The Airline Pilot Hat: What will become of it?

[Rez O. Lewshun]

I don't believe this logic applies to professionalism or daily line flying.

I understand you don't believe this applies..... however, ...... why.

 

[crashpad]

Hats help keep our profession looking respectable...along with suit jackets. Kids like to wear them while getting their picture taken in the cockpit. Now if we can only get pilots to spend more than ten bucks on a pair of dress shoes instead of waffle-soled Rockports with extra thick shoe laces!

 

[TWA Dude]

Wow, a four-page mad-hatter thread. What is this, C&R (the APA message board)?

The hat is uncomfortable, hot in the summer, not warm in the winter, and a pain to keep track of when deadheading/commuting. Plus, the interior leather seems split and the plastic breaks causing the front to collapse and look stupid. In other words, it's an inconvenience.

Now, about image. There's no doubt the hat improves our image with the public.

Keep in mind, however, the public chooses a three-leg journey to save 1$ over the non-stop flight, wears flip-flops, cut-off muscle shirts (but only the men), or sweat suits. So whatever improvement in image the hat may impart is drowned out to complete irrelevancy.

Now to the pay and managerial respect issue. <large belly laugh> The hat has nothing to do with either. Management doesn't respect pilots at most airlines because we're an expense. The hat won't change that. Our pay will increase when we have the leverage to negotiate it. The hat won't change that.

Now to the professionalism issue. Please. Hats have nothing to do with it. 'Nuff said.

So when we weigh the one plus and many minuses on the issue it's clear: the hat is an anachronism. But hey, for the few who actually wish to wear it I have no problem.

 

[Four Strings]

The flying public doesnt give a crap what you look like. Really. Unless you look 13 years old. Then they might get scared thanks to the colgan guys, who were probably wearing hats.

The hat is overkill in this day and age. Flying an airplane is not so difficult that you need to dress up like the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO when you go to work. Further, the job doesn't really command the respect it used to, nor does it command the salaries. And NO, before you say it Rez, it's not because we dont wear hats.

Nope, it's because too many people would do this job for free as long as they could look at themselves in the mirror with their hat on and seek never ending opportunities to tell people what they do.

 

[Giggity]

Hat.............................Other Issues.

 

[jonjuan]

Hats help keep our profession looking respectable...along with suit jackets. Kids like to wear them while getting their picture taken in the cockpit. Now if we can only get pilots to spend more than ten bucks on a pair of dress shoes instead of waffle-soled Rockports with extra thick shoe laces!

No kidding. I have seen a few gummers wearing these:

http://www.suitableshoes.com/product/0000001678.html
I saw some dudes in business suits laughing....

 

[eaglesview]

No kidding. I have seen a few gummers wearing these:

http://www.suitableshoes.com/product/0000001678.html
I saw some dudes in business suits laughing....

I've seen "gummers" wearing these as well. I have also seen guys in really nice shoes wearing a back pack like they are going to their cup scout meeting. I've had folks show up for a jumpseat ride with wings on their shirt, ID hanging around their neck, no tie and no epalatts. In this scenario I'll take the gummer who is in uniform but has bad taste in shoes.

 

[UALRATT]

Wow, a four-page mad-hatter thread. What is this, C&R (the APA message board)?

Thanks to you it keeps on going, and going, and going...

hat is uncomfortable, hot in the summer, not warm in the winter, and a pain to keep track of when deadheading/commuting. Plus, the interior leather seems split and the plastic breaks causing the front to collapse and look stupid. In other words, it's an inconvenience.

Old excuse from a few threads ago. The ones here are quite comfy, addresses your concerns and definitely Made In America. Customize it for fit. http://www.premierhatco.com/?page=shop/index. Now excuse me again!!

, about image. There's no doubt the hat improves our image with the public.

Keep in mind, however, the public chooses a three-leg journey to save 1$ over the non-stop flight, wears flip-flops, cut-off muscle shirts (but only the men), or sweat suits. So whatever improvement in image the hat may impart is drowned out to complete irrelevancy.

Keep in mind the public generally wouldn't pay a buck more for safety either. They just hope that chit doesn't happen. Trust you're not lowering the bar here based on the public's perception.

Now to the pay and managerial respect issue. <large belly laugh> The hat has nothing to do with either. Management doesn't respect pilots at most airlines because we're an expense. The hat won't change that. Our pay will increase when we have the leverage to negotiate it. The hat won't change that.

