Random question time!

dasleben

dasleben

That's just, like, your opinion, man
Alright you'ze guys...

So, the company I'm about to start class with allows neatly-trimmed goatees and beards for its pilots. Awesome stuff, since I've worn a goatee for oh, 5 years now with the only exception being the year I worked for ExpressJet.

What do you all think the etiquette is on keeping my goatee when I show up to initial training? I'm still fighting the old "facial hair is baaaad" mantra from my previous 121 experience. :D

What do you all say? Shave? Keep it? Let's hear it. :beer:
 
Did you wear it to the interview? If so, and they hired you, I guess they don't have a problem with it.
 
Do what you want about the goatee, but be sure to add an ALPA-stache. Isn't that pretty much requisite for flying the Heavy Iron anyway?
 
Timbo said:
Did you wear it to the interview? If so, and they hired you, I guess they don't have a problem with it.
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No, I shaved for the interview. Didn't know it was allowed until I was able to peruse the FOM after I'd been offered the job.

No big deal either way...I just like it and would like to keep it. I suppose the conservative thing would be to shave it for training and grow it back on the line; never know how the individual instructors feel about it. My issue is that I appear to be, oh, 16 without it. ;)
 
Roger said:
Do what you want about the goatee, but be sure to add an ALPA-stache. Isn't that pretty much requisite for flying the Heavy Iron anyway?
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This is true. I'm pretty sure a section of the type ride tests your ability to grow a proper ALPA 'stache.
 
dasleben said:
No, I shaved for the interview. Didn't know it was allowed until I was able to peruse the FOM after I'd been offered the job.

No big deal either way...I just like it and would like to keep it. I suppose the conservative thing would be to shave it for training and grow it back on the line; never know how the individual instructors feel about it. My issue is that I appear to be, oh, 16 without it. ;)
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If I was hired without it, but it was allowed, and I was worried about it, then I would wait until I had some time under my belt and they got to know me before I grew it back.

I personally am not a fan of facial hair, but it's the bosses ya gotta make happy!
 
dasleben said:
No, I shaved for the interview. Didn't know it was allowed until I was able to peruse the FOM after I'd been offered the job.

No big deal either way...I just like it and would like to keep it. I suppose the conservative thing would be to shave it for training and grow it back on the line; never know how the individual instructors feel about it. My issue is that I appear to be, oh, 16 without it. ;)
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I wear a beard for the same reason. I can pass for 25 with it, without it people think I am about 21 or 22. The funny thing is is that I am 29.
 
You do know the ALPA 'stache guys in the magazine are posers who don't actually fly airplanes, right? They go to meetings and happy hours, but are rarely seen in a cockpit.

As for the gotee, well, I know the male flight attendants will LOVE you if you keep it, you'll be 'on their team' so to speak.

Not that there's anything wrong with that...so I'm told.

And what's wrong with looking 16? The Female F/A's like that, or at least they did when I looked 16.
 
ColoradoPilot said:
If I was hired without it, but it was allowed, and I was worried about it, then I would wait until I had some time under my belt and they got to know me before I grew it back.

I personally am not a fan of facial hair, but it's the bosses ya gotta make happy!
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That's not bad reasoning...

Shane702 said:
I wear a beard for the same reason. I can pass for 25 with it, without it people think I am about 21 or 22. The funny thing is is that I am 29.
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This either...

Timbo said:
As for the gotee, well, I know the male flight attendants will LOVE you if you keep it, you'll be 'on their team' so to speak.
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But this...this scares me!

Timbo said:
And what's wrong with looking 16? The Female F/A's like that, or at least they did when I looked 16.
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The goatee is nice, but I do seem to get hit on by women who are uhh, considerably older than I am. A change of pace might be nice. I had a passenger right after my interview (before I started growing it back) make a Doogie Howser joke though...that, well, I try to avoid. :crazy:

Weeeeeeeeeeeeell, thinkin' I might shave it. We'll see.

Now back to limitations and memory items. The nice thing about going to school on an airplane made for old men is that they don't expect you to remember very much. :bandit:
















Kidding. ;)
 
"I had a passenger right after my interview (before I started growing it back) make a Doogie Howser joke though...that, well, I try to avoid. :crazy:"

10 years ago, before I went 'grey', I used to get that stuff all the time. I still have some of our Senior Eaters tell me, "You can't be the Captain, you aren't OLD enough to be the Captain!" Now, you have to see this remark through an old woman's eyes. These Senior Eaters are usually OVER 70 and still sling'n hash! They have been Sky Goddes' for over 50 years! So in their eyes, a 777 Captain who is 20 years younger than them...well...they just can't accept the fact that it's not -me- that's too young, it's -them- that's too old!

Why there is no mandatory retirement age for F/A's is beyond me...but some of these cat ranchers should have been put in a 'home' a long time ago.

I used to tell the pax who would give me a hard time, "Charles Lindburgh was only 26 when he crossed the Atlantic, so sit back and relax, or get off and take the next flight, with the old guy with the glasses and the hearing aid..."

Never had one get off.
 
Keep this in mind though, is it with another 121 or 135 operator? Would you be looking to ride a jumpseat anywhere? Some carriers don't allow jumpseaters up front if they have beards or goatees.

I personally don't do facial hair, thanks to a certain Gsgt, but if they are cool with it, and it wouldn't impact you outside of work, do what makes you feel good.
 
Timbo said:
I used to tell the pax who would give me a hard time, "Charles Lindburgh was only 26 when he crossed the Atlantic, so sit back and relax, or get off and take the next flight, with the old guy with the glasses and the hearing aid..."

Never had one get off.
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I like that. I'm going to use that. :cool:

Cptnchia said:
Keep this in mind though, is it with another 121 or 135 operator? Would you be looking to ride a jumpseat anywhere? Some carriers don't allow jumpseaters up front if they have beards or goatees.
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My current company also allows facial hair, and I haven't had a problem jumpseating. Actually, most of the time when I stick my head up front to ask for a ride one of them says "Whoa, you can have goatees? Cool!" :D

I have heard of some of our guys with facial hair having issues on Delta, but I don't tend to use Delta to jumpseat anywhere.

motoboy said:
Easy, Fu Manchu :)
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Specifically prohibited. ;)

boondr said:
Just go with a soul patch you'll offend everyone equally.
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Not like I have a problem doing that to begin with!
 
dasleben said:
I have heard of some of our guys with facial hair having issues on Delta, but I don't tend to use Delta to jumpseat anywhere.
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Yep, that's one of the one's that won't let you sit up front with a beard, if you're a pilot. Delta mechanic, or Fed, different story.
 
Or...you could just paint it on, like Groucho Marx in the Avatar above. That way if anyone gives you any crap when you try to jumpseat, you just wipe it off and you're good to go!
 
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