How is a Pilot "Professional"?

[CaptBill]

..And you attempt to go 'against' the flow.....You will get crushed. If I recall it was 'Up, aft' 'Down, Forward' Can remember the port/starboard part though.....

I just worked hard at staying out of the Marines way. That was their time to plow Junior Officers down and extract their revenge from us Navy guys who routinely messed with them. If you were running aft and saw the marines you turned around and ran the other way, and if you didn't get out of the way, you were toast. After the exercise, we would go back to annoying them, unless we were in the clinic.

 

[A300Capt]

Don't ever go on a Navy ship then....

Yea Mike, but you and I know there's a big difference between a 18-20 yr old climbing the stairs and and a 50-60+ yr old doing it while carrying bags.

 

[woodreau]

Great! Now I am going to have nightmares. Those stairs scare me.

Don't ever go on a Navy ship then....

Actually the ladders on a Navy ship are easier as there's a hand-hold right in front of you at face level as you go through the deck that you grab onto on your way down so there's no need to hold on to the hand rails/chains on the way down - you can go down the stairs a full walking speed without slowing - unless you have to shimmy your way through a scuttle.

..And you attempt to go 'against' the flow.....You will get crushed. If I recall it was 'Up, aft' 'Down, Forward' Can remember the port/starboard part though.....

ugh - deeply recessed and repressed memories that you dug up, up and forward on the port side, down and aft on the starboard side - until you get to a frigate and then it's just like a single-aisle narrowbody and everyone crushes into everyone else.

 

[JEP]

.......

ugh - deeply recessed and repressed memories that you dug up, up and forward on the port side, down and aft on the starboard side - until you get to a frigate and then it's just like a single-aisle narrowbody and everyone crushes into everyone else.

Served on a carrier so there wereplenty of stairs but you better know which way you are going....

 

[BEEF SUPREME]

How Is a Pilot 'Professional'? No to Backpacks, Yes to Integrity.

WTF does being a professional have to do with backpacks?

A professional pilot should always look presentable:

Oh so no iPod, no 5 o'clock shadow, my uniform had wrinkles? Fair enough. I'll work on that. It isn't professional, not at all. However I did notice the pilot at the FBO during the PGA event a Pinehurst who was so fat HE COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE LAZY BOY CHAIR in the pilots lounge. Look this is 91/135 and you are expected to not only fly during an emergency but get all the PAX out safely. How the exactly will you be able to perform that function? Oh and if you want to talk lack of professionalism lets talk about a reasonable standard of physical fitness. How about not so fat you can actually fit in the cockpit? Or maybe drag a 200# person 100 yards. Or the guy greeting his PAX with a pizza hut bag stinking up the whole FBO the other day in Austin? I know that life is hard bro, but maybe include health in you preflight. You will make us all look better.

I've met few captains that did anything suggested in this piece. Respecting copilots? Nope. Respecting CSRs? Nope. Fuelers? Nope. Rental car missing? Captain loses his mind: "Oh wow, I'd love to see what you are like at home with your kids."

"They must think you are awesome."

I revised the AFM for the Falcon made sure it was up to date, in my flip flops and board shorts. Every recent revision was to address a perfectly good airplane being crashed by total nobs. How about we keep our collective • together for a year or so? Wake up early, workout, grab a real breakfast, CHECK THE FLIGHT CONTROLS ON THE TAXI OUT, you know stuff like that.

We don't really deserve to be treated like professionals. At least not collectively. All apologies if you can actually run a mile without turning purple.

 

[Dugie8]

I can't run a mile but I can throw your mom 125 yards.

/snicker

 

[BE19Pilot]

"Served on a carrier so there wereplenty of stairs but you better know which way you are going...."

Amazing how quickly I learned how to find the mess deck and disbursing though...Four cruises on CV-63

 

[blee256]

I don't carry back packs or wear ear buds, no reason in particular, and ways try to keep shaved and uniform lookn good (mostly fo da ladies),, but if pilots were paid and treated like they should be they just might carry a little more self respect and we wouldn't need to have these silly little threads.

I always hate the "pay me like one, and I will start acting like one" Professionalism has nothing to do with how you are paid. Its how you carry yourself.

 

[MOGuy424]

Notice I also said treated. Respect for your employees goes a long way. It's obvious however that pilots on the regional level are not respected and the pay is just but one reflection of that disrespect. Now I've seen lawyers, executives, and yes, doctors who carry backpacks and wear earbuds in between jobs (just as pilots do between flights) and no one seems to think they are unprofessional? The way I see it also, when we are not behind the cockpit door, we are not working because we are not being paid, just like those lawyers while they aren't in trial, execs while not in meetings, or doctors while not performing surgeries, and those guys at least make salaries. Just food for thought.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

I'm not sure where you get the idea that "no one seems to think they are unprofessional." I'm certainly not hiring an attorney who wears a backpack.

 

[MOGuy424]

I'm not sure where you get the idea that "no one seems to think they are unprofessional." I'm certainly not hiring an attorney who wears a backpack.

So a highly recommended brain surgeon who could potentially save your life is seen during his lunch by you wearing earbuds or carrying a backpack is immediately discredited aaand now you're dead.

Really ,you guys are ridiculous

Peace, I'm out!

 

[jspeed87]

Airplanes don't care how you look/act, just fly it.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

That might be good advice if the only ones involved were you and the airplane. Of course, that's not the case. Customers also exist, and are in fact all that really matter.

 

[PhilosopherPilot]

I'm not sure where you get the idea that "no one seems to think they are unprofessional." I'm certainly not hiring an attorney who wears a backpack.

If I need an attorney, I'm hiring the smartest one with the best record I can afford. He can be dressed in a tutu with flip flops, and I don't care.

I recently bought a car dressed in shorts, sandals, and a Hawaiian shirt. Several salespeople passed me by, thinking I wasn't going to buy a car. Finally one guy ventured over, and I said, "Hi, I want that car. Today."

Looks can be deceiving.

 

[MikeD]

That might be good advice if the only ones involved were you and the airplane. Of course, that's not the case. Customers also exist, and are in fact all that really matter.

"No bucks, no Buck Rogers"

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

I recently bought a car dressed in shorts, sandals, and a Hawaiian shirt. Several salespeople passed me by, thinking I wasn't going to buy a car. Finally one guy ventured over, and I said, "Hi, I want that car. Today."

Looks can be deceiving.

That experience should have taught you something.

 

[PhilosopherPilot]

That experience should have taught you something.

It did. That too many people place importance on clothing. The salespeople should've learned something.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

It did. That too many people place importance on clothing. The salespeople should've learned something.

No, those salespeople had the right idea. More times than not, the guy dressed like a bum is a bum and isn't going to make them any money.

 

[PhilosopherPilot]

No, those salespeople had the right idea. More times than not, the guy dressed like a bum is a bum and isn't going to make them any money.

Maybe so. Their loss. I don't have much respect for judgmental jerks.

 

[m77y]

Saw something last week that made me think of this thread. I flew with a very senior captain last week and I was embarrassed to be around him. His uniform was filthy and to top it off I guess he doesn't wear a tie. He was walking all around the airport with no tie on and didn't have his hat, which is required at my airline. To top it off he never went anywhere without a backpack over his shoulder. Ive never cared much about the whole backpack debate but after this trip I believe it is an unprofessional look.