Epaulets - Do you wear them?

[Flying Illini]

Polo's and black dress slacks in the summer, full regalia <sp?> in the other seasons as well as for all international flights. By full regalia I mean, epaulets, ties, and get this, WINGS!! Hahahahaha! I leave if we ever add hats!

 

[chriskcmo]

On Part 135 flights, pilot shirt, epualets, tie, black or dark grey trousers. On Part 91 flights, business casual. No wings in either case.

 

[Dinger]

Winter.....banana hammock and a goatie
Summer......nothing butt a smile (goatie optional)

Mandatory nipple piercings (one each) with silver hoops for the F/O and gold for the Captain. A string runs back for the F/O's left nipple to the cabin. If they need anything.......just yank twice and he comes a runnin'!

We opted to give the F/O a nose ring as well.......he kept falling asleep so we "hooked him up".....ran a chain from the ring to the Rosen visor rack.....very painful for him when he nods off, but funnier than he!! to watch (nod-scream, nod-scream). He finally came to work with a neck brace so he could get some shut-eye enroute.

 

[bigD]

LMAO! That's funny.

My employer is throwing a big Halloween party this year, so I'll be flying all the guys from the Austin office out to headquarters. I've been told that I'll have to wear my Halloween costume when I fly (as will my pax).

I'm trying to think up a good costume. At the moment I'm thinking of a 70's basketball player, complete with the short shorts, knee high socks, and a HUGE afro. I just don't know how I'll get my headset on.

 

[flyer172r]

LMAO! That's funny.

My employer is throwing a big Halloween party this year, so I'll be flying all the guys from the Austin office out to headquarters. I've been told that I'll have to wear my Halloween costume when I fly (as will my pax).

I'm trying to think up a good costume. At the moment I'm thinking of a 70's basketball player, complete with the short shorts, knee high socks, and a HUGE afro. I just don't know how I'll get my headset on.

Didn't they install the speaker in the cockpit just for moments like that?

At my last gig, we used to have to wear not only a shirt and tie, but a coat as well, at least in the winter. Then we changed to uniform shirts embroidered with company logo. Epaulets were discussed and promptly voted down.

 

[banned username 2]

Polo's and black dress slacks in the summer, full regalia <sp?> in the other seasons as well as for all international flights. By full regalia I mean, epaulets, ties, and get this, WINGS!! Hahahahaha! I leave if we ever add hats!

Oh you KNOW you want to wear the hat, just admit it already!

 

[Dangerkitty]

Golf Shirt and Slacks is what I wear. No Epaulets! Thank GOD!!! I got my fill of the airline uniform and Epaulets after 7 years of the airlines.

While we are on the subject does anyone know the pilots who fly a CJ for KSU (Kansas State University) I just saw them in IAD a few weeks ago to say that they took some interesting "liberties" with their uniform is/was an understatement.

 

[Lead Sled]

When I first went to work for the family the airplane was on 135 and we were told to wear everything but the coat and hat. After the boss figured out what having an airplane on 135 really meant he pulled it off and life has been good. Since then we have worn slacks and ties once - we were taking some family members to a funeral.

I asked the family what they would like us to wear. Their answer (Remember, they travel in levi's and shorts.), "We want you guys to be comfortable, wear what you want." "The only thing that we care about is that you don't show up drunk." (That was said tongue-in-cheek, since he knows neither one of us drinks.)

Actually, we usually wear "business casual" - dockers and whatever shirt the wife happened to have ironed and hanging in the closet; but if we showed up in cutoffs, t-shirts, and flipflops no one would care and nothing would be said.

'Sled

 

[G4G5]

Our Captains always wear epaulets. 4 strips for domestic and 5 stripes for international. Same for the Jackets, 3/4 inch thick.

Our Intl captains actually have 5 strips sewn to the bottom of their pants legs, in case they are in the john people know who they are. The problem is we can only purchase these uniforms from the Italian submarine commander shop. It can take 3 months to get them specially made.

 

[leardawg]

Consider at least bringing epaulets with you while on the road. You might be able to moonlight as a doorman/porter at the hotels you stay at, and earn yourself some extra beer money in tips.

 

[AA717driver]

Our Captains always wear epaulets. 4 strips for domestic and 5 stripes for international. Same for the Jackets, 3/4 inch thick.

Our Intl captains actually have 5 strips sewn to the bottom of their pants legs, in case they are in the john people know who they are. The problem is we can only purchase these uniforms from the Italian submarine commander shop. It can take 3 months to get them specially made.

You know you can get the same uniform components from the Bolivian Army Surplus Store. Go to the officer's section. Lots of braid and brass. Maybe try the Mexican Army, too. TC

P.S.--I heard the Delta International CA's wanted to do the 5-stripe thing. Dorks.

 

[hellas]

They let the people in the company know who is going to clean the cabin..

 

[some_dude]

If you hang around at the front of a nice hotel, sometimes people will toss you the keys to their cars as well!

That can come in handy for getting to the BBQ joint across town.

Consider at least bringing epaulets with you while on the road. You might be able to moonlight as a doorman/porter at the hotels you stay at, and earn yourself some extra beer money in tips.

 

[Dinger]

I wear mine while at recurrent. It really lets them know that I am serious about training. The chicks dig em', too!

I've even been known to wear mine to the grocery store. I am a pilot it I want to shout it out for the whole world to hear!

 

[BE200Driver]

Sounded too French. The boss had all that junk taken out of the plane.

 

[oldxfr8dog]

It's been awhile since I have flown international (I don't think Mex and Canada count).
Used to be, a uniform or at least epaulets, carried a little weight other parts of the world. The less developed, the more impressed.
That changed?

 

[Lead Sled]

It's been awhile since I have flown international (I don't think Mex and Canada count).
Used to be, a uniform or at least epaulets, carried a little weight other parts of the world. The less developed, the more impressed.
That changed?

My experience has been that they don't really do much for you any more. In the past we've worn them on international flights and the first thing that you should probably do upon reaching the airport is take them off or cover them up with a coat or sweater - all they're doing at that point is saying "Hey look at me, I'm a rich pilot." Unfortunately, in today's world that's probably not the message you want to be putting out. We use handlers for 95% of our international flying and they negate any advantage that a uniform and all of the trimmings give you.

'Sled

 

[vossdr1]

When I worked charter, we wore epaulets and tie. Now I usually wear pants.

 

[banned username 2]

My experience has been that they don't really do much for you any more. In the past we've worn them on international flights and the first thing that you should probably do upon reaching the airport is take them off or cover them up with a coat or sweater - all they're doing at that point is saying "Hey look at me, I'm a rich pilot." Unfortunately, in today's world that's probably not the message you want to be putting out. We use handlers for 95% of our international flying and they negate any advantage that a uniform and all of the trimmings give you.

'Sled

EXACTLY... I agree 100%...

 

[semperfido]

no epaulets dom or intl. hasn't been a hindrance intl- even in far flung 3rd world places. they are uneccessary. a flight crew ID badge on the other hand is useful.