In the four pages here who said anything about management?

Now to the professionalism issue. Please. Hats have nothing to do with it. 'Nuff said.

It is part of it. The image that you and I inherited.

So when we weigh the one plus and many minuses on the issue it's clear: the hat is an anachronism. But hey, for the few who actually wish to wear it I have no problem.

So is the RLA!!!

 

[UALRATT]

Nope, it's because too many people would do this job for free as long as they could look at themselves in the mirror with their hat on and seek never ending opportunities to tell people what they do.

I absolutely agree with you that too many will but that has nothing to do with a certain sense of professional pride. It might very well be that you're in the wrong profession because associated with that pride is your responsibility to not denigrate it (no different from those who will do it for free).

 

[Whine Lover]

Okay Girls....Let's close this ridiculous thread down shall we?

Nurses use to wear hats and uniforms.....

"The use of nurses' caps in the medical facilities of the United States (as well as many other nations) all but disappeared by the late 1980s with the near universal adoption of "scrubs." - Wikipedia

Now, they wear neither.

In reality, the "uniform" that they once wore has evolved into a set of scrubs and some comfortable shoes ( sneakers ). Much like the evolving uniform of pilots....leather jackets and no hats.

However, it seems that we can conclude from the above pool of genius like aviator logic that without hats and formal uniforms:

A) Nobody knows who the nurses are anymore.

B) Nurses are denigrating their profession.

C) Nurses suck in their professional skills as compared to the past 100 years or so due to lack of snappy uniforms and hats.


If I had my way, all pilots would be wearing Klown Suits with really Big Orange Hair ( highly visible so as to identify Crew Members in emergency situations, evacuations, etc. ) so that no hat could ever fit on top of their vacuous craniums.



LOVE,

YKMKR

 

[PBRstreetgang]

The hat is past its prime, it was a holdover from the military days of yore, when pilots still had some vestige of manhood, and at contract time grabbed the goose by the neck and choked the last possible golden egg out. Today's pilot thinks that the hat will buy them some prestige and therefore respect and ultimately increased pay. Face the fact, Form Follows Function. You want more money? Go to negotiations and tell them your demands, and when they say, NO, you tell them, you all will quit tomorrow and kill the airline. They played hardcore with us and you all, just stuck your taters up in the air for penetration.
You guys just don't get it, they(management) have way more to lose than we(pilots) do. The average airline management puke is only just smarter than your average retard and twice as greedy! So if airline pilots get once(twice) baked by them , what does that say for the average pilot?
PBR

 

[PBRstreetgang]

Rez, you're such a hack. The problem with you damned prima donnas is that you're too concerned with all the crap that doesn't mean a thing while losing sight of the real problems in this industry. Our profession isnt going down the tube because I dont wear the same headpiece a tip-collecting skycap wears. Its going down the drain beacuse we have morons like you who believe that not wearing a hat is ruining our profession.

I wanna integrate a codpiece into my uniform, that will impress the flight attendants!
PBR

 

[Whine Lover]

" You guys just don't get it, they(management) have way more to lose than we(pilots) do. "

PBR,

I will buy you one if ever our paths shall cross ( "What'll Ya' Have?... Pabst Blue Ribbon! ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI_mZrLRl0I

You can't believe how many times I tried to get the above simple point across to some of the slack-jawed mouthbreathers that I inhabited crashpads and cockpits with.

They will NEVER learn.

Maybe it's the hats that decrease oxygen flow to the brain?

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL....As the Kids say.

YKMKR

 

[rajflyboy]

Hats help keep our profession looking respectable...along with suit jackets. Kids like to wear them while getting their picture taken in the cockpit. Now if we can only get pilots to spend more than ten bucks on a pair of dress shoes instead of waffle-soled Rockports with extra thick shoe laces!

Hats don't even look good anymore. They serve no actual useful reason to wear.

This is the year 2010. The days of wearing suits all the time and having spit shined shoes are in the past now.

Start paying the big bucks again and make this career respectable again!

 

[UALRATT]

In reality, the "uniform" that they once wore has evolved into a set of scrubs and some comfortable shoes ( sneakers ). Much like the evolving uniform of pilots....leather jackets and no hats.

Almighty, the leather jacket has passed it prime, died with the goggles, leather skull caps and scarves; all relics from the era of open cockpit biplane flying.

Now how about a white shirt with them little teddy bears all over it... Much appreciation though for wearing the cap on such occasions as a cold and rainy prefilght.