de rigeur.

You should pop into White Waltham with your shirt and stripes before you leave as they have a special protocol there that you may find informative.
Just let me know when you're likely to be there.

South of the Med and the bar at WW are the only places on the planet that stripes are really appreciated and given the respect they deserve.

Is there actually an official ranking structure for pilots? Just interested as I had always assumed it was something like this (seems similar to fire fighters and special constables rank insignia):

Captain / PIC: 4 bars
First Officer / Co-pilot: 3 bars
Second officer / Trainee?: 2 bars
Pilot in training: 1 bar

I'm not sure about 1-2 bars, what do these actually signify? and are they even used at all?

As a humble PPL I only do one bar at the time, but sometimes more in one day. Cheers.