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Pilots Who Love Wearing The Uniform

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Pilots Who Love Wearing The Uniform

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Old 27th Apr 2010, 15:39
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Pilots Who Love Wearing The Uniform

A pilot friend once told me that there are two types of pilots: those who like to wear a uniform and hat and tell everyone they're an airline pilot, and those who truly love flying and anything to do with aviation.

Would anyone agree with that?
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Old 27th Apr 2010, 16:02
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They can be one and the same, but there is definitely a breed of pilot who loves to polish the wings and get out there and walk the long way through the crowd..

I reckon for the 80 grand they spent on the licence their probably entitled to it...
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Old 27th Apr 2010, 16:41
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I can't wait to change out of mine, and hate walking through the terminal or any public place wearing it

Doing a visual down the west coast of Barbados with all the automatics out as the sun sets, turning finals and greasing it onto 09 flanked by an enormous shadow, however... is definately my thing

Reminds me why I spent £80k.

So I suppose I fall into category (b).
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Old 27th Apr 2010, 16:47
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Stu i would probably say you are in catagory C mate...
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Old 27th Apr 2010, 17:25
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I frequently wore my headset whilst shopping. Problem was that the local chippy didn't have a socket for the plug!
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Old 27th Apr 2010, 18:08
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Flyingvisit your friend seems to be quite narrow minded, as he implies the ones that wear uniforms and hats don't have a love for their occupation.

I... "love flying and anything to do with aviation". However, there has often been a perception that it's popular to disregard smart attire and wallow in the chuckling remarks of one's colleagues of "Ho ho! He doesn't give a damn....he's alright him."

Unfortunately I have flown with a few pilots who have achieved a professional licence but have been too busy "enjoying flying and having a love for it" to take a step back, look at their fat sweaty ar*es hanging out of their trousers, their ties in their pockets and blazers wide open exposing their beer bellies, to be more self critical of their abilities.

The longer I've done this job the more I have slowed down and tried to refine the skillsets I have acquired; if I can't even wear a uniform and represent my employer smartly then I doubt I would have the motivation to want to improve my overall flying ability.

Last edited by Kiltie; 27th Apr 2010 at 18:35.
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Old 27th Apr 2010, 19:39
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I never wore my hat, unless it was really, really cold or raining. I also always carried a light plain black jacket, as soon a possible I would take off my uniform jacket and wear the plain black jacket. This made life much easier.
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Old 27th Apr 2010, 20:14
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Remind me, what's The Guv'nor wearing these days?
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Old 28th Apr 2010, 13:24
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IMHO, I think that to be proffessional is to also project proffesionalism.
I have an enormous respect for all that fly aircraft,but it is certainly easier to recognise a proffesional pilot by the kit they display. I was invited onto the flight deck of a 744 after a 13 hr flight to Los Angeles and could not believe how smart these guys presented after that duration. Throughout the flight the second officer made several trips to the back of the aircraft to check on someone he knew, and was always imaculate in appearance. Maybe,up front, they flew the entire trip in their underwear for all I know..but they certainly looked like proud airman after they parked that beautiful machine and knocked off for a well earned rest.

Kudos to all of you.
Cheers

Last edited by Scarbagjack; 28th Apr 2010 at 13:31. Reason: Spelling...Again
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Old 28th Apr 2010, 13:47
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Maybe,up front, they flew the entire trip in their underwear for all I know
Ahh, that reminds me of a story about a landing......


Kiltie - nicely put
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Old 28th Apr 2010, 15:43
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Remind me, what's The Guv'nor wearing these days?
Handcuffs and leg chains hopefully but I doubt it, he's probably been out for yonks.
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Old 28th Apr 2010, 16:53
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Hats

Gentlemen do not wear hats indoors, except for military funerals and courts martial (but not the accused.)

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Old 28th Apr 2010, 19:35
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Not at all.

Not at all; as it is a far too sweeping generalization-especially on such an international forum to be taken seriously. Does the author of this "pearl of wisdom" really propose that the senior international line captains of an airline such as JAL are not consummate professionals? Or that they would really rather go to work in shorts, muscle shirts and flip flops?

Dress preference is going to come down to background, demographics and culture. Nor can I really tell much about a pilot’s competency by judging their attire.

