wags

Are you really a 16-year PP arguing with ALPA? Why?

GF

This is my beard. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
My beard is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.
Without me, my beard is useless. Without my beard, I am useless.

He's been holding out for the airlines until they let him keep his beard. He must think that the timing is right...the beard fad has probably about peaked and employers are falling all over themselves to cater to millenials. If it doesn't happen now, it will probably be another 40 years...

I'm training to become an airline pilot. Grew up in an airline household, and it always bothered me that the airlines want to dictate odd things like facial hair on pilots. It seems so far from something that the company should have any rule on that I figured I would learn more about how entrenched the rule is. So I wrote to ALPA and they gave me a really good, clear answer. I brought it here to see what pilots think. And ultimately I would hope that enough people begin talking about it that something happens/changes.

I picked United because of family history, and it is the airline I would most like to fly for.

Is that a hill worth dying on?

This is good training, because far more serious matters will bother you as an airline pilot, so you can use beard policy as a kind of simulator. Next, you should practice hat disgruntlement. :p

It is a very good thing he did not endure the lace shoe era.

What have you been doing over these years, assuming you really want be an airline pilot? Sixteen years and not even a Commercial, IR, AMEL? Aviation, in the US, is a pretty culturally conservative business--it has a lot to do with the US consumer. Serious professionals are taken seriously when they appear conservative, solid citizens. Do you want a doctor doing brain surgery on you wearing tattoos, nose rings, saying, "we're route around your brain and get that f'ing tumor ripped out"? No, you want sober, serious people in charge of your life. In the US, as opposed to other cultures, beards are serious.

Sorry, GF

Haha. Bro. Check the cancellation date on that.

Nice, but check the part about "integrated into the FAA Inspector Handbook" which means it expired because it's in the book.

GF