Are beards allowed?

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01-25-2020, 08:35 AM

on the fly

New Hire

Thread Starter

Joined APC: Jan 2020

Posts: 5

Are beards allowed?

Hi, I have seen a lot of discussion about HI pilots being allowed to have beards. Can any HI pilot confirm this, and if so how is it written in your FOM? I fly for a legacy carrier and would like a short clean beard. Air Canada now allows it after they did a study that confirms that short beards do not effect the seal of transport category aircraft.

Any info would be much appreciated

01-25-2020, 08:55 AM

Prim40

Line Holder

Joined APC: Sep 2013

Posts: 58

Yes, you can look like Jeremiah Johnson or ZZtop. Yes we are the coolest most fashionable. Beards and no ties.

01-25-2020, 09:10 AM

on the fly

New Hire

Thread Starter

Joined APC: Jan 2020

Posts: 5

cool!
How is it written in your FOM or equivalent?

01-25-2020, 07:25 PM

Moonwolf

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Joined APC: Jul 2008

Position: Sleeping

Posts: 1,036

Quote:

Originally Posted by on the fly

cool!
How is it written in your FOM or equivalent?

It says you can have a beard.

But if you have trouble growing a facial hair don't bother. No whimpy girly man facial hair allowed

01-26-2020, 04:59 AM

Softpayman

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Joined APC: Feb 2013

Position: CA

Posts: 1,211

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prim40

Yes, you can look like Jeremiah Johnson or ZZtop. Yes we are the coolest most fashionable. Beards and no ties.

Seems like many places you go outside the US, pilots overwhelmingly have beards. Not sure what our hang up is. The 02 masks !

01-26-2020, 08:10 AM

305808

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Joined APC: Jul 2018

Posts: 145

Quote:

Originally Posted by Softpayman

Seems like many places you go outside the US, pilots overwhelmingly have beards. Not sure what our hang up is. The 02 masks !

Military carry over. Same reason our attire still mimics Naval Officers. Wheel hats.....

01-26-2020, 09:16 AM

Hacker15e

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Joined APC: Oct 2006

Position: Midfield downwind

Posts: 1,919

Quote:

Originally Posted by 305808

Military carry over. Same reason our attire still mimics Naval Officers. Wheel hats.....

Yeah, it is all just tradition.

https://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/avi...baac-0185.html

Quote:

It is important that crew members are made aware that the presence of beards, heavy facial hair or long hair can have an adverse effect on the efficiency of respirator/oxygen (demand type) oxygen masks, continuous flow oxygen masks or smoke hoods provided on board aircraft for use by crew members.

01-26-2020, 11:44 AM

rickair7777

Prime Minister/Moderator

Joined APC: Jan 2006

Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim

Posts: 39,275

Quote:

Originally Posted by on the fly

cool!
How is it written in your FOM or equivalent?

Get it in your contract if you want to keep it.

01-26-2020, 11:52 AM

rickair7777

Prime Minister/Moderator

Joined APC: Jan 2006

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Posts: 39,275

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hacker15e

Yeah, it is all just tradition.

https://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/avi...baac-0185.html

And the special operations community, which has a legit business interest in wearing beards, concluded that pure o2 saturation makes beards an extreme combustion hazard. Will essentially explode and melt your face. They generally accept the hazard as a risk of doing business.

But trying to pretend beards have no potential safety ramification is disingenuous. This was never even an issue in professional aviation until the current beard fad manifested.