SpiraMirabilis
Possible Subversive
I wear the ALPA US flag tie. It was worth it, I once was going through security in PHX and guess who was behind me? JO! When he saw my tie he looked very angry, it was sweet.
Pilot Uniforms and Public Perception
- Thread starter Trip7
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I wear the ALPA US flag tie. It was worth it, I once was going through security in PHX and guess who was behind me? JO! When he saw my tie he looked very angry, it was sweet.
Chief Captain
Well-Known Member
If you're not an airline pilot, I wasn't aiming at you. If you don't mind, what kind of flying do you do?
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
Depending on how it looks, I would find it unprofessional. I'm not a big fan of the flag ties SWA wears, either, though. Guess I'm anti-American.
ppragman
FLIPY FLAPS!
135 Charter and Scheduled service in Alaska, so its apples and oranges I know, but at the end of the day we're all pilots.
surreal1221
Well-Known Member
Don't get too caught up.
The bad ass freight dawgs don't have to worry about customers' perceptions and trust.
The boxes don't fear their life because some tool doesn't know when too much gel is too much, or that they couldn't take the time to have his/her uniform tailored.
ppragman
FLIPY FLAPS!
Awesome. lol.
surreal1221
Well-Known Member
It's the sad truth. . .poor granny and granpa probably shake in their seats when they see some of the youthful individuals who lack any amount of professional standards running around.
You guys are certainly lucky in that regard.
You guys are certainly lucky in that regard.
ppragman
FLIPY FLAPS!
Its awesome ya know, my pax (natives from tyonek, or oilfield personnel) don't care if I've shaved, or if I'm wearing a clean shirt, most of the time we're all too bundled up to notice. Granny and Granpa that I've flown with usually have more time riding in the airplane than I have flying it (I talked to one guy who had been flying at Spernaks since he was 5, and is now 55) so there's not much you can do that will scare or alarm them, just don't do anything stupid, and half the time we're driving boxes around anyway, so its really nice. I am not entirely sure if I ever (evvveeerrr) want to fly someplace that requires ridiculous amounts of grooming so I can cart ungrateful whiners around, but I'll probably have to bite the bullet one day.
-Pat
ZapBrannigan
If it ain’t a Boeing, I’m not going. No choice.
I sure hope you don't have to. Those ungrateful whiners are known down here in the lower 48 as "the customer".
SlumTodd_Millionaire
Most Hated Member
I have two: one is a navy blue tie with white snowflakes, the other is a navy blue tie with christmas lights. I think they're pretty subtle, but still "Christmasy." Do you think something that subtle could be construed as unprofessional?
Chief Captain
Well-Known Member
I certainly don't see anything wrong with freight pilots letting loose a bit, but if they'll be deadheading on pax flights, I would of course expect them to be properly dressed in the terminal.
ppragman
FLIPY FLAPS!
I know, its sucks doesn't it. People going to work or living in the villages are happy you're coming to get them, there's an understanding: if you fly in #### weather, and dangerous conditions to come and pick them up, they tend to restrict the bitching, or at least try not to bitch about things like "its too bumpy."
As for deadheading or non-reving its business casual, pressed shirt, khakis, and a smile. No sense in getting booted off of the FREE flight because you look like a tool, or act like a tool. Although when I got stopped by the TSA, and missed my flight out (the only flight of the day that day because of bad wx) because I quote:" didn't look like a pilot." I probably acted like a tool.
I did non-rev in Kodiak a lot though, and I didn't have any "nice" clothes down there, so I'd show up scuzzed out in ratty jeans and a t-shirt so I could fly home, not really a big deal, the passengers only know you're a pilot if you announce it to everyone, otherwise you look like all the other bored stiff people trying to get back home.
Velocipede
New Member
But, how does the ol' corndog feel. That is the question.
Exactly why some people end up doing that for the rest of their "careers."
ppragman
FLIPY FLAPS!
What are the quotes for?
Velocipede
New Member
Do you have any aspirations? Or are you willing to stay in Afognek the rest of your life?
Think about your attitude. Things are getting competitive outside of the bush.
Think about your attitude. Things are getting competitive outside of the bush.
MusketeerMan
Well-Known Member
I like the hat...like the jacket...
My wife LOVES the jacket and hat...
My wife LOVES the jacket and hat...
ppragman
FLIPY FLAPS!
