Quasimoto Pilots

Seeing as we got off on this hat thing, maybe somebody can answer a question that's been bothering me for a while.

We all agree that the uniform is based off of a military look. This includes the hat. In the military, as far as I know, you don't wear cover inside. There may be a few exceptions to this rule (under arms maybe? or is that saluting?) but in general they aren't worn. Where do pilots spend most of their time? Indoors. Either in a plane or in a terminal. So in theory, the only time you should even see a pilot wearing one of those nice professional looking hats is while they are doing their walk around or while they are outside walking to a van or their car.

Just one of those things that has always bothered me.
 
i'm guilty of the "checking out when i saw my paycheck" syndrome. even though i knew what i was getting into when i got there. you just get beat down! and its not like anyone else except the newbies are trying to do things right.
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LOL spot on. Seriously though, all I've really seen so far are gradeschool style nylon lunch boxes.
 
BobDDuck said:
Seeing as we got off on this hat thing, maybe somebody can answer a question that's been bothering me for a while.

We all agree that the uniform is based off of a military look. This includes the hat. In the military, as far as I know, you don't wear cover inside. There may be a few exceptions to this rule (under arms maybe? or is that saluting?) but in general they aren't worn. Where do pilots spend most of their time? Indoors. Either in a plane or in a terminal. So in theory, the only time you should even see a pilot wearing one of those nice professional looking hats is while they are doing their walk around or while they are outside walking to a van or their car.

Just one of those things that has always bothered me.
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Well, it depends on the branch. Navy...no cover indoors, unless in an offical ceremony status. Also, on the flight line, wearing a cover is not allowed due to a FOD hazzard. Go figure.
 
BobDDuck said:
We can't even order the hats right now. Our wonderful (ALPA... hehe) brothers out west apparently never had them and the company thought it would be cheaper to just dump them all together. So now, if we WANT we can get the hat, but we have to pay for it out of our own pocket. Oh yeah, same thing with the blazer too. But they will pay for the jacket.
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Wait. Your airline actually pays for your uniform (or part of it) after your initial order? I just had to order a blazer, and it was 100% on me. If I had ordered it when I was hired, Pinnacle would pay for half. Oddly enough, Pinnacle won't spring for half of the leather jacket, though.

As far as SWA goes, I haven't seen any print ads, but most of the TV commercials don't even have the pilots in them. The few I have seen, they aren't wearing hats, but they are wearing the American flag ties. The 2+ years I worked there, I don't think I ever saw one guy wearing a hat.....but I saw a LOT of leather jackets. :)

Sorry, PCL_128, had to go there.
 
Velocipede said:
All I ask you guys to do is take a look at airline advertising. The image YOUR company wants you to project is right there in the magazines and TV ads. And all those guys are wearing their hats.

And that's the public's perception, as well.
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I'm glad you know more about the FOM, corporate culture and marketing at my company than I do.

Glad you also know what the public thinks. All of them.

The left seat really went to your head.
 
These are such silly debates. Some people think they need the hat and blazer to look like a professional pilot, while others think you can be professional without a hat and wearing a leather jacket. Fact is, most customers really don't care. What the customers do want is a crew who is pleasant, informative, and driven to providing outstanding customer service.

Personally, I love my leather jacket, and I cannot stand the hat. I think the hat can look professional, but I am glad it is optional because it looks absolutely ridiculous on me. I know that by taking care of my uniform and wearing it properly (starching my shirts, ironing, shining my shoes, etc.), I am doing my part in presenting a professional appearance for our customers. More importantly, I ensure that my actions while in my uniform are professional. That doesn't mean being a stiff, but rather being everything I mentioned above... Pleasant, friendly, informative, and driven to give the customers a safe trip.

I will continue to wear my leather jacket, and I will not be wearing the hat, unless my company choses to make it mandatory once again. I will continue to enjoy music listening to my iPod during my commute, and I will use gel each morning in my hair. I am professional airline pilot, and I try to act like it. However, I am also a 26 year old man, and I'm not going to try and act like I'm 50 simply because someone feels their opinion of what a pilot should look like does not match mine.

Some pilots spend way too much time trying to fit some cookie-cutter version of an airline pilot (usually the 1960's version), rather than putting real effort into what really matters: Serving our customers.

That is just my personal opinion, and you do not have to agree.
 
kellwolf said:
Wait. Your airline actually pays for your uniform (or part of it) after your initial order?
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We get $350 (was $475 pre concessions) per year as a uniform allowance. It rolls over. It used to be able to be used on anything related to the uniform, both required pieces (shirts/pants/ties/blazer/hat) and optional stuff (flasher overcoat, leather jacket, rolling luggage/flight cases). Now they are saying it can only be used for the approved pieces of the uniform (shirt/pants/tie/leather jacket) and rolling luggage/flight case stuff.
 
