Post-Nominal Letters for Pilots?
 

- I was wondering if there are any post-nominal letters after your name when you've completed the qualifications from PPL straight through to a full ATPL license. Since these are pretty much 'qualifications', do they receive any sort of acknowledgement?

e.g. after Uni degree you get BA/Bsc/MA after your name like 'John Smith Bsc MA'

Is there one for professional pilots?

- Also, are there any specific titles that pilots are referred to by? I mean, the captain can of course be 'Captain John Smith' but what would the others such as first officers and second officers be called? (This includes outside the work area like when a doctor is called 'Dr John Smith' even when they're not working)

I just feel that after all the efforts of training and learning, pilots should receive more credit for what they achieved. Not saying this to just boast after becoming a professional pilot, but surely they should get some more recognition with a professional title whenever they go to meet someone new.

Thanks.

If you attain the 'frozen' ATPL, one usually earns the right to wear up to five gold stars on the left breast pocket of your nice red shirt. The number of stars depends upon how well and politely you can say "would you like to go large" and "will there be anything else, Sir?"

You have to say that 'Captain John Smith ATPL (OATS)' has that certain ring to it. Unfortunately, under the new EASA order, the licence is now known as 'Part-FCL' and we can all see what putting that after your name would lead to, can't we? :)

I believe that only holders of the Queen's Commission are entitled to append their rank to their name, strictly speaking.

All this sort of thing went out with Senior Captains (First and Second Class) in the old BOAC and BEA, and the wearing of medal ribbons. Indeed, opinion was divided in my last company about the wearing of epaulettes on one's uniform raincoat. I suppose you can call it inverted snobbery or the pricking of pomposity in these CRM times.

Oh yes OATS ... Oxford Air Training School.

Its post service and its only for field ranks ie Major or equiv or above.

And don't worry those that think they are special because they are a Captain will tell anyone who will listen with out the need for a title.

Some orginisations will send you letters address to Capt. xxxxx most of us get it changed, most of us strip the uniform so we look like a security guard after work as well.

Its bad enough walk through the airport with everyone asking you where things are never mind folk thinking you work in the supermarket.

Also as well most won't want all the local low lifes thinking there is a house full of gear to be liberated.

Its a job, the training isn't particularly technical or academic. Even if you could use something the vast majority of working pilots wouldn't use it. In fact if you look at the ones that do use it there is something pretty dodgy about them. Just look at some of the training school sales reps. Captain zzzzz when in fact the majority of them have never been a Captain on a multicrew aircraft (not that it means anything to be honest, your a Captain from the day you have gone solo) .

Of course you can have some letters after your name.

Captain Fred Bloggs, DME, NDB, CDI and Bar, PHD*








*PHD = Pulls His D1ck

I was going to put ATCO after my name....... then someone told me it was a lawnmower.

Post Nominal and Pre Nominal Letters
 

I have found that in Malaysia the use of Titles is rife and many people seem to have multiple titles which are always mandatory to include when addressing a formal gathering. Malaysia is regarded as one of the most rigidly hierarchical societies in the world (power-distance in Hofstede's terminology).

Interestingly enough the pre-nominal 'Captain' is assigned to Commercial Pilots who have a current Flight Instructor Rating. However the First Officer of a Boeing or Airbus without an Instructor Rating would not be entitled to use that appellation.

I suspect that this may be due to the Asian deference to the Teacher (Guru or Sifu) which is seen (as in the United States) as a particulary important role in Society.

Hence assuming Heathrow Director possesses a Flight Instructor or Examiner rating I would use post nominal letters of FI (maybe CFI in the States) or FE etc.

Wouldn't use FI in Scotland, someone would just take the piss that they stood for :mad:ing idiot.

Considering the cost these days, I suggest 'MUG' might be appropriate.

I don't know about pilots, but as a licensed maintenance engineer I think I can have "Tech Eng. CEI" if I pay some money to someone, but I don't see the point. I'd rather spend it on beer.

As a Flight Engineer in a former life I was told by the aircrew manager that a new post of "Senior Flight Engineer" had been created. I asked how much more money? I was told that there was no more money but I could wear 3 stripes instead of 2. I told him to shove it where the sun doesn't shine!

I did wear the 3 stripes though, (with the Royal Purple) and was always amused in the Middle East to be called Captain by most of the ground staff.

Where would it stop though? If airline pilots started to use letters after their name I'm sure train drivers could do the same. Driving an Intercity 125 is just as responsible a job.

Dreamer.

Try a ten-hour Gatwick-Barbados over the Atlantic. No stopping for a quick break there and nowhere else to go. Probably fewer storms and turbulence too.

Also, not on rails.

Simple question: Why would you want them????

Very early in my service career I was told that there are only two relevant questions in life:

a. Does it hurt?
b. Will it affect my pay?

Only if you obtain satisfactory answers to both questions should you proceed.

YS;)

What about a 40 minute London-Manchester in CAVOK? Still flown by airline captains I assume. I think you missed the point about the responsible job bit. A 125 driver is still responsible for the lives of hundreds of people, I'm not saying that he would have the requisite skills to bring a 747 down in a blizzard at JFK, but then an airline captain wouldn't have the requisite skills to drive a 125.

I'n not an engine driver by the way.

Aside from holding a degree, I think the only legal post nominals that a pilot can use as a result of being a pilot and nothing else are the RAeS ones (FRAeS etc) which have a subscription fee attached to them and are available to I think anyone even with an interest in aviation, albeit at a lower level than Fellow (F).

I was once told that in the states holding an ATPL allowed one to be called Mr John Smith ATP but I have absolutely no idea if there is any truth behind this or not.

A quick edit to mention that I am not including mil stuff here.

I'd love letters and numbers.....for example....just an example

Captain FLCH 6ULDV8 would work wonders. ;)