Quasimoto Pilots

EatSleepFly said:
Dear Velocipede,
I'm not a regional pilot, but I guess I do fit two out of the three big stereotypes. I really don't see the big deal, but please feel free to "enlighten" me.

I'm going to defend the iPod listening, spikey haired, backpack toting RJ pilots by suggesting that they draw much less attention to themselves than an old, crusty, overweight, sloppy excuse for a human being with a child molester mustache doing a halfass job at wearing a uniform.

In the end, it really doesn't matter... Joe Public probably thinks you're a skycap anyways. :cwm27:
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Excellent post! It seems like when nobody has anything to say and feels like typing something up on a forum they go for spiked Hair, IPOD wearing, backpack carrying pilots. Who cares? The people who do it think they are cool, they don't care, and probably don't read this forum.

Velocipede.... I don't carry a backpack but know plenty of people who do. In it there is their laptop, cooler, snacks, etc. Its fine by me. As for the hair... most people don't wear hats any more... and its company specific. However, I've seen a handful of people in 2 years of the "regional" profession with spiked hair. A lot of people use gel, which is fine---it looks good. I am a #1/2 kinda guy as well.

ipods are fine... I wear mine in the back, sitting at the gate, if my crew sucks--I'll wear it in the van, etc. I don't wear mine walking around the airport.

The biggest violaters as stated before are Sr. CA's walking around with backpacks on their shoulder, mustache, leather jackets, baseball caps, etc. If you have a problem with a pilot...have the balls to go say something to their face when they are walking through the terminal instead of sitting at your computer putting something on a forum that they will probably never see.
 
"Velocipede.... I don't carry a backpack but know plenty of people who do."

Heck, I took a black backpack on my last Pac Rim trip rather than lug my flight bag around. And l LOVE my leather jacket, I think it looks cool. Plus, it smells nice. I even wore my damn hat and my F/O was jacking me about that constantly. Nobody wears hats in the Pac. It's friggen 90 degrees with 90 percent humidity all the time.

I think the spikey hair and the Ipods in uniform are kinda lame, though. But it doesn't reach my "need to mention it" threshold (outside the internet). That would only come if some spikey haired kid, with an Ipod, was yelling at a nice gate agent because he didn't get his jumpseat.
 
DE727UPS said:
"Velocipede.... I don't carry a backpack but know plenty of people who do."

Heck, I took a black backpack on my last Pac Rim trip rather than lug my flight bag around. And l LOVE my leather jacket, I think it looks cool. Plus, it smells nice. I even wore my damn hat and my F/O was jacking me about that constantly. Nobody wears hats in the Pac. It's friggen 90 degrees with 90 percent humidity all the time.

I think the spikey hair and the Ipods in uniform are kinda lame, though. But it doesn't reach my "need to mention it" threshold (outside the internet). That would only come if some spikey haired kid, with an Ipod, was yelling at a nice gate agent because he didn't get his jumpseat.
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the eagle captain (8-10 years with that company i believe) i hauled out of RKD regularly always had the same beat up blue faded backpack with him. if i'm not mistaken he had an mp3 player and the boston globe (or whatever that daily paper is) that he'd burn through on the 40min ride down. quite frankly, that guy was a model of professionalism in view of the public even if he did have a backpack.

well professional compared to me for sure. although it didn't take much toward the end.
 
MFT1Air said:
My answer to you? ME!! I take pride in my profession. . .not how much I make.

Now, your analogy, please. If I enjoy what I do so much that I'd fly for nothing (peanuts), do I present myself as slovenly as well?

Just asking. . .

Here is perhaps a perception to some if you don't know. IMAGE! It's one of those perceptions passengers have and perceive when they look into the cockpit and see those individuals whose life is now in my hands. I aint concerned about how much money you're making; I'm concerned about how I perceive your capabilities are to fly the airplane.

Yea, walk onboard looking as if you just finished playing video games with my teenaged son; if the PIC isn't stellar, I'd be significantly concerned. . .to the point where afterwards, I'd write a letter. . .to someone.

If you look like a disgruntled employee, I'm taking that into consideration as well.

Call it life. . .call it reality. Don't be mad; just deal with it.
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You don't care how much you make? I think we have a class starting next week in MEM :buck:
I also have no clue what your getting at with your last line????? Im not gonna "just deal" with sub-standard pay because its a "fun" job(which it is most of the time).
 
JBUCREW said:
You don't care how much you make? I think we have a class starting next week in MEM :buck:
I also have no clue what your getting at with your last line????? Im not gonna "just deal" with sub-standard pay because its a "fun" job(which it is most of the time).
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I agree...I think what he was saying was that no matter what---if he is paid $20,000/yr or $200,000/yr he'd act/look like a professional.

The wages debate is a whole other topic. Unfortunately there are too many people out there who WILL work for substandard pay because they think flying is the coolest job ever. It is a fun job... but guys shouldn't be 5 years into a profession and not be able to afford a house payment!
 
BobDDuck said:
I just made a quick mental check of my base and here's what I got...

Hats... are no longer required as per mainline. I'd say we were about 50/50 here and are down to maybe 25/75 of people that wear them. Now that we are switching to leather jackets (blah) and nothing screams TOOL like a hat/jacket combo, I would bet the number will come down even more.

Ipods... There are a few guys in OTHER bases that wear the ipod while walking around, but I can't think of anybody in base who wanders around with one. I listen to one on deadheads and I see a few guys sitting in the terminal listen, but not that many walking around with the earpieces in. Now, bluetooth earpieces are a whole other story.

Spikey hair... eh, it's out there. And yeah, it's mostly the young guys. But they've got to so something with it as they aren't old and crabby and bald.

