Well guys I think it astonishing that something as simple as bars on someones shoulder can arouse so much interest. Many people say that pilots in small aircraft should not wear a uniform or bars. This is rubbish. Any pilot who is being paid to fly and who is dealing with customers should wear a uniform and shoulder boards. Silver for GA instructors and charter pilots and gold for the airline industry. 4 for the pilot in command, 2 or 3 for the second in command.

If your flying aerobatics or workin the line or logging or whatever then wear whatever you like because no-one who is responsible for your income and who needs to feel secure in your skill is going to see you.

Personally I think the uniform should be secondly used as a tool for :mad: picking up girls. That's just me. Any opinions? Has it worked for anyone?

Our company doesn't employ any co-pilots although we are required to operate 2 pilots up whenever pax are flown. We are all qualified single pilot IFR in the aircraft we operate. We both wear 4 gold bars although we aren't an airline.

It doesn't really matter much, IMHO although I might just sneer a bit at the R-22 PPLs wearing similar.

I don't get to pick any girls up as I am married and old. Shame. They all try to pick me up though. (ROFLMAO :D !)

i don't know what the hell you just said Hank Bobinson, but you special man, you reached out an touched a brother's heart

Personally I find that the problem is having the time and money left to get to drink in that 4th Bar! .....hic!

The First house of worship for the church of lappos is being built in stratford out of tr pitch links, if you have any to spare they'd be appreciated.

any more news on this r55/r800? I think Tim T should come on here and either dispel or confirm the rumours.

i thougth epaulettes were for bus drivers!!;)

Flying EMS in downtown Toronto years ago, wearing the white shirt and bars (required uniform). I can't recall if we wore ties or not.

The rooftop pad for Sick Kids is right next door to the bus terminal. The pilot I was with needed to go down to the bus terminal to get a schedule for his kid. While he was doing his thing, I was just standing there when the cutest brunette came up to me and started to ask all sorts of bus route related questions. I did my best to help her out and only then realized I looked exactly like all the bus drivers milling around (I didn't think it appropriate to point out the shiny 76 parked next door). So I guess I have used my bars to meet chicks! ;)

Gosh Bladestrike.....think of the success you could have had if you had told the little honey you were a bus driver? You would have scored big time....

I have to take off my uniform when I go visit me Mum....it would break the old dear's heart if she learned the truth. She thinks I play piano in a brothel.

For those who think uniforms are mandatory.....try wearing yer bars and stripes in the Aleutian Islands....keep yer low cut brogans polished....while you lay in the mud preflighting the cargo hook and pump fuel by hand.....

Jeans, a wool shirt, down vest, Carhart jeans, tall rubber boots....now that is a uniform!

It seemed like she liked bus drivers, so I certainly wasn't going to set her straight! Although I must have appeared a rather incompetant bus driver as I didn't have a clue about the schedules.

Luckily she didn't seem to mind. :)

How many guys wearing the white shirts have a big grease stain just behind the right shoulder? Not the best outfit for a proper DI!

What a thread this has turned out to be!

Try this one, I call it: "Neither girls nor gold bars"
I had delivered a helicopter to Dublin Airport once a few years ago and I was wearing dark blue trousers/jumper and gold bars (4 as it happens). I then discovered that my return (to UK) flight had been booked from Belfast not Dublin, so I had to get the train to Belfast. So, in order not to look like a senior Navy Officer (and a potential terrorist target) I decided that I should remove my gold bars from my jumper before venturing out in to the public. Then, whilst on the train to Belfast, this little old lady comes over to me and says, you Prison Officers will get yourselves killed wandering about in uniform, you should know better!

What are we pilot's supposed to do?
Keep 'em coming,
Topter.