Sim recurrent training : In uniform or not ?
Join Date: Aug 2000
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All airliners shot down by military interceptors to this date were flown by pilots in uniform. Not wearing a black shirt obviously does not help in these cases...
Pretty much the only reasons I would prefer the uniform:
Same shoes for pedal feel.
Shirt pocket for pen.
Really feel the " need to be dressed up to be a pilot " is a bit much, and I did my whole primary flight training in uniform.
Same shoes for pedal feel.
Shirt pocket for pen.
Really feel the " need to be dressed up to be a pilot " is a bit much, and I did my whole primary flight training in uniform.
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Interesting comments and views on this!! I spend my time on the IOS and don't really see much difference in performance between uniform and non uniform, having said that when looking at soft skills such as attitude it seems the scruffier the individual the more sloppy their overall performance and thus if not in uniform you get a huge variety in what they deem to be acceptable
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Never had to wear a uniform in the SIM during my last 28 years, neither as pilot nor as instructor. But why bother? If they want you to wear uniform, wear uniform.... We wear uniform during 300 days a year, so why think about the 4 additional one's.
Many sim centres like uniforms for security reasons which makes sense in this day n age
It strikes me that from a company point of view, they may want to project an image of professionalism in their corporate image, hence pilots wearing uniforms when they go to work, whether in the flight deck of an airliner, or a simulator.
Sim centers may have other corporate visitors, and I guess it could be argued that having pilots wandering around in casual clothing may not project the image/illusion that an airline may be looking for. Speaking as an old fuddy duddy in their early 50’s, and passing on what I see down route in hotels and business lounges, it may not be a bad idea. Some younger pilots views of smart casual may not align with an employers or hotels view of smart casual. In which case, why not stipulate a pair of dark trousers, white shirt and a tie to be worn when on company premises and on duty? When on the companies dime, I guess they can tell you what to wear.
Sim centers may have other corporate visitors, and I guess it could be argued that having pilots wandering around in casual clothing may not project the image/illusion that an airline may be looking for. Speaking as an old fuddy duddy in their early 50’s, and passing on what I see down route in hotels and business lounges, it may not be a bad idea. Some younger pilots views of smart casual may not align with an employers or hotels view of smart casual. In which case, why not stipulate a pair of dark trousers, white shirt and a tie to be worn when on company premises and on duty? When on the companies dime, I guess they can tell you what to wear.
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"Flying has lost it's glamour and the concept of having a 'naval officer', or 'skipper' flying our current leading edge aerospace technology seems a bit archaic and somewhat out of place."
Well in many countries train drivers or even bus drivers wear uniforms.
There's nothing archaic in in IMO.
Cheers,
Andrzej
Well in many countries train drivers or even bus drivers wear uniforms.
There's nothing archaic in in IMO.
Cheers,
Andrzej
PPRuNe Handmaiden
Large fractional operations. We do not wear uniforms in the sim. Some pilots do, but that is their own choice. Our American branch of the company do not wear uniforms. Note, there is a dress standard which we're expected to maintain. I too, prefer my work shoes for the sim, same reasons as given above.
Many of us travel to the US for our sim training so carrying the uniform as well as civvy clothes is a pain. (Our training usually lasts 4-5 days).
Our time slots are interesting and so being able to head out of the sim and go to a restaurant for lunch is great.
Many of us travel to the US for our sim training so carrying the uniform as well as civvy clothes is a pain. (Our training usually lasts 4-5 days).
Our time slots are interesting and so being able to head out of the sim and go to a restaurant for lunch is great.
I wear it as it’s purely my comfort zone. Prior to Aviation I was in another industry for 15 years, that was a uniform also, strict uniform procedure I must say. I have never worn casual to work in my life since I finished Year 12, in or previous to my flying career. It would probably be a distraction if I wore casual if I did , which is why I don’t, sim time is hardly time for that.
I dont wear wear the tie, but that’s barely worn on the line at all these days by many.
All the young ones roll up in ripped jeans etc.
I dont wear wear the tie, but that’s barely worn on the line at all these days by many.
All the young ones roll up in ripped jeans etc.
