I thought I was the only one who saw the humor in a guy named Libertyrisk racking up a $75 solo bar tab.

 

I was happy to wear my half wing when I was on probation, even though I came from an ALPA Carrier. I had no such pride!!! Much thanks to the pilots that have mentored me and bought drinks!!! It's all about paying it forward, and now it's my turn to help out!!!

 

Having grown up in the United family and very familiar with many of the pilot traditions, I am wearing my half wing proudly and educating some of the new guys that don't "get it" or had a bad taste in their mouth from their regional ALPA experience. I have not yet heard the excuse of the half wing being degrading in any way. Good lord, that is unreal that guys have that fragile of an ego.

I have been very lucky with my EWR experience and being welcomed warmly. If it's not the Captains taking care of me it's the FO/IRO that is stepping up. I have said it before on here and I will say it again, thank you for keeping such a great tradition alive! I am looking forward to paying it forward in just a few months when I go full wing.

Cheers!

 

Why don't you "new hires" who are long standing ALPA members wear both pins, the half and full wing pins.

The first will get you more than one complementary drink and the second a lot of respect.

 

No.

Probationary pilots should just wear the half wing on their tie.

That's it.

If your ego is so fragile that you don't want people to know that you're new…that's just pathetic.

I told a new guy that it is highly offensive to walk in to operations in a LUAL base with a "slick tie". He really had no idea. His first few months were in EWR.

Everybody notices right away. You are seen as making a statement against our pilot group.

Don't be "that guy"….especially when brand new.

 

we were told at the ALPA briefing to wear half wing on the tie and full wings, 10,15,20, or battle stars on either your lapel or lanyard.

 

untied:

"If your ego is so fragile that you don't want people to know that you're new…that's just pathetic."

Read pilot 772 and then look in the mirror and ask if you wear your number of years ALPA pin.

Oh such a pilot is only "new" at UAL and may have had a whole lot more ALPA pilot experience than many others.

 

The whole point is that it's a nice tradition. At United, we always treated the "half-wingers" extra nice. Welcome them aboard, buy the beers, maybe give them a jump seat when they are commuting to work while a couple senior Captains take the next flight, etc.

(That last one happened to me. We didn't have pass privileges as new hires back in the day, so a couple UAL guys insisted that I get on the jump seat since I was on probation. The only reason that they knew was the half wing).

The fact that guys are pushing back against this is just ridiculous. I welcome every new guy and take a few minutes to talk to them. Most of them are really appreciative that we look out for them.

I don't care if you have 20 years at another ALPA carrier. You are new here and we want to take care of you while you are on probation!

You might not see this in EWR and IAH since it's more of a UAL thing…

If ALPA says wearing the old pin somewhere else is O.K., then I was wrong about that. I never heard that before.

I have seen a couple new guys with slick ties who seemed to be proud of it. We don't need guys like that here.

 

Untied

Thanks for the clarification.

When I started almost 38 years ago the only pilots who didn't wear ALPA pins were those wide body pilots who didn't want to pay the dues in their last years. It was voluntary at that time whether one wanted to be an ALPA member or not and there weren't any contract maintenance fees for non-members either. Then along came 1983 and 1985, the pilot world changed at CAL and UAL.

My only input is a pilot with many years as an ALPA member is only a new hire at UAL and is in no way a novice in this industry.