The garters on the Martin-Bakers were a better option. You only looked like a damn fool in the cockpit.



Seriously, I knew this one WSO whose mustache was always just a little outside of 35-10, but in PACAF they would sort of let you get away with that as long as it was neatly trimmed, and his always was. He used some fancy Aussie mustache wax on it, which worked well enough until one exercise when we were simulating a biowarfare threat or something and everyone was told to put the regulators to 100% O2.

Apparently the Aussie wax was part oil and it started trying to spontaneously combust on his lip. The burns weren't too serious and fortunately he got the mask off without inhaling actual flame. But his mustache was reduced to something akin to a couple of burnt out candle wicks and between the first and second degree burns he really couldn't shave the remains off for about a week. And neither the Wing King nor the DO could look at him and keep a straight face, or keep the smile from degenerating into a chuckle, and eventually a laugh. Which became contagious, and soon even his buds were doing it.

He stayed away from the O-club bar for a couple of weeks until he was able to shave. I don't know if he ever regrew it. I PCS'd about three months later.

It's worth noting, at this late stage, that Canada has just approved beards on pilots, noting that their exhaustive studies did not show a degradation in mask use with facial hair.

I doubt this will follow in the US in the near future.

I've seen other airlines allow beards beards but never saw a study until now.

"Canadian researchers say they have debunked the long-held belief that facial hair interferes with the seal on pilot oxygen masks and at least one airline has lifted its decades-old beard ban. Air Canada, which commissioned the Simon Fraser University (Vancouver) study, says its pilots can now sport beards “to a maximum length of 12.5 millimeters (half an inch) and neatly trimmed.” The airline hasn’t said exactly why it paid the Environmental Medicine and Physiology Unit at SFU to test the beard hypothesis in its hyperbaric chamber but the facility’s director was unequivocal about the results. “The (no-beard) policy was based on outdated research on obsolete equipment and testing on respirators not intended for aircrew oxygen delivery,” said Sherri Ferguson. “We found no adverse effects on bearded subjects within the two parameters of our study.”

Those parameters covered the two basic reasons airline pilots need good seals on their oxygen masks. Air Canada supplied its standard-issue masks for the experiment. Delivery of oxygen was tested by putting three groups of bearded men (stubble, medium length and bushy) into the chamber and simulating depressurization at altitude. Oxygen saturation remained consistently healthy for all of the test subjects. The other test simulated smoke in the cockpit by introducing a vapor that irritates noses and throats. None of the test subjects reported any reaction."

https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/new...-231536-1.html

The whole mask beard thing was a bad myth. Its more of an HR thing, but a well kept beard shouldn’t be a issue. We are men, why do we gotta look like children?

If you're flying a king air you should be able to find an employer who will let you have a beard? You can hang out there until the airlines get with the program.

The only uniform hat I ever really wanted to wear when I was in the military was a helmet, and that was for reasons of safetybut those weren't the rules. And part of signing on - or taking employment with someone - is agreeing to play by their rules.

Doesn't mean you can't work to change the rules, but refusing to follow them or excessive whining about them is in itself unmanly, IMHO.

After 18 pages, I’ve gathered that a well trimmed beard : unprofessional.

Weighing 350 pounds, crushing a bagged nasty fat pill from BK every leg and letting the crumbs roll down your wrinkly fitted-like-a-parachute short sleeve shirt with tie (a la Dwight Schrute) : professional.

******* millenials!

Nobody thinks that's professional, you just can't fire people for that anymore.

Facial hair or being a millenial do not make one a protected class (yet).

I agree. My brother is a state cop here in PA and they have the same rule for Troopers. To the best of my knowledge, I can't remember anyone ever complaining about not being allowed to wear a beard.

Like the old adage goes, "If it ain't broke; don't fix it."

To lazy to shave are we. Dont like the rules in place, leave and get a job where beards are favored.