JohnBurke

And yet you took it upon yourself to overstep your bounds, to make contact with a union to which you pay no dues and have no standing, and have started a petition which shows gross ignorance not only of the industry, but of the process to make the change you seek.

By doing what you're doing, you're sending a clear message to those around you, and it's not a good message. It says bad things about you. Not content with that, you not only start a thread and a petition, but enter a board populated with working professionals, and expound the same drivel. Why not stand on your roof and scream out "I'm a dumbass?" You'd garner less attention and make yourself look far less foolish.

Company dress, company policy, and uniform standards are neither set nor created by the union. Rather than throwing punches in the dark, you'd have some tiny measure of voice if you wrote to the company directly with your request. Of course, if you intend to work for that company, you'd be better off keeping your pen off paper, your fingers off the keyboard, and your mouth shut. Pick your battles. Beards? Really? You don't want to pick something really critical, like crayon boxes in each seat back, or a new brand of toilet paper in the lavatories? Beards?

Get some nose rings in there while you're at it, or some of those gigantic hoops people are shoving in their ears these days. If you really want to make a change in the industry, get approval for nipple rings and piercings in the security lines, perhaps a special authorization. Perhaps you could lobby for pilots to shave their seniority number into their haircut, like a football player with his jersey. You may be onto something here.

Of course, it's something exceedingly idiiotic, but there you are. Before you tilt at any more windmills, take some time to grow up, focus on things which actually matter (like learning to fly) and get on with life. Let actual working pilots worry about the beard issue, because you're not a working pilot and your comments lead one to question whether you're old enough to grow a beard.

How a pilot presents to the public is very much a concern of the employer. The military has grooming standards. Airlines have grooming standards. Many employers have grooming standards. If it troubles you, find another industry. That's not an issue presently, as your'e not in the industry and have no leg upon which to stand. Your dog, as they say, is not in this fight, and in case you failed to take note, there is no fight save for what is in your head.

What you do on your own time is up to you, within reason. How you look, how you behave, how you dress, how you carry yourself, and your grooming is what the company says it will be on company time. This is a lesson you will one day learn, if you eventually become a working professional pilot. As a private pilot, feel free to attempt to grow facial hair, and if able, grow it to your knees if it floats your boat.

We see frequent "adjustments," but generally focus on things which matter. Issues which are constantly in the forefront are there because they are important.

Beards are not in the forefront, nor are they important. Moving on.