Originally Posted by
11atsomto
If you talk to a member ot the public who mentions anything about their pilot’s appearance it will only be one of two things:
1.They will mention if said Pilot is obese.
2. They will mention if their pilot was anything BUT a white male.
There will be no mention of short or long sleeve, hat or no hat, blazer or no blazer, sweater or all weather jacket. They notice the epaulets but they don’t realize that it correlates to any type of hierarchy.
They just Don’t ok……that’s fine that you take pride in your appearance, and I can’t say that I don’t, nor do encourage I anyone to not adhere to uniform policy.
I’m curious about what you think about NATCA? Have you ever done a tour of a tower or a TRACON?
Did you feel less safe once you saw everyone in there dressed like they were going to Costco?
I don’t believe the ATC comparison is a valid one. The flying public never sees these people, so it doesn’t really matter what they wear. When you are a “front line” employee, then the uniform matters. Nitpicking on minor issues regarding the tie, hat, sweater, etc is, in my opinion, a waste of time. However I do believe that “looking the part” is important. Looking sharp and professional is part of the job.Maybe it’s a generational issue. I’m in my late 50s, and it was engrained in me from a young age by my father (not a pilot, businessman) to have some pride in your appearance. Yes, it does matter to my generation, maybe not the younger folks. All I’m saying is take a little pride in your appearance, and don’t be afraid to use an iron now and then.