I am a bit more formal than most and cringe when I see tattered and soiled uniforms paraded in public. I understand the hostility they feel towards management and like to shove their finger in the eye of the “uniform policy”. But looking like a tramp does not instill confidence in the traveling public, nor does it command respect from colleagues or management.

Last edited by Northbeach; 28th Apr 2010 at 19:49.
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Old 28th Apr 2010, 21:21
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Well put NB, but do take into account the palaver that this forum supports. Next someone will post the photo of the Virgin Blue captain and F/O that appeared in their magazine Voyeur recently with both young pretty boys sitting in the wheelhouse of the 737, in their underpants. Don't ask what they were promoting.

Can think of at least one of the old school who would turn in his grave, if he had one, but hasn't. This man, a pukka sahib, kept his every uniform in mothballs from that of the RFC , ANA (1930-32), a Second World War ferry command and the Sandringham/Solent outfit he was with 1950-54. The very model of a tailor's flying dummy was Bill, but Christ, could he navigate.

Then there was a so-called idiot savant, an implacable republican, who filed the crown off his wings and picked it from his cap badge. And another, bordering on the dork, whose strange foreign wife would insist he put his on to go out and do the shopping. And push the wire pram too.
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Old 28th Apr 2010, 23:49
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Originally Posted by FlyingVisit
A pilot friend once told me that there are two types of pilots: those who like to wear a uniform and hat and tell everyone they're an airline pilot, and those who truly love flying and anything to do with aviation.

Would anyone agree with that?
And then you have the third type; wannabes who dress up in a pilot uniform and post it on their profile on Facebook. I've seen a few of those!
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Old 29th Apr 2010, 02:16
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Aint I grand in uniform?

Fantome,

You definitely added several other permutations regarding the psychology of wearing the uniform.

"Next someone will post the photo of the Virgin Blue captain and F/O that appeared in their magazine Voyeur recently with both young pretty boys sitting in the wheelhouse of the 737, in their underpants. Don't ask what they were promoting." _ Unbelievable, please tell me they were models and not pilots! I missed this one, not sure what they are selling but I don't want any.

"Another, bordering on the dork, whose strange foreign wife would insist he put his on to go out and do the shopping. And push the wire pram too." I wish you were joking, but I can tell you are not; pity the bloke that married her. Wearing the uniform at work is one thing, pushing the wire pram full of vegetables while shopping another thing entirely ............... beyond pathetic.
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Old 29th Apr 2010, 11:40
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What about PPL pilots? I personally would never like to wear a pilots uniform hat and coat ect as that would give the impression that i would be a professional pilot, which I know I would never be. But I would'nt mind owning my own set of four gold bars and a set of PPL Wings after completing my PPL.

Incidently why do they now have silver bars as well as gold bars?

Regards to All
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Old 29th Apr 2010, 17:40
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Originally Posted by studentpilotmcuk
What about PPL pilots? I personally would never like to wear a pilots uniform hat and coat ect as that would give the impression that i would be a professional pilot, which I know I would never be. But I would'nt mind owning my own set of four gold bars and a set of PPL Wings after completing my PPL.

Incidently why do they now have silver bars as well as gold bars?

Regards to All
Are you being serious?!
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Old 29th Apr 2010, 17:44
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Silver Bars are cheaper than Gold Bars and Gold does nor really go with Blue which a lot of Uniforms are now.

To change the subject

I saw our Local doctor in Tesco with his stethescope around his neck.

But of course he could have been checking to Crabs and Lobsters were still Alive

He was on his own so he cant blame it on his wife..

Beyond belief some people
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Old 29th Apr 2010, 18:11
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Unbelievable, please tell me they were models and not pilots! I missed this one, not sure what they are selling but I don't want any.
Every dot point of pretentiousness in my previous post, the whole and nothing but, old dear.

If I had that copy of Voyeur I'd scan and post the page, but it's gone. Useless to light the fire with it, so plasticised is the confounded 'paper'. Would not think for a wee minnie that any of Richard's little exercising of little minds when he 'frolics' with
employees for publicity would ever involve recruiting 'outside' paid models. They were flyboys alright, from Bris, as I remember. And names given in the caption, as is their practice in most issues.
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