CFI Who Wears Shorts

[swisspilot]

Those look really nice, but $95 each...ouch!

That brand sells some sweet stuff, unfortunately all of it priced high.

I worked for a company that dressed his seaplane pilots with those UV protection shirts made by Columbia for Bonefishing...those cost even more

 

[A Life Aloft]

That brand sells some sweet stuff, unfortunately all of it priced high.

I worked for a company that dressed his seaplane pilots with those UV protection shirts made by Columbia for Bonefishing...those cost even more

I actually really like the Bonehead shirts, have several of them. I've been wearing Columbia shirts and shorts for decades. Great clothing that lasts. The shirts range from like 35 bucks to 70 bucks on line, so they aren't that expensive. 100% cotton and really soft. Great color selection too. They usually have sales a couple of times a year too. The UV Bonehead shirts are going for $48.00 clams. (just checked)

http://www.columbia.com/Men’s-Bahama™-II-Short-Sleeve-Shirt-Big/FS7047,default,pd.html

 

[swisspilot]

I actually really like the Bonehead shirts, have several of them. I've been wearing Columbia shirts and shorts for decades. Great clothing that lasts. The shirts range from like 35 bucks to 70 bucks on line, so they aren't that expensive. 100% cotton and really soft. Great color selection too. They usually have sales a couple of times a year too. The UV Bonehead shirts are going for $48.00 clams. (just checked)

http://www.columbia.com/Men’s-Bahama™-II-Short-Sleeve-Shirt-Big/FS7047,default,pd.html

Cool

 

[Mike H]

That brand sells some sweet stuff, unfortunately all of it priced high.

I worked for a company that dressed his seaplane pilots with those UV protection shirts made by Columbia for Bonefishing...those cost even more

uhmmm... ALL clothing provides UV protection, in case you didn't know it. Paying extra for it is a highly amusing scam.

I have a couple of those so-called "tan-thru" swim suits- I still get a tan-line

 

[swisspilot]

I have a couple of those so-called "tan-thru" swim suits- I still get a tan-line

ok man don`t worry I`m not gonna check...ahahah

 

[USMCmech]

You're never going to hear how a client is judging you based on your dress. Appearance is a subtle, unspoken factor. The client won't come out and say, "I decided you're not worth $50/hour," or "I don't think I'll do my next rating with you," based strictly on the way you dress. They'll just quietly stop coming, or never start to begin with.

People make decisions based on emotion, not logic. The logic has to be there, but emotion is what ultimately drives them. Dressing up a bit builds the "perception of value" in their mind. It makes them think, "This guy is serious about what he does. He's more mature than the guy at the other flight school. I bet he's more careful..." and on and on. It makes them feel good about flying with you.

The way you dress is sending out an unspoken message in the same way showing up on time, not using foul language, and having good hygiene sends out messages. It can go to both ends of the spectrum, too...if you show up in a full airline pilot uniform, under some circumstances, it can scream, "I'm a tool."

Now, if all your clients are 19 year old college kids, you're right, they probably don't care what you look like. But when you start dealing with 45 year old businesspeople who own $300,000 aircraft, they're going to wonder about shorts and t-shirts. Those are the clients who will provide a decent living for the CFIs who want it.

Honest question, what state are you from?

I think that most of us are claiming that nice khaki or navy shorts are appropriate during the heat of summer in the south. This is not so much a challenge to the staus quo, as it is a reasonable accommodation to the conditions we have to work in. A CFI can look very sharp in nice shorts and a company polo while staying relatively comfortable in our non air conditioned airplanes.

In the south and southwest this is generally considered perfectly acceptable. People like Todd who would be offended enough to take their business elsewhere are the very small minority,and in most cases I would not want to fly with someone that uptight anyway. As in most things in life it's not what you wear, but how you wear it. A slob who wears a shirt and tie does not look professional at all, no matter what he wears. I have flown with plenty of wealthy professionals whose only comments about my wardrobe were to say they need to copy it due to the high temps in the Texas summer.

 

[WacoFan]

Lederhosen is the perfect compromise.

Even ATN would fly with this guy.

 

[jrh]

Honest question, what state are you from?

I've bounced around all over the northern half of the country. Most of my time as an instructor came from Nebraska, along with Pennsylvania and Washington state, although I've also worked as a pilot in southern Illinois, and I'm currently living in Missouri.

Maybe it is a regional thing. I dunno.

Even if it is, I'd say wearing shorts are a cultural difference, rather than an actual necessity. I've flown and taught in GA aircraft in all corners of the country under relatively extreme temperatures and managed to survive somehow.

 

[USMCmech]

Maybe it is a regional thing. I dunno.

Even if it is, I'd say wearing shorts are a cultural difference, rather than an actual necessity. I've flown and taught in GA aircraft in all corners of the country under relatively extreme temperatures and managed to survive somehow.

As have I. In the south and southwest shorts are more commonly accepted for outside activities like the golf course, than they would be in the north.

