Reading Maxim in uniform

[Spiritflight]

Analysis on the "Tomb of the Unknowns" email:

http://www.snopes.com/military/unknown.asp

 

[sweptback]

Ok, a question to all of you who say that a nonrev/deadhead crewmemeber in uniform should not use their iPod: What is/isn't off limits then?

Is reading a book unprofessional?
Is working on a laptop unprofessional?
Is listening to the in-flight entertainment/watching a movie unprofessional?
Is eating unprofessional?

In all seriousness, you're sitting in a coach seat in the back. What should you be doing? Staring at the wall ahead? I'll give you the Maxim issue, I don't think I would do that either... but I'm just curious where you draw the line.

 

[ReverseSensing]

But you "dudespeakers" just don't seem to get the connection.

I guess by "dudespeakers" you mean 20-somethings, right? Now I'm about double that, but if pilots in your "dudespeak" age bracket are the only ones you see acting or looking unprofessional then I really question your objectivity.

Are you less critical of a 50-year old slob pilot than a 24-year old slob pilot? If so, then you should ask yourself why. Be as critical of other pilots as you want (it's your blood pressure) but spare us the insinuation that unprofessional pilots are all (or even mostly) younger.

 

[The_Russian]

Originally Posted by pilotguy733
Reading Maxim in uniform is really tacky. This industry is getting less professional all the time! I'd give you a dirty look if I was sitting near you, and if I was your captain, I'd have a private man-to-man lesson on professionalism.

I'm getting really sick of seeing:

1. Pilots listening to Ipods
2. Pilots wearing backpacks
3. Reading Maxim or similar in public
4. Swearing in public
5. Pants from Sears that aren't even the right color blue
6. Your student pilot flight bag
7. Etc Etc!! I'm sure the FI crowd will come up with more...

Now I'm not a total shmuck - I think its perfectly acceptable to read whatever ya want in the cockpit - AWAY FROM THE PUBLIC EYE. Or, if conditions are appropriate, listing to an Ipod.

I agree. If you want to get respected like a pro, then don't make yourself look like a scumbag. I am generally a pretty relaxed person to work with and I take it easy on FO's. However, you had better act like a professional if you are going to work alongside of me. Once the doors are closed you can generally do whatever you want. But not in front of the passengers.

 

[The_Russian]

It is very disapointing to hear professional pilots trying to justify sloppines. There are "professional pilots" then there are these guys. These guys make us look like bums...

Sure these guys choose this duty. But we choose this profession. And yes professionals serve. They don't dress like sloppy frat boys and whine about low wages and how everyone else treats them poor, spewing amatuer hour ultimatums of "When they pay me better I'll dress better" God help us, because it is obvious we can't help ourselves....

Always well said by Rez. Others should listen up.

 

[rickair7777]

You are a tool. WTF is wrong with listing to an IPOD??? I get the pants and flight bag/backpack. Do must be the type of golden day glory boy that wears your full uniform around town. If you are a captain then you are probly a "this will be my leg" every flight guy..


Chil out man get with the times its not the 50's anymore

Public perception is a significant factor for the well being of any professional group...look and act like you're in junior high, and you can expect to get treated and paid as though you are. Even the 15 year old passenger with his own backpack and ipod gets nervous when he sees an alleged airline pilot who looks and dresses like a teenage slacker. Yes, I've had passengers make comments like that.

Why does every professional group in the world adhere to some kind of dress and conduct code in public...hmmm, maybe there's a reason for it.

 

[Prog 2/2]

I guess by "dudespeakers" you mean 20-somethings, right? Now I'm about double that, but if pilots in your "dudespeak" age bracket are the only ones you see acting or looking unprofessional then I really question your objectivity.

Are you less critical of a 50-year old slob pilot than a 24-year old slob pilot? If so, then you should ask yourself why. Be as critical of other pilots as you want (it's your blood pressure) but spare us the insinuation that unprofessional pilots are all (or even mostly) younger.

You may question my objectivity as you see fit, but I believe you read something into this that wasn't there.

The reply was specific to the post in quotes.

I am double that age as well; the point being that those of us on the back side of that clock are perhaps more guilty than the younger members of our profession when we forget what we represent. We should know better. So the sin, when ours, is even more egregious.

But the idea that we might have some standard to uphold, and that the standard might have some bearing on our status as professional pilots, seems a foreign concept to some of the younger pilots that populate this board.

No man is an island, and what any one man does to diminish our status, be they 20 or 50, they do to us all.

<Old guy rant mode off>

 

[ReverseSensing]

But the idea that we might have some standard to uphold, and that the standard might have some bearing on our status as professional pilots, seems a foreign concept to some of the younger pilots that populate this board.

Perhaps I shot first, then aimed, but in my experience this statement would be more precise and accurate if you had simply left out the word "younger." That is the bias I am referring to.

Perhaps from your perspective and/or in the circles you operate, young = less likely to appreciate the significance of professionalism. The "attitudes" (or more likely e-tudes) of some posters who populate this board are not, in my opinion, representative of how folks act when pax or CA's are around.

The majority of pilots I fly with are younger than me, and I just don't see in-the-public-eye professionalism as being primarily an age issue.

 

[Jack Mehoff]

you know prog2/2... Your ranting reminds me of my first corporate job. The Cheif pilot told me on my first day "what is your job as an F/O?" I told him I thought it was to perform the duties outlined in our SOP's. Provide all useful information during WX/emergency information ect. (Keep in mind my shoes are always shined shirts and pants always drycleaned and pressed.)

He told me I was wrong. I was very confused at this point and asked then what was my job. He responded "To make the Captain look good!" "If you do that, then someday you will have an F/O to make you look good no matter how much you screw up. A Captains job is to look like he knows what he is doing."

He was about 50 something and came from that golden era mind set of always the Capt's leg, get the coffee, and suck my _____. Your ranting reminds me of that retard. alot of your 40-50 something capts feel like you are heros no matter what and anyone that isn't in their 30's is a scumbag. you feel we all need to have a 1950's haircuts, shined shoes, and a hat or we are not worth dirt.

Look at pilot skills and attitude before you judge the younger generation buddy. When you F-up (and you grey hairs do just as much as us spikies) and are standing infront of the FAA it doesn't matter how nice your hat is you are still getting violated.

 

[Golden Falcon]

"she doesn't think" she's wroking without tools huh? just ignore her