Professionalism is a decided state of being- it's not something you let peak and decline in order to reflect your present opinion of your paycheck. Nor is there a direct and uncontrollable correlation between the two.

When you let your appearance erode, your 'first impression' impact of professionalism goes with it. The ultimate perception of a pilot's high degree of professionalism (and customer service) is inherent in this. We're selling fast, convenient transportation in highly complicated machines that make big smoking holes when we screw up. Your appearance is how a customer determines their confidence in your abilities, regardless of how things actually progress.

When I see an airplane with peeling, flaking, cheap paint- guess what I think about the quality of the rest of the airframe (and the maintenance effort that must maintain it) ?

So now, when you hoist the Jolly Roger and go yell at management that you deserve a wage related to your degree of 'professionalism'.. do you wonder why they find so much less reason to take us seriously?

Since we're all being honest- at Colgan I rarely wore my hat. In fact, I wore it alot at first, then got rid of it in the sweltering ramp heat of the summer. I took to wearing it only when it rained. The jacket was also left in the closet in the summer alot. Why? I sweat like a • in church wearing that thing in the summer. I wear it when the weather dictates.

Beyond that- were my shoes clean and shined? Usually, yes. Were my clothes clean and pressed? Most of the time. I tried not to slip.

I damned sure never showed up unshaven and hair uncombed. I saw that alot.

I could also probably stand to lose five or ten pounds. But hey- I did what I could with what I could.

Nobody expects anyone in the business- including the vaunted line pilot- to be immaculate and flawlessly prepared. We're not all on our way to a photo shoot.

But seriously- I think the point of all this is.. take some pride- make an effort. TRY. A very minorly worn appearance showing effort.. but wear of the day on the line.. still goes a long way.

As far as the 'young' versus the 'old'... give it a rest. The old guy will likely claim he's too tired to care and the young guy might not know enough to care. A clear dividing line of right and wrong really doesn't exist.
 
Velocipede said:
Actually, the backpack is becoming the "badge" of the FFDO. Walk around DFW a bit and the gun nuts might as well scream "I've got my piece!"
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Also the badge of international flying as well... it's just easier to carry a backpack... doesn't necessarily belong on the shoulder of a pilot but if its connected to the luggage, then i don't see a big problem with it. What else would be better for carrying in flight supplies?

Spikey hair... i have to admit, it's easier to not get hat head when your hair is short, isn't it?

I do think hats should be worn as a sign of professionalism....doesn't totally go with leather jackets, so really, they should can the leather jackets and go back to a more professional jacket to tie everything in...the field does have a certain regalness to it, why not display it as it should be with the right type of outerwear?? Under a jacket, your shirt can somewhat hang out because nobody would see it then.....so then, nobody would care.

when i go out to meetings, i wear what the profession expects me to present myself as...also as a representation of my employer...granted, we're no longer in suit/tie unless it's a interview or political meeting but we still get dressed up to the nines business casual wise, expected to be on our best behavior.

believe it or not, i actually check how the pilots are dressed/made up for the day when i get on a flight...to me (and it's certainly not everyone) how appropriate they are gives me a clue into their behavior...if they're sloppily dressed or looking like they're trying to circumvent the company standards, then i tend to wonder if they also try to circumvent the company standards while in the cockpit...why wouldn't i think that...a lot of customer service attitudes and actions now a days are based on first impressions. like, you'll know right quick what type of attitude your going to get by someone simply from facial/body expressions... same can go for how you look as well as how you portray yourself.
 
FlyChicaga said:
What the customers do want is a crew who is pleasant, informative, and driven to providing outstanding customer service.
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That makes for a great corporate propaganda slogan, but it doesn't jive with reality. As far as the pax are concerned, their impression of you is based on what they see when you walk up to the gate at the beginning of their flight. They want to see a traditional looking air line Captain. They don't want to see some kid in a leather jacket and spiked hair. You're already at a disadvantage because of your age. When the pax see a 26 year old with gelled hair and a leather jacket, they question the maturity and experience of the Captain that will be responsible for their safety for the next couple of hours. If they see somebody walk up with a buttoned-up blazer, hat, conservative haircut, etc..., then they won't be thinking about your age, because you won't be looking like a kid. Sorry, but perception is reality, and most people aren't going to perceive you as being very professional. If I was sitting in the gate waiting on an ExpressJet flight and saw a Captain walk up with spiked hair and a leather jacket, I would be getting up and walking to my backup flight, even if it meant waiting another hour.
 