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Some interesting comments here. I have flown for several airlines (lifestyle has always trumped 'loyalty'!) with differing ideas on uniforms in the sim: three that were non-uniform, one that insisted on uniform, one that went from uniform to non-uniform and one that went non-uniform to uniform. I have never seen uniform make the slightest difference to any other pilot's performance. The 'sloppiest' dressed that I have ever seen anyone in the sim were the trainers when that airline went uniform to non-uniform, yet they were respected by all the pilots because they were good trainers (which they were) not because of anything that they wore. I have seen good and bad trainers in both uniform and non-uniform sims, but the worst were in uniform sims and the best were in non-uniform sims.
As for any argument about 'realism' in the sim, any non-normal situations that I have had to deal with in the real world have all been far more relaxed than in the sim giving more time to focus on the situation rather than what "she/he in the back" wants to see. With one situation over two decades ago we even had a brief joke before starting our approach, glancing back to the area behind the captain's seat where the trainer would be sitting in a sim "OK you can reset it all now"! What clothes we had been wearing at the time would have had no influence on the conduct of the situations nor the outcome.
"Was there ever an incident caused by a pilot not wearing his tie? -- No!".
As for any argument about 'realism' in the sim, any non-normal situations that I have had to deal with in the real world have all been far more relaxed than in the sim giving more time to focus on the situation rather than what "she/he in the back" wants to see. With one situation over two decades ago we even had a brief joke before starting our approach, glancing back to the area behind the captain's seat where the trainer would be sitting in a sim "OK you can reset it all now"! What clothes we had been wearing at the time would have had no influence on the conduct of the situations nor the outcome.
"Was there ever an incident caused by a pilot not wearing his tie? -- No!".
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I wear it as it’s purely my comfort zone. Prior to Aviation I was in another industry for 15 years, that was a uniform also, strict uniform procedure I must say. I have never worn casual to work in my life since I finished Year 12, in or previous to my flying career. It would probably be a distraction if I wore casual if I did , which is why I don’t, sim time is hardly time for that.
I dont wear wear the tie, but that’s barely worn on the line at all these days by many.
All the young ones roll up in ripped jeans etc.
I dont wear wear the tie, but that’s barely worn on the line at all these days by many.
All the young ones roll up in ripped jeans etc.
On the other hand, I’d happily show up to the sim in jeans and a t-shirt if they said I could. It’s just a box.
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Wearing an uniform in the sim to make it more realistic? Come on, and do you start calling the examiner Sheila and ask him to get you some coffee? Do you also spread cookie crumbs over the pedestal for added immersion? Do you stand outside the box after the session is over to wave imaginary passengers off?
Just plain ridiculous, it's a SIMULATOR, it's not and never will be the real aircraft!
And no, we don't wear it at my company LOL
Just plain ridiculous, it's a SIMULATOR, it's not and never will be the real aircraft!
And no, we don't wear it at my company LOL
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I’m amazed this has amassed so many responses. Company want uniform - wear it, company don’t care - don’t wear it. It’s a working day, the company decide the rules for whatever reason they like, I have worked for airlines that have worn it and others that don’t - it makes no difference to me either way ......
Join Date: Oct 2000
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Hello all,
I’ve been with Air France for the last 20+ years.
We’ve always done our recurrent sim training as well as type ratings in “civilian” clothing.
Management has just advised us that, starting next year, we’ll have to be in uniform for all sim sessions.
i just wanted to get the lay of the land out there. If you could reply with the name of your Airline and wether being in Uniform is mandatory for sims, I would be very grateful.
I’ve been with Air France for the last 20+ years.
We’ve always done our recurrent sim training as well as type ratings in “civilian” clothing.
Management has just advised us that, starting next year, we’ll have to be in uniform for all sim sessions.
i just wanted to get the lay of the land out there. If you could reply with the name of your Airline and wether being in Uniform is mandatory for sims, I would be very grateful.
but if it makes the training more efficient why not.
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I must repeat: if the folks who pay your wages say, uniforms then so it will be , if they don't care, then casual it is. What amazes me, old guy I guess, is that what the employer wants/dictates evidently is not pertinent. So I guess the only solution is for those who refuse to wear uniforms (if that is what the company wants) to quit!
