You can say all you want about the old captains and their yellow shirts, but at least they have been around and paid their dues. The new batch of pilots is something else. I am amazed at how many backpacks I see. Dude, if you are going to insist on using a backpack, at least get a rolling one so you can strap your flight bag on it!

 

So that means they are allowed to look less professional?

There are plenty on the flip side of your argument. You know, "I've paid my dues, I've been through more (way more) than most regional pilots, and I STILL look/dress/act the part".

Like I said, I don't know how many Legacy pilots you observe. But regional pilots are not the ONLY ones toting backpacks.

 

Does this mean I should probably start wearing pants to work?

 

Im so sick of hearing the trite, "paying dues"...............its rediculous

 

THERE WE GO TOOK THE WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH! I dress like they want me to, but we get sweaty and tired working 15hrs a day and we start to look sloppy as the day goes on just how it is were sorry.

 

Aren't you guys tired of bringing this topic every other week? I mean seriously... are you a major guy? If you are, have you taken a look at some of your guys' pilots lately? I can't tell you when was the last time I deadheaded on mainline and saw a pilot with his tie tucked up where it should be and the top button all buttoned up. I can't tell you when was the last time I saw one of the majors guys with his shoes shined.

If you do all those, kudos to you. But just as you, there are alot of FOs there that do the same on our side.

Maybe just maybe give people alot more of the benefit of the doubt, and if not for that - then just trust it to laws of nature to take care of those that'll get weeded out. If they won't get weeded out, then maybe they either had the brains to be presentable when it mattered or maybe just maybe no body really cares anymore.

I am an FO. And I can assure you that by the looks of my uniform not a single passenger on my flight knows I was flying their airplane .... how do I know you ask? I'll tell you how. When I'm done with my walk around and stand at the jet bridge because se la vie our airplane can't fit two fat a**es in the cockpit door people look at me, with the most bewildered look and ask "Where are the bags?".... 100% of them.

Forget the passengers forget the next gen FOs... be realistic, I mean do you really think your comments here on this board which appeal to bunch of bit**ing pilots (Majors, regional and cargo all as one) will actually go somewhere? Why don't you stop one of those so called next gen FOs and offer your assistance? Maybe a couple bucks will steer him/her in the right direction. If it bothers your so much take a stand and do something about it, if not take a seat do your job and save us all of the misery of having to waste megabytes of space every week with someone like you that has to educate the world on how to and how to not behave. Let the world tick peacefully please.

JFK in his inauguration speech said the following:
"...ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country..." - Can you apply that to your own MO please?

And one last thing.... could you leave your FOs alone when they ask for direct without first consulting you. Does it really always have to be your guys' idea? WHO GIVES A *******?

 

I walked past two Delta crews the other day... you know the guys who pride themselves on their appearance, especially with their spiffy hats... and both Captains had backpacks (on their backs) and... OMG! One didn't have his hat on.


Please... get real. There are so much more important things to worry about in life than how others look. Worry about yourself, do your job, and go home.

 

I fly a Saab without an APU in Houston where it gets 100+ degrees everyday up front. 14+ hour duty days bumping around a 20 year old plane with AC barely working. 8 legs of this and see how pressed your shirt looks.

 

I've seen a lot of people dressed like crap. I've also seen very senior captains wearing worn out jackets with tattered epaulets, smashed hats, pants with holes in them, etc.

But lets talk about the quality of the clothing we're sold too. I had to get my uniform through VF Imagewear -- that' who Eagle uses. What a bunch of trash. The stitching on the shirts is terrible, the top button on one of my shirts came off after 2 weeks, a button on my pants came off after 3 weeks, the zipper on my other pants is screwed up, the epaulets had loose threads...its absolute trash...but its what they "provide" us with. Also the pants are pleated and look like clown pants. But I digress. I guess if they wanted us to look really neat and professional they would find a supplier that didn't use Burmese child labor to make the clothes. I find it hard to take pride in my appearance when I'm wearing clothes that are not even high enough quality for Wal-Mart or T.J.Maxx.

Also, some of us work long hard days in hot and humid conditions...and our clothes get sweaty and wrinkled naturally. Forgive me if I don't duck into the nearest hotel to iron my shirt before jumpseating home after a 7 leg, 15 hour day in an ATR.

I left my tie in a plane last week and walked around for hours without it on. No one I worked with even noticed!

Furthermore, I find it hard to believe that the traveling public, wearing their pajama bottoms-flip flops-and wife beater t-shirts, even notice or give a damn that my shirt has a crease in it. Frankly Scarlett, I don't give a damn either.

 

Try a 13 hour duty day with 8 legs in the cramped cockpit of an E120 that has crappy AC in the California system and lets see how you look after a couple of legs.