I'm not on Afognak, and yes I do have aspirations, however at this stage in the game, pre-college degree, pre-ATP, I'm stuck with doing what I'm doing. What I really want to do, is fly for Hawaiian Airlines, and live there, make beaucoup bucks, and stay in the 717 so I can be home every night and fly a cool airplane. Can I do that now? No. Can I do that two-three years from now? Probably not either. Do I want to spend that time in a monkey suit on autopilot away from home not going to college? No. When someone is going to pay me to be an airline pilot, then I'll dress like one. Until then, hell no. Does that mean that I show up to work smelling like gin and cigarettes? No, definately not. Does that mean I'm going to wear nice pressed shirts and slacks, and shave so I can both ruin clothes and be cold? No.
As for my attitude, man I'll do what it takes to get ahead, if that means wearing a monkey suit, then that's what it takes. However right now, I'm stuck where I'm at, and the last thing I want to do is ride around in the right seat all spiffy but underpaid and undervalued, with pax that hate that they have to be on an airplane that's too uncomfortable to them driving from Pittsburgh to Newark or whatever. As for attitude, you've got to be flexible, and I'm not so stubborn that I'm unwilling to change or examine my principles, right now, going to college matters more to me than being in the right seat of an RJ.
I understand where you're coming from, however, be advised, some of the best jobs out there are in the bush. You can make $500/day as a beech 1900 captain at a lot of places up here. Money that you'd never make down in the states doing the same thing and be home every night, or do two on two off, and vacation on your time off. You can make more money driving a 207 up here than many of the captains at Colgan make depending on who you work for. This is a great "career," filled with challenges, fun, excitement and different cultures. You provide a valuable service up here when you fly, and for the most part, you aren't replaceable. It takes skill and effort just to get around sometimes, and I for one am deeply afraid that I lack the skill and may one day bite the dust like all the others have in the past. This is diametrically opposed to the idea that comes up in other threads where its impossible to tell if one pilot or another is better, and things of that nature. Its challenging and rewarding, and often terrifying, and it is a career, make no mistake. Pilots at NAC and Everts can make way more than their counterparts at Southwest or even Alaska for that matter. The holy grail of jobs is up here: pilot for BP/Conoco Phillips Shared Services in the 737. Pays 100K/year as a starting FO, home every night, fly 3 hrs per day for 2 weeks, then you have 2 weeks off.
See what you're really asking is "do your aspirations include the airlines," and the answer for me right now is "definitely hawaiian airlines, then if that doesn't work maybe." Honestly, I'd like to think that the sum total of my life will be more than aviation. I want to have kids, serve in the military, write a book (which is probably evident by the length of this post), teach at a college, and more. I don't know about anyone else on here, but I don't particularly think I want to be "that guy," who flew his entire life, and is miserable at the end of it because he didn't accomplish anything other than putting hours in and shooting one more approach. My old Chief Pilot was that guy, and I definitely don't want to follow in his footsteps (thought he was a badass pilot).
-Pat
surreal1221
Well-Known Member
QFT.
I don't want to be that guy either. . .and I'm realizing that this game isn't for the faint at heart, even those of us who have the best intentions. Just far too much BS to deal with right now, and it doesn't even appear to look like it'll improve in the future.
For what? To fly a 76 or 77 international? For what? One more approach, a couple more hours of time in a log book that sits on a bookshelf?
Or - do something else with one's life, something meaningful. Work for the DA's office, prosecute criminals, write a book, direct policy for local, state, or federal governments, etc.
Or at least that is my vision of something meaningful. Maybe I'm losing the faith, but I heard it best a few months ago from someone far more experience in this game than me (777 Captain at Delta):
"I love the job, hate the industry."
And that's coming from someone who many would view as have "made it." Granted, I doubt he'd up and leave. . .but I certainly don't want to pigeon hole myself into flying ###### schedules for the rest of my life and only making 80k a year as I retire into nothingness.
Well - hasn't this thread just been hijacked or what.
ppragman
FLIPY FLAPS!
ZapBrannigan
If it ain’t a Boeing, I’m not going. No choice.
I really and truly HATE this phrase more than any other phrase i've ever heard a pilot utter. I've heard it my entire career in several variations.
"When they pay me like a professional, i'll dress like a professional."
"When they pay me like a major airline pilot, i'll act like a major airline pilot."
It's like fingernails on a blackboard to me. ARGH!
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