I'm still failing to see what's immature about leather jackets. For Pete's sake, our union fought for years to get us leather jackets, and they seem quite popular so far. I think they look fine.
 
PCL_128 said:
That makes for a great corporate propaganda slogan, but it doesn't jive with reality. As far as the pax are concerned, their impression of you is based on what they see when you walk up to the gate at the beginning of their flight. They want to see a traditional looking air line Captain. They don't want to see some kid in a leather jacket and spiked hair. You're already at a disadvantage because of your age. When the pax see a 26 year old with gelled hair and a leather jacket, they question the maturity and experience of the Captain that will be responsible for their safety for the next couple of hours. If they see somebody walk up with a buttoned-up blazer, hat, conservative haircut, etc..., then they won't be thinking about your age, because you won't be looking like a kid. Sorry, but perception is reality, and most people aren't going to perceive you as being very professional. If I was sitting in the gate waiting on an ExpressJet flight and saw a Captain walk up with spiked hair and a leather jacket, I would be getting up and walking to my backup flight, even if it meant waiting another hour.
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Sorry you pass judgment so easily based on outside appearances. Personally, most of the guys I've flown with who were concerned so much with their "professional appearance" were raging a**holes and a pain to fly with.

It is terrible that you view my statements about customer service as "corporate propaganda." This job is all about customer service... I think most pilots forget that, and focus on less important things like hats and backpacks.
 
If you look around there are a lot of opportunities to have positive interactions with customers. I stand outside the aircraft when I can and greet them as they board or disembark, but it doesn't end there. If I am in the terminal, I am a diplomat for our industry. If I'm on the street waiting for the van and someone askes me a question (that ever happen?) I try to be polite and educate as much as possible. Yes I hear what people consider "stupid questions" but just because I've heard them 100 times already doesn't limit my ability to give that person a good feeling as they walk away.

This isn't propaganda, it's where the rubber meets the road. If we all showed our customers this kind of care (admittedly sometimes harder to do than others) not act like we're high and mighty or try to duck "dumb questions" then people wouldn't have the negative impression they have.

Appreciating and educating my customers; It makes my day better:)


Oh by the way . . . when my Captain wears his hat, I wear mine. (It is a uniform after all) I do love my leather jacket.
 
I don't get very many comments from my travelling buddies about uniforms...but I constantly get comments about 12 year old looking pilots. There are some young looking dudes out there.

My neighbor just flew to NYC on CMR and she was mortified at how young one of the pilots looked.

I'll typically let the old gray haired dude be the visible portion of the crew during greeting passengers. That's what they want to see.

Interestingly enough, one survey talked about what passengers notice when they observe the pilot uniform. The most common answer was.....the shoes!!! Make sure and shine 'em up.
 
BobDDuck said:
We can't even order the hats right now. Our wonderful (ALPA... hehe) brothers out west apparently never had them and the company thought it would be cheaper to just dump them all together. So now, if we WANT we can get the hat, but we have to pay for it out of our own pocket. Oh yeah, same thing with the blazer too. But they will pay for the jacket.

To quote Dr. Dre (who I was listening to on my ipod while wandering through the terminal last week) "Hat's ain't #####... but hoes and tricks"

My point being, there is a hell of a lot more to being a pilot then dressing up nicely. Sure, that's part of it, but to judge a guy's pilot skills (what ever that means) from how he dresses is absurd.
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Yeah, you carry yourself very well but you also fly a mean stick. What's up with that? That's just not fair.


I'm still trying to circumvent the system and order a hat and blazer.
 
PCL_128 said:
That makes for a great corporate propaganda slogan, but it doesn't jive with reality. As far as the pax are concerned, their impression of you is based on what they see when you walk up to the gate at the beginning of their flight. They want to see a traditional looking air line Captain. They don't want to see some kid in a leather jacket and spiked hair. You're already at a disadvantage because of your age. When the pax see a 26 year old with gelled hair and a leather jacket, they question the maturity and experience of the Captain that will be responsible for their safety for the next couple of hours. If they see somebody walk up with a buttoned-up blazer, hat, conservative haircut, etc..., then they won't be thinking about your age, because you won't be looking like a kid. Sorry, but perception is reality, and most people aren't going to perceive you as being very professional. If I was sitting in the gate waiting on an ExpressJet flight and saw a Captain walk up with spiked hair and a leather jacket, I would be getting up and walking to my backup flight, even if it meant waiting another hour.
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Sorry boss, but I look pretty young, and to tell you the truth I look like a 17 year old trying to play dress up in my uniform. I'm 25, I still have acne (it's something I've been trying to fix since I was about 13, with spotty results) and I look like I'm 17 at best.

You can only put so much lipstick on a pig, I'm gonna look young no matter what I do.
 
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