The Airline Pilot Hat: What will become of it?

[Rez O. Lewshun]

My company- well above my head- with the consent of my union and flt ops leaders have deemed the hat optional.
A professional pilot flies the a/c the way their company wants it flown. And wears the uniform the way the company wants it worn.
They pay my paycheck, not any of you- and I am in complete compliance every day on the job-
I will support your efforts to remind us all to show up to work with pride in our appearance. I simply disagree that the hat is part of the equation.
UALRATT- you're right- many analogies I used were less than perfect. No gel in my hair though man
Rez- see previous posts- we will have to agree to disagree.
Hat wearers at my airline tend to signify a lack of self esteem and an over reaching ego- not all, mind you- but many- and from many people's experience it's a signal that the pairing may not be too fun- (and no- not fun does not=more professional/ usually less professional actually- though the hat wearer will be convinced they are doing the job better than everyone)
I've never been able to make this stereotype at any other airline- the hat was the hat- sometimes you wore it- sometimes you didn't and no one cared-
which is where I'll bow out- I just don't care about the hat.
There's too many other things I care about to waste another keystroke on it- like:
calm clear demeanors
competence and well studied- ready to answer questions without struggling
fit and healthy- (though ready to drink!) just do some situps- no excuse for bellyfat- it's dangerous and looks like hell
shoes shined and new
clothes fresh and ironed
hair clean cut and well groomed- which means trim out your nose hairs- and gummers: trim your ear hair - everyone keep your neckline shaved- eyebrows- I support dems but don't want to see a Dukakis brow - just get the barber to trim them- no wax necessary
show care to your passengers- be available to answer questions- ie- use your cell phone in private out of the public eye- same with iPods-
take care of your people - go out of the way to buy coffee and chocolate- even for an occassional pax- tell them you appreciate them traveling- buy coffee for the cops
look people in the eye- don't be shifty eyed shady- or too egotistical to converse-
get sleep as well as you can- have fun

or better yet - only do that if you work at WN- the rest of you- wear your hats - but keep doing the opposite like you have been

All of this writing and still no response to why hats are valid at the picket line but not everyday?

I agree with much of what you posted though on attitude....

 

[saabservant]

I liked the hat, the general public likes us in hats, but they sure can be a bother, especially to those commuting to work.

In the Marines, we all wore our hats, because it was required, and because it was not optional. We also had a lot of pride in our uniforms and appearance, and the uniform is an expression of our professionalism and attitude. We don't care what the public thinks, as long as they and our enemies respect us.

Fashion and comfort had absolutely nothing to do with it. You were a Marine, so you wore your cover, obeyed orders, and accomplished your mission. No doubts in anyone's eyes, friend or foe.

Applying this to pilots, airlines, and alpa is tough. They all have had a hand in degrading our profession and standards. The hat problem is merely a symptom of the bigger problem. The UAL "hat switch"? Juvenile and immature....

If our profession/industry was squared away, there would be no hat issue. Unions and management would take a stand, either way....

---Outsource!!, the rallying cry of managers and greedy senior Captains.....

 

[waveflyer]

Man, anybody that good looking in a uniform and takes that good a care of himself has got to be gay. Or at least Metro-Sexual.

I'm just saying.

Nice. This from a Mesa serf....
I've never seen an airline or it's pilots so fully live up to their rep. Go iron your clothes and leave my hetero street credentials out of it-
but if you're curious- gay or straight - you get laid more when you do situps every day and don't look like a ********************ing slob- I'm just saying you gotta try a little....

 

[Turtle21]

If you wear a hat and suck as a pilot and corporate representative............. are you still professional?

Lose the hat.

Gup

Take it easy on the ALPA reps.

Even if ALPA reps loose the hat it won't make a difference... Wait.. if the ALPA pilots don't have to buy a hat then ALPA could collect more dues.

 

[sayrejm]

Netjets pilots are among the most professional pilots I have come across.... and they don't even have hats. I get paid to not crash, be on time, and make the passengers happy... If the book says wear a hat, I wear a hat. If the book says wear a hawaiian shirt, then I'd do that also. If I got a vote as to what the book said, then I'd vote no hat.... it messes up your hair!

 

[chignutsak]

I've only been mistaken for a curbside assistant when wearing a hat.

So what? Schlep their bags, and pocket the 5 or ten bucks!!

 

[jonjuan]

So what? Schlep their bags, and pocket the 5 or ten bucks!!

Who pays 5 or 10 bucks?

 

[waveflyer]

Rez- I don't pretend to understand why alps does anything. Pilots wear the hat when they are asked to at a demonstration. I would imagine they want everyone in their hats bc in a large crowd all you will see are people's heads- so it's good to have a hat on that signifies that the crowd is made up of pilots- you just can't see the stripes on the sleeves. I don't believe this logic applies to professionalism or daily line flying.

 

[Abernathy]

All of this writing and still no response to why hats are valid at the picket line but not everyday?

I agree with much of what you posted though on attitude....

You've got half of flightinfo on ignore, so you wouldn't know. Ever consider it might be YOU?

 

[Metro752]

Shhhhh, don't tell him.

 

[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