Private Pilot Uniforms

Remember also as you wear your uniform around the airport and FBO, carry a leather flight case loaded down with books and "charts". Also, have an official looking ID card hanging on a lanyard around your neck. Make sure everyone addresses you as "Captain". Have your wife and kids always use phrases such as "Well, you know the Captain really likes the Red Lobster when he gets back from flying his line".

And get the business cards made up that have "Captain" before your name.

In article ,
B A R R Y wrote:

I also stumbled on this:
http://www.talklikeapilot.org/

OMFG. I thought I'd seen every Monty Python sketch ever, but this was
wonderful.
--
-Ed Falk,
http://thespamdiaries.blogspot.com/

On Nov 25, 3:26 pm, "Frank" wrote:
I am anticipating getting my private certificate in the not-too-distant future. I know this may sound like a real dorky thing to some people, which is why I am reluctant to ask my instructor, but I was thinking about getting a uniform.

I do not want to do anything against any "protocol", nor would I want to offend any career pilots or military personnel. Accordingly, I want to pose the questions for everyone here.

Is it permissible for a private pilot to wear a shirt and/or jacket that epaulettes with 4 gold stripes? I believe that gold is for "officers" (such as the captain of the plane) and 4 stripes signify the pilot (3 are for crew). Is this correct?

Also, is it ok to wear a pilot cap with generic gold wings to match the epaulettes?

Although this may sound a little quirky to some, I am interested in displaying how VERY proud I am, but I don't want to offend.

You'll become the butt of many jokes. And you might get asked out for
a date by another man.
But hey, whatever floats your boat. This is still supposed to be a
free country.

Around here, the official "pilot uniform" is generally jeans or shorts
and a Hawaiian shirt. with a baseball cap or tilley hat to cover our
bald spots. A small pair of wings clipped onto the hat is cool,
though.

Also around here, there is generally no problem recognizing the brand
new pilots. They're the ones with big grins on their faces that you
couldn't remove with a sandblaster.

I used to instruct at a major Midwest university flight school.
Pre Solo Student pilots wore a blue shirt with epaulets.
Solo Student Pilots wore dark blue shoulder boards without stripes.
Private pilots wore dark blue shoulder boards with one silver stripe.
Instrument pilots wore dark blue shoulder boards with two silver
stripes.
Commercial pilots wore dark blue shoulder boards with three silver
stripes.
CFI pilots wore dark blue shoulder boards with four silver stripes.
Instructors wore white shirts with black shoulder boards and three
gold stripes.
ATP instructors wore white shirts with black shoulder boards and four
gold stripes.

Students wore dark blue slacks, black shoes or boots.
Instructors wore black slacks, black shoes or boots.
White tennis shoe were not permitted.

Hair neatly trimmed and no jewelry other than a watch or ring.

Conduct while in uniform is something to consider. Do not be like the
Dean Martin / Foster Brooks bar video. It is funny but not the thing
a pilot should do while in uniform.

If you do not want to wear a uniform, don't. If you dress in a nice
polo or button down shirt, slacks or jeans which are in good repair,
no one will look down at you at the airport. Don't even go to an
airport wearing nose rings, earrings, Grateful Dead t-shirt, long
nasty unkept hair, faded blue jeans with rip holes, John Lennon
sunglasses and Jesus sandals. Not only will you not get any respect
but the TSA agents or local law enforcement may escort you to a small
private room for a chat.

Nothing wrong with looking the part but try to dress in a manner which
blends in with the rest of the pilot community.
Each airport has its own flavor of pilots.

"Clay" wrote in message
...
...
. Don't even go to an
airport wearing nose rings, earrings, Grateful Dead t-shirt, long
nasty unkept hair, faded blue jeans with rip holes, John Lennon
sunglasses and Jesus sandals. Not only will you not get any respect
but the TSA agents or local law enforcement may escort you to a small
private room for a chat.


Been there, done that (well, customs, TSA didn't exist back then).

My brother and I (both teens at the time) were traveling around in a Cessna
120 - after a couple weeks we are coming back into the US from Canada - we
walk into the customs office looking just a little scruffy. The last two
weeks we had been sleeping under the wing, wearing the same clothes - I used
duct tape where my pants had ripped (Left the extra clothes home to try and
stay near gross weight - even a mighty Continental 85 can only lift so
much) - probably didn't smell real good. This guy's eyes light up - he looks
like he is sure he is on to something - he's gonna take that old Cessna
apart...

Well, if we looked (and smelled) bad, the "baggage" space behind the seats
was even worse. Camping gear, dirty pots and pans, tent, sleeping bags, etc.
(OK, we did have one change of underwear / socks each). He started off
dragging stuff out and inspecting it, but as he got deeper into the pile, he
just got slower and slower. Finally, he turns around, looks at us, shakes
his head, and says "you guys can go..."

It felt good to beat down "the man" without even trying.

FWIW - there was nothing in there for him to find.

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.

On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 19:12:56 -0500, "Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe" The Sea
Hawk at wow way d0t com wrote:


Well, if we looked (and smelled) bad, the "baggage" space behind the seats
was even worse.

The Chevy Chase "Vacation" back seat smell? G

wrote in message
...
On Nov 25, 3:26 pm, "Frank" wrote:

Also around here, there is generally no problem recognizing the brand
new pilots. They're the ones with big grins on their faces that you
couldn't remove with a sandblaster.

Permagrin. Very Common on sunny days.

Al G

wrote in message
...
On Nov 25, 3:26 pm, "Frank" wrote:

Around here, the official "pilot uniform" is generally jeans or shorts
and a Hawaiian shirt. with a baseball cap or tilley hat to cover our
bald spots. A small pair of wings clipped onto the hat is cool,
though.

This is my entire uniform.
http://www.columbiaairmerchandise.co...BTAW8915GRP7BT

Well, okay, jeans or slacks...
--
Matt Barrow
Performance Homes, LLC.
Cheyenne, WY

On 2007-11-25 13:26:21 -0800, "Frank" said:



I am anticipating getting my private certificate in the not-too-distant =
future. I know this may sound like a real dorky thing to some people, =
which is why I am reluctant to ask my instructor, but I was thinking =
about getting a uniform.

If you were really smart, you would wear a flight suit. Pockets in all
the right places and flame retardant.



--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

If you were really smart, you would wear a flight suit. Pockets in all
the right places and flame retardant.

I bought a used flight suit (from an army surplus store) with the
intent of wearing it for CAP. It's now relegated to use around the
hangar as coveralls (Mary and I both have them) and I can vouch for
the fact that they are excellent for this purpose.

They are comfortable, warm and have (as you say) lots of pockets.
They protect my clothes when I'm changing the oil, and are also useful
as Halloween costumes. (We've worn them for this several times, as
well as in the Fourth of July parade, when we drove our float as Fred
Noonan and Amelia Earhart. And, yes, I know they didn't wear flight
suits like these in the '30s, but 95% of the crowd didn't know that!)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"