Epaulets - Do you wear them?

[empenage]

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.

Along with a pocket full of 5's!

 

[User546]

Our company policy is stricly dress slacks and a polo/golf shirts. Our Chief Pilot refers to uniforms and epaulettes as "clown suits". I like that policy and I don't. Sometimes when we're on a long trip, it'd sure be alot easier just to have a uniform to wear everyday rather then having to pick out all indiviudal outfits and have to decide what to wear everyday. (Besides the suitcase being a little lighter)

Another company that I fill in for in their Bravo from time to time require dress slacks, long sleeve white shirts, and a tie.

And then theres the guy I use to fly a 421 for from time to time who always made me wear the full uniform and epaulettes everywhere we went. I hated more then anything having to step out of that 421 in that uniform! The owner/operator was a real pud, and I think he probably just felt like it made him look more important then he really is by me wearing that uniform.

 

[semperfido]

Along with a pocket full of 5's!

...and a box full of team hats and other assorted wampum

 

[empenage]

...and a box full of team hats and other assorted wampum

No kidding, they love NY on any ball cap. I gave a Russian in Nairobi my GIV windbreaker for showing me his airplane...no kidding, it brought tears to his eyes. He was so happy you would have thought I paid off his house!

 

[Gulfstream 200]

No kidding, they love NY on any ball cap. I gave a Russian in Nairobi my GIV windbreaker for showing me his airplane...no kidding, it brought tears to his eyes. He was so happy you would have thought I paid off his house!

The power of Vendor clothing is amazing overseas....
given away many a hats - you would have think you just handed out $100 bills...

even company logo stuff is a big hit...pretty strange...

anyways - ditto what the rest are saying - NO uniform or stripe junk - not smart to look like a pilot these days. I have heard of some companies going as far as changing before leaving the aircraft - out of suits into street clothes...

crew IDs are great and I stash mine once in the car to the hotel.

 

[banned username 2]

No kidding, they love NY on any ball cap. I gave a Russian in Nairobi my GIV windbreaker for showing me his airplane...no kidding, it brought tears to his eyes. He was so happy you would have thought I paid off his house!

In Nairobi? You probably DID pay off his house... The windbreaker was probably worth more than his house!

 

[aeronautic1]

Ditto

I carry around a half dozen Florida Marlin caps to hand out to handlers who give that extra effort overseas. They really get a kick out of them.

As far as clown suits go, yes, the head clown requires manepulettes and tie. Even when it's 108 degrees at LAS or the airfraft is sweating at MIA.

One day when I run my own 135, things will be different (how often has that line been quoted?).

The power of Vendor clothing is amazing overseas....
given away many a hats - you would have think you just handed out $100 bills...

even company logo stuff is a big hit...pretty strange...

anyways - ditto what the rest are saying - NO uniform or stripe junk - not smart to look like a pilot these days. I have heard of some companies going as far as changing before leaving the aircraft - out of suits into street clothes...

crew IDs are great and I stash mine once in the car to the hotel.

 

[Spooky 1]

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.

Never heard that BS story while at Delta. HOWEVER, when the B747 first came out over at CAL the Captains who were qualified on that aircraft did have a small loop on their upper most stripe.

 

[aeronautic1]

Bob Six liked the British style "three and a ring" for the captains (two and a ring for F/O et al). I still have my dads CAL epaulettes.

Never heard that BS story while at Delta. HOWEVER, when the B747 first came out over at CAL the Captains who were qualified on that aircraft did have a small loop on their upper most stripe.

 

[Spooky 1]

Bob Six liked the British style "three and a ring" for the captains (two and a ring for F/O et al). I still have my dads CAL epaulettes.

Regardless of what you think of uniforms, Bob Six had more class in his little finger than all of the assh#les that are running the airlines today, put together. And it showed.

I have heard a story recently, although somewhat unconfirmed that before Six passed on he had had purchased some annuities for for his original cadre of pilots. Most of these guys probably retired before Lorenzo showed up (if they were lucky). A friend of mine was recently contacted to see if he was on the receiving list. He was not but apparently there are some of these older guys alive and they might be the benefactor of some of Robert Six's class.

 

[aeronautic1]

My pappy retired 1/2 hour before his 60th birthday landing one night at HNL. Was hired in 1946 and flew for 34 1/2 years. I remember as a youngster meeting Mr. Six at the LAX cafeteria. He was HUGE and loved his pilots (this was in the 60's) and when I introduced myself to him he said, "you most be Bobby's boy!". I was so proud!

My father had a great amount of respect for Mr. Six and it was that upbringing (mom was a CAL strewardess also) that instilled the same dedication I have for my job and employer today. "Feel the Difference Pride Makes" is more than a company slogan!

Regardless of what you think of uniforms, Bob Six had more class in his little finger than all of the assh#les that are running the airlines today, put together. And it showed.

That was one heck of an airline, back then!! As I remember, other airlines preferred jumping on CAL if theywere going that way!

I have heard a story recently, although somewhat unconfirmed that before Six passed on he had had purchased some annuities for for his original cadre of pilots. Most of these guys probably retired before Lorenzo showed up (if they were lucky). A friend of mine was recently contacted to see if he was on the receiving list. He was not but apparently there are some of these older guys alive and they might be the benefactor of some of Robert Six's class.

 

[Kingairrick]

no epaulets, no tie, haven't worn one in almost as long as Falcon Capt.

 

[LegacyDriver]

Man I am jealous. Still, my epaulets get me through suck-urity when airlining to/from the plane so I won't complain to loudly.

The people in the back could care less what we wear but nobody has broached the subject yet. Polo shirts would be great!

 

[LegacyDriver]

I meant "too loudly.". Draned crackberry tpyos...

 

[aeronautic1]

I wear a pretty yellow sash (see left).


Thunderbirds... are GO!!

 

[fogrunner]

We tend to lose our uniforms once we get going. I flew Brussels-Lagos in June and July. Takes about 6hrs. I think I had my uniform shirt, tie and epaulettes on for about an hour at the most on every trip. The Captain was wearing slippers, nice touch.

 

[semperfido]

....at least he wasn't wearing flip flops

 

[leardawg]

All things considered, if the required uniform was my biggest complaint, I'd feel like one lucky dude. Let's say I was offered a job with excellent pay, benefits, equipment and schedule, but with one catch: all pilots were required to dress like the McDonald's Hamburglar. I'm your man! If everything else were right, I'd dress like Sir Walter Raleigh or Pee-Wee Herman with his dancing shoes. I'd wear epaulets with 7 stripes. Of course, I would hide my true identity, and minimize my exposure at FBOs. (The Captain would like the hotel shuttle to pull up planeside, real close to the door). My wife and kids would never know what Daddy has to do to pay the bills!

 

[Lead Sled]

We tend to lose our uniforms once we get going...The Captain was wearing slippers, nice touch.

I was jump seating once on a 737 to LAX on the old Frontier. The captain, once the cockpit door was closed, pulled off his snap-on tie and donned a railroad engineer's hat. I had to listen to him humming "I've been working on the railroad..." for the entire flight.

'Sled

 

[CXAV8]

Lucky ones?

For all the "Lucky business casuals", who pays for the clothes?

I hate wearing a uniform(without boards) but I like the fact that my employer pays for the goofy security guard costumes.

So does yur company pay all, some, none or give you an allowance?