The Airline Pilot Hat: What will become of it?

[slaquer5]

Whataburger, With all do respect do you have have clue how it sounds for a SWA pilot bashing ALPA sounds?
Through all the ups and down of this industry, if not for ALPA and the work they have done over the years, we would all be much worse off, including SWA pilots.
There really is very little difference between ALPA and SWAPA. They are both just the vehicle for pilots to be organized and try to do what is best for everyone they represent.

Are you kidding me. Do you think ALAPA is looking out for all? I for one feel they set up the EAL pilots for a fall that ALPA felt would help ALAPA out. A Lot of broken homes and suicide came out of that. JMO

 

[Amish RakeFight]

The hat means you're owned by management. It's their little remote which controls your brain. You give in to the hat. No one aspires to wear that ridiculous thing. Sorry.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

I wear my hat during the entire flight with my headset over the top. I've gotten a lot of comments from flight attendants and I seem to get more respect.

Exactly.

That buring look you're getting is one of respect and admiration. It's an ohh so rewarding feeling inside, isn't it? :laugh:

 

[ackattacker]

While image is important, it's also worth considering that nobody else really wears hats anymore. Back in the day, all men wore hats of some kind, it was a normal part of everyday business attire. So if you were a pilot, and wore hats, it made sense to have a pilot hat. Nowadays fashion has changed and it's normal for most people to walk around without a hat, and airline pilots wearing hats look like they're wearing a period costume IMHO. It's like if the CEO showed up to work wearing a gray flannel suit and matching fedora.

 

[Blade Runner]

This isn't a alpa/ Swapa debate- let's not do that.
Thoughts on the hat: (not to be confused w/ me caring too much either way)

1- 40's and 50's style carried on this long? The tradition started with style...
.

yeah the 2010 style replaces the hat with the I pod.

 

[say again]

Hats dont help when pilots get arrested for drinking, child molestaion, running naked around town, etc etc!!!!

 

[eaglesview]

The hat means you're owned by management. It's their little remote which controls your brain. You give in to the hat. No one aspires to wear that ridiculous thing. Sorry.

How does taking my hat off, or putting it on, change the way I approach my dealings with the company when they don't give a crap wether it's on or off. I operate, enforce whats left of my contract, the same way, hat on or off.

 

[eaglesview]

yeah the 2010 style replaces the hat with the I pod.

Don't forget the back packer pilots. There's a good look. Maybe we should go all out and start wearing fanny packs!!

 

[waveflyer]

Exactly- unshined shoes, dockers, un-ironed uniforms, iPods- but not for the appearance reason, but bc of the apathy it shows the customer-
you want to critique those things- I'm all for it-

But the hat isn't top of my list-
you want to improve the profession- remember Vegas 2 days ago and the 50 knot winds we were fighting and respect what you're worth- if you're working for a corrupt mgmt- don't respond with apathy, but with union involvement-
take a stand and vote for politicians that support unions-

The hat doesn't crack my top 100 though

 

[Guppiedriver]

1. You want paid like a professional, look like one.
2. You want the public to have any degree of respect for you, look the part.

In the end, I personally opt to wear the hat.

Really, it's that easy? I could use a few more bucks and a little bit of respect wouldn't hurt either......now where did I put that d@mn hat.

You hatters sure are funny!

 

[Abernathy]

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.

 

[wms]

I saw a DAL FO on the train wearing his hat...and a black backpack and light blue windbreaker. Looked good.

 

[wms]

Really, it's that easy? I could use a few more bucks and a little bit of respect wouldn't hurt either......now where did I put that d@mn hat.

You hatters sure are funny!

woops

 

[wms]

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'm not a hatter, but anyone who has been around just a few years can tell there has been a decrease in professionalism. Actually our profession is going down the tubes because we don't act professional much less look it. But we continue to insist we're professionals even though we act unprofessionally.

I talk to pilots all the time who say their ability as pilot has nothing to do with their behavior in the cockpit and their attitude. But when I go out to observe them it's easy to see that their image is an accurate refection of their proficiency and expertise.

With all the attention about lack of sterile cockpit, checklist discipline and the other elements of our job being so prominent nowadays, we need to examine ourselves honestly and be willing to look and perform the way we're expected to. Hats or Not.

 

[B727Driver]

skycap....now that is where the money is. They hide a bunch of cash.