American brings back bomber jacket
Optional addition to pilot uniform gets a mostly warm reaction
09:35 PM CST on Monday, February 16, 2004
By KATIE FAIRBANK / The Dallas Morning News
Harking back to the styles of aviators of old, American Airlines will allow its pilots to sport leather bomber jackets in the cockpit.
The black jackets, which will be optional, are seen as a way to honor the traditions of pilots, increase their cool factor with customers and, the airline hopes, cheer up employees in the wake of pay cuts and corporate instability.
"We think that the finest aviators in the world deserve the finest uniform accessories," wrote Mark Hettermann, American's vice president of flight, in a letter to the airline's pilots.
Soon after sending the note, the Fort Worth-based carrier was inundated with questions about the uniform change. Flight administration officials asked pilots to be patient in an e-mail message Monday.
"We do not yet have ordering information. Please do not call your crew base office ... as they don't have any info either," the message said.
The airline isn't yet able to say how much the jackets will cost, which company will make them or when passengers will start seeing pilots wearing them.
American has been borrowing from its traditions in several decisions lately. For instance, the company stepped up to sponsor events honoring the Wright Brothers' first flight and Vietnam-era aircraft.
And then there was the recent decision to keep the caps that pilots wear.
"I basically endorsed the hat. It's a request to honor the tradition," said Capt. Hettermann.
Now, the airline is going even more traditional with the black leather jacket.
Leather dates back to the early days of flight when pilots needed protection in open cockpits. In World War I, heroic pilots had a rather shaky success rate, but they looked dashing in their leather trench coats, goggles and scarves.
Later, serious pilots such as Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart, celebrities of their day, were often pictured wearing leather jackets.
Then by World War II, the traditional jackets took on the moniker of "bombers" and were worn by entire flight crews who donned them for battle.
In the 1950s and '60s, the U.S. Air Force lost interest in the style and the jackets began losing their military significance. It was around then that the style was co-opted by teenagers trying to rebel along the lines of Marlon Brando and James Dean. Motorcycle riders, band roadies and the "Fonz" also picked up on the style.
"I think the leather jacket is one of the most important menswear items of the 20th century," said Myra Walker, director of the Texas Fashion Collection at the University of North Texas. "It's a status symbol within a lot of different classes."
In the 1980s, the Air Force and Navy decided to take their tradition back, hoping that the leather jackets would increase morale and retain pilots, who were ditching the military in droves for better pay in the commercial airlines.
Mixed reactions
But now, it's the airlines themselves that are adopting the leather jacket for their crews.
"The pilots absolutely love them," said Greg Crum, vice president of flight operations for Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. Southwest added the leather bomber jacket as part of the pilot uniform about a decade ago. "We made them an optional uniform accessory."
Pilots at FedEx Corp., Alaska Airlines and some commuters also have adopted leather jackets as part of their pilots' wardrobe.
"I think it keeps us in contact with our roots. It's obviously a symbol of aviation," Capt. Crum said.
Gregg Overman, spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association, said that some of the pilots at American really like the alternative.
As with the blue wool uniforms that American pilots now wear, they'll have to pay for them out of their own pockets.
"The way I would look at it is it just gives our pilots a choice. No doubt some of them will appreciate that," he said.
Not all of them though. Several have been complaining on pilot chat rooms about the decision. Their objection is that they took a 23 percent pay cut and the company is talking about their outfits.
"I don't think they're against leather jackets or think that it's a horrible idea. It's the idea that Rome is burning and we're going to get spiffy jackets," said New York-based Capt. Sam Mayer. "From what I'm hearing, it's more bad timing than a bad idea."
Meanwhile, other airlines are also looking at uniforms as they try to restructure. For instance, cash-strapped Delta Air Lines Inc. has hired a designer to sex up the uniforms for its flight attendants.
Designer approves
Fashion designer Stan Herman, who helped design pilot uniforms for FedEx, United Airlines and JetBlue Airways, said American's decision to add a leather jacket is good.
"It certainly has more roots in aviation than what they're wearing," he said, adding that he was pleased to hear that American was going to use black rather than its traditional blue in the jacket.
"That was a wise decision. There's nothing hokier than a navy leather jacket," he said.