At my current school shorts are not allowed per our dress code, and we seem to survive. However, if I were given the option I would wear shorts from June till August.

 

[dasleben]

You guys are all way too uptight, what with your pants, blazers, hats, etc. I'm from San Diego...if I could get away with wearing this to work, I would:

 

[cmill]

I get a lot of positive comments when i show up to instruct in this:

It instantly lets the student know how bad ass I am, and the american flag in the background conveys my patriotism. Jets, eagle in a flight suit, and an american flag. I really dont see how you can go wrong with this. No student qould be able to question your professionalism or classiness.

 

[HerrGruyere]

I get a lot of positive comments when i show up to instruct in this:

It instantly lets the student know how bad ass I am, and the american flag in the background conveys my patriotism. Jets, eagle in a flight suit, and an american flag. I really dont see how you can go wrong with this. No student qould be able to question your professionalism or classiness.

I want to wear this on my checkride.

 

[SteveCostello]

I want to wear this on my checkride.

I'd even be willing to have that cut for my first checkride.

 

[HerrGruyere]

Hahahah just wear it every time you fly. Or go to the mall, even.

 

[CoffeeIcePapers]

I want to wear this on my checkride.

I am taking my ATP checkride in the next couple of weeks. I think I will wear that.

 

[🦈💜]

I'd be curious to see if there's any correlation between CFI dress and pay. I bet you'd be hard pressed to find a CFI who makes more than $35k/year wearing shorts and a t-shirt to work.

This conversation gives me hives -- How can you talk about "dressing professionally" on one hand, and "making more than $35k" on the other? It's like hearing workers at Burger King arguing that you need to wear a tie if you want to work at TGIF. Sure, it's true, but it's pathetic.

The simple fact is that, generally speaking, outside of aviation (And the financial industry), most of the people who "dress up" to go to work are either non-professionals and executives (Who make a -lot- more than "more than $35k").

I happen to like wearing slacks and a nice shirt of some sort (Whether it's a polo, or a fitted t-shirt, or a button-down) and a belt while flying, or a flightsuit if I can justify it (Chiefly if I'm wearing a parachute)... but honestly, "professionalism through clothing" is just stupid. Professionalism is what you bring to the table, not what you wear.

Just my opinion, though.

~Fox

 

[🦈💜]

I am primarily an engineer. In most cases, wearing a suit and tie results in customers not wanting to deal with me. Jeans or shorts - pretty much what most of my customers wear. And these guys make a lot of money, more than most pilots.
Depends on the job, depends on the clientele, depends on the industry.

This, basically. Me, I've never in my life worn a tie. I only ever dress "nicely" to go flying, and then only because ... I actually don't know why, it just never felt right -to me- to wear ratty T-shirts and shorts, for some reason. But that's just me.

Every once in a while I'll come into the office wearing slacks and a T-shirt ... and everyone thinks I must be interviewing somewhere. This is an office, bear in mind, where nobody is making less than six-figures. An interviewee who wears a tie gets frowned at. Someone walking through the hallway in a suit is -really- frowned at. Most people wear jeans and a T-shirt; someone in a suit looks like either a sales droid who took a wrong turn or a peon.

This is a company in the top 20 of the 'Fortune 500'.

Horses for courses, as the saying goes.

~Fox

 

[🦈💜]

How would you even know? I remember looking around to buy a car in Ohio years ago. I pulled into the first dealership and parked my car, and immediately noticed the sales staff walking around the lot in jeans and company polo shirts. I cranked my car back up and drove down the street to the next dealership. Those salesmen were wearing shirts, trousers, and ties. That salesman got my business, and he made commission off of that sale. The salesman wearing jeans to work lost a sale, and he never even knew it.

Sorry, but I think that's pretty sad. Then again, walking into a car dealership is just a bad idea in the first place.

Then again again, when I'm talking to a vendor in a suit, any vendor, they're far less likely to get my business than someone who shows up in jeans and a polo.. EMC? The door is over here. Know your audience.

Personally, I think people wearing suits just look sleazy and trashy, like putting lipstick on a pig.

[/quote]I choose not to do business with people who can't wear big boy clothes. I'm not the only one.[/quote]

Fortunately, one of a shrinking set.

~Fox

 

[🦈💜]

Well, no, I don't have a comprehensive survey, but I can tell you the names of a dozen instructors who make more than $35k and not a single one of them wear shorts. I can also name a bunch of instructors in shorts, but they're all the weekend warrior type who I don't take very seriously.

Most of the professional CFIs* around here make much more than $35k, and almost every single one of them wears whatever they feel is appropriate. Mostly shorts/polos, some slacks/whatever, but none of them "dress to impress" -- they wear what they wear because that's what they wear.

~Fox
*- SF bay area, "professional" cfi = CFI who's not just timebuilding for an airline gig at a pilot mill

 

[tlewis95]

+1 for the Columbia stuff. I have probably 8-10 of their shirts and a pair of the pants. Great for all types of flying when it is warm out and I love all of the pockets.

When instructing it is usually one of those and cargo shorts for me.