Hat vs. No Hat
 

As a new hire, I’m starting to realize a lot of pilots here are against wearing the hat. I’ve seen a few people wear it, but out of curiosity why are most people against wearing it? I think it symbolizes professionalism and it looks good.

::::deleted:::::

Wrong regional.

Because North Face doesn’t make a hat.

I think it looks very professional

Look professional by having a well tailored uniform, being physically fit, and having a sharp haircut.

Chicks dig pilots in hats.

I’ve got all of those. Had no choice growing up. Dad was military

Hats inside is a no-go, you learn that in the military and hats outside are a FOD risk on the ramp.
So that leaves the bus to employee parking.

This.

Wearing a hat inside goes against everything I have ever learned.

It’s one of the cheesiest looking hats out there. The brass/emblem is huge and it looks incredibly dorky.

As others have said, a well fitting uniform with shined shoes and a sharp hair cut is professional.

If hats are a big deal I’d have a look at Air Wisconsin or Compass, possibly Endeavor as well.

To each their own. If it’s important to you buy one at $80-90.

Don’t wear the hat. It makes you look like a moron.

Don’t do it.

The whole “no hats inside” thing isn’t accurate for this job. This is the airlines, not the military. Having said that, the hat sucks......and I hate wearing it.

If you want to wear the hat, join the military. I did that for 20 years and not interested in wearing one now. The only time I've worn mine is to attend picketing events...

Even outside the military most were brought up being told you don't wear a hat inside. But every company has the right to make and enforce (or not) their own policies.

If you want to get technical, there are a couple of exception to this “rule”. Two of those exceptions are airports and hotel lobbies, since they are public places. Those are the only two places I wear the hat, since I am forced to at my current employer. When I was at XJT, I bought two hats. The FO hat, which was brought to IOE and promptly left at home for the next 12 years.....and the CA hat, which I promptly returned after one hour of wearing it to work.

Yep. Same thing with a “sharp” haircut, whatever that is. If it’s within grooming standards, it’s professional enough. Then again, the shavetail wonder-goobers out there are pretty entertaining.

Know how to get an FO to wear a hat? Make him a Captain!
Seriously though I would much rather have a crew member that flies like a professional, acts like a professional than look like professional. The uniform and hat is just eye candy for a naive traveling public.

That public buys tickets, which pays my mortgage and feeds my kids. I still hate the hat, but the public DOES eat it up.

“Let’s make hats great again” 😜

In talking with my fellow pilots that have had to deal with REAL emergencies. The Pax always look to the person with the Hat on. This comes from landing gear problems and Emergency Evacuation.

The Choice is always yours.

I wear my hat when I wear my coat.

701EV.

This thread is redolent with the smell of people who love the smell of their own farts.

Agree. Many of us at mainline (L-Ual) don’t wear it. It represents a symbol of management harassment from the Tilton era, and as such, has become a relic of yesteryear. If you like it, wear it. But if you correlate your professionalism to your hat/lack of hat, may I suggest that your thinking is flawed. A better example of professionalism with respect to the uniform if the presence of an ALPA pin on the tie. Since it represents the profession, it’s a more appropriate symbol of professionalism, imo.

Always wearing the ALPA pin

Lol, kinda agree

We have hats here? Didn’t even know they issued them.

PLEASE DEAR GOD NO!!!!!!!

Prior mil guy here: pilots wearing the SS hats inside the terminal looks ridiculous (I'm looking at you Delta). As previously noted, if you want to look professional, wear a nicely pressed uniform, get a hair cut, and so forth. Personally I wish the FAA would ban them.

Airlines aren’t the Army and Air Force.
The airlines “rank structure” and uniforms were based upon maritime structure where hats were worn inside.
Your airline FOM dictates uniform wear to include hats. Those that require hats normally say you must wear them when visible by pax. So you know what? Follow your FOM. Not AR 670-1 or some other military reg.
ExpressJet it’s optional. Wear it? Then follow the FOM on wearing a hat. Don’t wear it? You’re fine.
Personally, I wore one when required IAW the FOM. As soon as it became optional I ditched it. But if an FO wore it all the power to him/her. It was his choice.

It doesn’t matter it’s not the military.
In 99% of the free world its considered bad etiquette to wear a hat inside unless it’s for religious reasons.
To the rest of the world wearing a hat inside is just as stupid as wearing your sunglasses inside.

The hat is a relic from the Panama Clipper days.
Aviation has many of its roots, traditions and nomenclature from the maritime world.

Airship
Air “port”
Flying boats
Nautical Mile
Starboard and Port
Captain and First Officer ranks
Crew position on the airplane
Navigation light positions
.
.
.
.
.
and the hat.

Yes the XJT badge is ridiculous. That said, who cares? Wear it. Don’t wear it. Some will think it’s stupid. Some won’t. You’re not here to impress everyone else, go with what you like.


Edit - My personal preference is not to wear it. In fact, if I flew 1000 legs at XJT, I wore the hat 0 out of 1000 legs.

I think it made it to my truck once then didn’t get out with me at the terminal. I certainly don’t gaf if others do or don’t.

Just one idiot’s opinion.

Being an ex mil guy I was ok with the hat. I didnt wear it at all in the Summer but took it on my last 4 day trip as it got a bit colder and I dont have much hair these days.

It was a pain! There is nowhere to put it and unless you want to carry it in your hand you have to wear it in the terminal. It doesnt fit well either.

Waste of time.

BTW, for those who say hats aren’t worn indoors overseas you are absolutely... wrong. Many overseas countries place a great deal of respect on pilots and wearing your uniform correctly is important. You almost always see foreign carriers wearing hats.
Some countries are so anal that if your picture shows you in a tie you had BETTER be wearing a tie when you go through customs.

All good points.

Things must be looking up here if we’re debating hats again!

We were told in INDOC “Don’t be that guy” when it came to the hat. 1 out of 12 ordered it. (I was not the 1)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

May I assume hats are optional at EV?

They are...

^^^^What this guy said!

I wore a hat my first 6 months at ASA and then decided “Nah, I wanna be in the ‘cool crowd’ at ASA” and ditched the hat. Enough fellow pilots and FAs had ripped me for wearing the hat. It’s amazing how pilot anti-establishment culture can corrupt a mind. Then years later and working for a different company I looked back on those photos of me in uniform without a hat and realized I looked like a complete slob without the hat. So I’ve come to learn the haters, I respect myself and want to wear the uniform correctly.”

As you progress through your career, whether it’s with a hat or without one, show respect to yourself above all else.

I think if they would make the logo on the hat not so big more people would wear the hat.

I’ll admit it makes me wonder as a regional guy do I look un-professional when standing next to a mainline guy wearing his hat?

As a mainline guy who doesn’t wear it, I can assure you that only the uninformed think that a hat/lack of hat has anything to do with professionalism.