Which is more important?
 

A friend of mine recently went through charm school (Captains Course), and after all of the, "How-do-ya-do's", the guest speakers got up and gave the typical rah-rah speeches. The number one item addressed by our SCP for about 45 minutes? UNIFORM POLICY!!!! Gimme a break!!!! Oh, but he did manage to say something along the lines of, "now you guys fly safe out there, OK?" Grrrrrr.....:mad:
When are our senior "leaders"....yes, I used quotation marks.....going to understand that we have a damn good pilot force, and that dressing nicely is not going to make us fly better, or give us all a warm fuzzy about being at FedEx???
How about tackling the real issues, such as flying into non-tower ops at 0-dark-thirty, or FTDT regulations, or how to better address fuel savings, or what your new Fleet Captain can do for you.......anything but that GD parka, for chrissakes.:mad:

No matter what is done by the buffoons in our Flight Ops organization, I for one will continue to set the example in my cockpit, by being SAFE, LEGAL, and PROFESSIONAL, and when I need guidance, I will look to those that have line experience, and not some chucklehead that has nothing better to do than worry about how we look when we check into the hotel, or walking through the terminal, after flying through thunderstorms at 0400.....

I have heard from more than one source that Parkas, Leather Jackets and Backpacks will be going away. Also recently heard the possibility of hats!

Yep that will make us safer.

If that is what this new management group is going after it proves the
area that they have control over is very small and the area the lawyers
have control over is large. We have to remember that these guys are
just hired messengers, they have very little real authority or autonomy.

They can have my back pack when the pry it from my cold dead hands.

interesting first issue to tackle, I agree. My only piece of advice on your thoughts, I fly around the thunderstorms :), I am not good enough for the the through part. I know that is not what you meant, just a Saturday morning coffee joke.

time will tell what the mandate of the new admin will be, stay tuned.

Never been to the principals office here at FedEx but Im sure this will lead me there because those parkas actually provide warmth and keep me dry on those preflight walk arounds. Also, backpacks distribute weight more evenly and cause less stress on the arm, shoulder and elbow which leads to less sick calls due to OJIs'. Seems like our management has taken a page out of the old NWA handbook "We are not happy until you are not happy".

Just leave us be to fly your jets safely so you can make your bonus off our backs. Although, something like this small act of craziness might actually bring more unity to this group of individual contractors group called FedEx pilots.

Just got done with the new and improved Captn's course. Our chief pilot is definetly focused on our uniforms. While he's not looking for hats, he definetly looking for a more professional look. I pointed out that we have basically 4 different uniforms all authorized by the company. Just the white shirt and ties, (no American flag ties), blouses, leather jackets, and parkas. Not to mention the sweater combination. In the old days we had dates to wear the summer or winter uniform in the FOM. I don't think we even have that. So now not only am I to email my crew to inform them of the projected sleep cycle, but to also coordinate uniforms. If its a legal uniform, its a legal uniform, but whoa to the guy that gets caught D/H home in a pair of jeans with a lanyard around your neck.

Why don't we, and I'm just spit-balling here, form a uniform committee in the union and get Fedex to let the PILOTS come up with a new uniform policy?

I don't mind a change to improve uniformity. I just don't want the decisions to be made by cubicle commandos. Guys that think 24 hours in Cambridge once a month is international flying.

And here's my vote: the parka. The only solution that works best in all conditions. For those of us walking around the aircraft in Seoul and Anchorage in the winter, it is the only option that makes sense. In warmer conditions you just leave the liner in the bottom of your suitcase. And I really like the high visibility tags that can be pulled out on the new ones.

It also is preferable from a security standpoint. We have to leave the hotel to eat. Often in cities with less-than-favorable opinions of americans. Leather flight jackets tag us as crew. I suppose I could carry a civilian jacket too, on my 10-12 day trips, but why can't we just use the parka and save us all the inconvenience?

Look at the other employee groups at the company. Look at what they wear. They go for function over form. They wear clothes that let them get the job done. Not clothes that look good walking down the concourses in Atlanta.

Did he put this out as policy?

I agree that the uniform shouldn't be the number one issue for our new management. I have heard that they are thinking of making some changes but I think the bigger issue that management is concerned with is enforcement of our current guidelines. Ya know, the lovely black tennis shoes, no ties, or someones own leather jacket etc. I personally don't have issue that we have a lot of variations. I think the parka is a perfect example. Why would you have someone in ANC wear the blouse when it is 20 below. I'm not a fan of the leather jacket, I prefer the flasher's wool coat but to some the leather jacket is the all around winner. Whatever the combo is, I just think if we would wear it the way that it is supposed to be worn, this might go away or at least die down. Is it really asking to much to have a few guys iron their shirts once in a while?
As to the jeans on international flights, years ago to travel in first class, it was full uniform or sport coat and tie. I don't want to go back to that. Is a pair of slacks or dockers really asking to much?

We all know that better dressed doesn't mean better aviator, but would it hurt us to try and look a litter classier? Really as with most of these threads, it's less that 10% that are the issue, but when you have 200 identical penguins in flight ops and one or two decide to wear fur coats and not shave for a week. It is noticed.

Maybe if we step up to the plate and give a good impression, then this issue would be put to rest and then management would have to concentrate on bigger issues.

A friend of mine grew up in the Smoky Mountains. Whenever the family went for a drive they would have one or two coffee cakes handy, because a local black bear liked to sit in the middle of the road and block it. They would heave a coffee cake into the brush, the bear chased it, and the road was clear.
I think management just threw a coffee cake. ;)