Backpacks... The worst offenders here are the senior captains. I can only think of one FO who carries a backback (and it normally sits on the handle of his rolling bag). There are several captains that lug a back back around on their shoulder.
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Remember when we showed up at the airport sans hat in MEM but with our blazers on? Remember how impressed the gate agent was?
 
Ah, yes, the predictable responses from those who carry backpacks: "Hey, I carry a backpack. I only use my iPod when I'm sitting around the terminal. Hats are optional. I look professional."

No you don't.
 
When I see a pilot looking a little tired and shabby, in my mind I try to give them the benefit of the doubt. For all I know they might just be on their 10th hour of work, starting their 5th leg, and trying to finish their 3rd swap of the day in 26min.
 
Velocipede said:
Ah, yes, the predictable responses from those who carry backpacks: "Hey, I carry a backpack. I only use my iPod when I'm sitting around the terminal. Hats are optional. I look professional."

No you don't.
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Yeah, well that's your opinion.

I don't carry a backpack, but I DO carry an extra piece of luggage with me in the form a crew cooler. It's a pain to carry it around, but I'll continue to do so until my company starts paying more first year so I can afford to eat decently on the road and not risk a heart attack by the time I'm 45.

I wear the blazer, but I don't have the hat. You know why? Because almost nobody at my company has the hat (in fact I haven't flown with a captain yet that has the hat) and I'm not exactly going to start a new fashion trend at my company. At least we all look the same without the hat.

I'd love for you to walk up to me in the terminal and tell me that I look unprofessional, but I have a feeling that you breathe fire from behind a keyboard but probably won't open your mouth to somebody to their face like most guys that spew crap on internet message forums. In fact next time you're in Newark give me a ring and we can go get a doughnut and you can call me unprofessional to my face.
 
Velo, I agree with you mostly (more then I thought I would actually), but what does his time in the jet have to do with his dressing professional? Either this is about something else or I'm really missing something here.

Besides, the man offered you a free donut. Only a fool would turn down a donut.
 
sigh, V, don't you realize that the young'uns don't believe in traditions. :( I'm afraid the respect the older airline captains received partly due to their uniform and how they carried themselves is almost gone. What can you do? We should just be thankful the kids don't take us out in the backyard and shoot us! :D
 
BobDDuck said:
Velo, I agree with you mostly (more then I thought I would actually), but what does his time in the jet have to do with his dressing professional? Either this is about something else or I'm really missing something here.

Besides, the man offered you a free donut. Only a fool would turn down a donut.
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Mmm...donut!

The jet time is a measure of airline experience. I find it laughable that an RJ newhire has the guts to come here and rag on anyone.

Rather, some F/Os need to shut their mouths and open their eyes/ears so they can learn from the more experienced. It might actually save their lives some day.
 
Velocipede said:
The jet time is a measure of airline experience. I find it laughable that an RJ newhire has the guts to come here and rag on anyone.

Rather, some F/Os need to shut their mouths and open their eyes/ears so they can learn from the more experienced. It might actually save their lives some day.
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I agree somewhat. There are a few newbies over here that have run their mouth WAY more then they should be. That and they can't fly to save their life. However, I don't think time in type is a great indication at lower times. Sure the guy with 8000 hours probably has seen just about everything, but 500 hours? I don't think so. There are plenty of guys here who have 500 (or 1500 hours) in the right seat and still don't know anything. Guys are calling them "osmosis FOs". They seem to think if they just sit there they will magically know everything they need to when they are allowed to move over to the other seat.

Then on the other hand you've got guys with 2500 hours in the right seat who are VERY aware that they don't know everything and are trying to cram as much learning as they can in before they upgrade.:panic:

That said, I think some of the most professional looking guys I've seen are the ones on their first day of IOE. It may not last, but they sure as hell are trying to look good and blend in.
 
BobDDuck said:
I agree somewhat. There are a few newbies over here that have run their mouth WAY more then they should be. That and they can't fly to save their life. However, I don't think time in type is a great indication at lower times. Sure the guy with 8000 hours probably has seen just about everything, but 500 hours? I don't think so. There are plenty of guys here who have 500 (or 1500 hours) in the right seat and still don't know anything.
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Agreed. That's the point of the question. There are people in this very forum with LESS than 500 hours of jet time who have some mighty big opinions, especially about themselves.

Guys are calling them "osmosis FOs". They seem to think if they just sit there they will magically know everything they need to when they are allowed to move over to the other seat.
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Exactly. Those are the guys I'd be worried about. Especially the ones who think they know it all already.

That said, I think some of the most professional looking guys I've seen are the ones on their first day of IOE. It may not last, but they sure as hell are trying to look good and blend in.
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Again, agreed. Usually, its because they're still on probation. I went out to fly a freighter one night and the F/O shows up in immaculate full uniform. We're allowed to fly freighters in civvies.

"What's up with the Uni?," I asked. "Still on probation for two weeeks," was his reply. I understood.
 
E_Dawg said:
jtrain didn't you get the memo?

You're not entitled to an opinion until you have 500hrs of jet time.
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Hey, he can have an opinion. Its the credibility of that opinion that is in question. Now, if he wants to talk Utah skiing, I'll defer to his experience.
 
"Rather, some F/Os need to shut their mouths and open their eyes/ears so they can learn from the more experienced. It might actually save their lives some day."

Yeah, Velo. Whatever. You should step back from the keyboard and read what you write, sometimes.

Now, tell me again I have no right to comment cause I just, "haul boxes"....

"I agree somewhat. There are a few newbies over here that have run their mouth WAY more then they should be"

BobDDuck, I'm pretty sure you're speaking of your airline, and not things said at this website, unlike Velo.
 
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