Optional addition to pilot uniform gets a mostly warm reaction
09:35 PM CST on Monday, February 16, 2004
By KATIE FAIRBANK / The Dallas Morning News
Harking back to the styles of aviators of old, American Airlines will allow its pilots to sport leather bomber jackets in the cockpit.
The black jackets, which will be optional, are seen as a way to honor the traditions of pilots, increase their cool factor with customers and, the airline hopes, cheer up employees in the wake of pay cuts and corporate instability.
"We think that the finest aviators in the world deserve the finest uniform accessories," wrote Mark Hettermann, American's vice president of flight, in a letter to the airline's pilots.
Soon after sending the note, the Fort Worth-based carrier was inundated with questions about the uniform change. Flight administration officials asked pilots to be patient in an e-mail message Monday.
"We do not yet have ordering information. Please do not call your crew base office ... as they don't have any info either," the message said.
The airline isn't yet able to say how much the jackets will cost, which company will make them or when passengers will start seeing pilots wearing them.
American has been borrowing from its traditions in several decisions lately. For instance, the company stepped up to sponsor events honoring the Wright Brothers' first flight and Vietnam-era aircraft.
And then there was the recent decision to keep the caps that pilots wear.
"I basically endorsed the hat. It's a request to honor the tradition," said Capt. Hettermann.
Now, the airline is going even more traditional with the black leather jacket.
Leather dates back to the early days of flight when pilots needed protection in open cockpits. In World War I, heroic pilots had a rather shaky success rate, but they looked dashing in their leather trench coats, goggles and scarves.
Later, serious pilots such as Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart, celebrities of their day, were often pictured wearing leather jackets.
Then by World War II, the traditional jackets took on the moniker of "bombers" and were worn by entire flight crews who donned them for battle.
In the 1950s and '60s, the U.S. Air Force lost interest in the style and the jackets began losing their military significance. It was around then that the style was co-opted by teenagers trying to rebel along the lines of Marlon Brando and James Dean. Motorcycle riders, band roadies and the "Fonz" also picked up on the style.
"I think the leather jacket is one of the most important menswear items of the 20th century," said Myra Walker, director of the Texas Fashion Collection at the University of North Texas. "It's a status symbol within a lot of different classes."
In the 1980s, the Air Force and Navy decided to take their tradition back, hoping that the leather jackets would increase morale and retain pilots, who were ditching the military in droves for better pay in the commercial airlines.
Mixed reactions
But now, it's the airlines themselves that are adopting the leather jacket for their crews.
"The pilots absolutely love them," said Greg Crum, vice president of flight operations for Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. Southwest added the leather bomber jacket as part of the pilot uniform about a decade ago. "We made them an optional uniform accessory."
Pilots at FedEx Corp., Alaska Airlines and some commuters also have adopted leather jackets as part of their pilots' wardrobe.
"I think it keeps us in contact with our roots. It's obviously a symbol of aviation," Capt. Crum said.
Gregg Overman, spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association, said that some of the pilots at American really like the alternative.
As with the blue wool uniforms that American pilots now wear, they'll have to pay for them out of their own pockets.
"The way I would look at it is it just gives our pilots a choice. No doubt some of them will appreciate that," he said.
Not all of them though. Several have been complaining on pilot chat rooms about the decision. Their objection is that they took a 23 percent pay cut and the company is talking about their outfits.
"I don't think they're against leather jackets or think that it's a horrible idea. It's the idea that Rome is burning and we're going to get spiffy jackets," said New York-based Capt. Sam Mayer. "From what I'm hearing, it's more bad timing than a bad idea."
Meanwhile, other airlines are also looking at uniforms as they try to restructure. For instance, cash-strapped Delta Air Lines Inc. has hired a designer to sex up the uniforms for its flight attendants.
Designer approves
Fashion designer Stan Herman, who helped design pilot uniforms for FedEx, United Airlines and JetBlue Airways, said American's decision to add a leather jacket is good.
"It certainly has more roots in aviation than what they're wearing," he said, adding that he was pleased to hear that American was going to use black rather than its traditional blue in the jacket.
"That was a wise decision. There's nothing hokier than a navy leather jacket," he said.
