A random question about pilot uniforms

[Aaron_Kearney]

Are they worth wearing? This is just something I was thinking about the other day. I'm required to wear an Oxford for school at least once a week, and those school shirts really suck. From your experiences, are pilot uniforms as crappy or that or are they something a bit more comfortable/nice?

[Cosmo1999]

personally I cant wait to get outta the penguin suit as soon as possible by the end of the day. I dont mind wearing the uniform when im on duty to be professional for the passengers. After about 12-14 hours however it starts to get uncomfortable. As soon as my flight finishes I run into the bathroom and change into street clothes when its time to fly home. I also never commute to work in uniform. The reason I do this is so I can lay low when I go home/to work.. Like it or not however get used to it. you will wear that oxford type shirt much more than once a week if you want to fly for an airline. You will pretty much be wearing the uniform half the month give or take

[av8trxx]

Well, that depends on the uniform piece and who makes it. I am not to pleased with mine. The jacket is a joke. No room in the back. When I lift my arm overhead, the sleeve goes up to my elbow! The AMR pants are terrible too. I buy other navy pants that fit properly and wear them instead. The old uniform supplier and new uniform supplier colors don't quite match, so it doesn't matter if my store bought pants are off a shade as the actual uniform pieces are that way if you have an old supplier coat anyway. Nice, huh? Our shirts are not what I prefer either (no wing holes), so I also get my shirts outside the company. www.Elbeco.com has some nice ones. The shirts at www.MandHuniforms.com nice except but they wrinkle too fast. They said they are making wrinlke resistant shirts with stain guard in the new year.

[Doug Taylor]

I only wear mine as little as possible!

It's reasonably comfortable, but the double-breast is a little obnoxious because you have to unbutton it when you sit down otherwise you'll look like "No Neck Joe".

[I_WANNA_BE_ATP]

I am used to going to work in pajamas (medical scrubs). They are easy to take care of.
NOW, I'm required to wear a uniform and OMG a tie (this point here makes my family laugh the most, I hate ties!!!!!!) When it comes time for me to fly for an airline I'll wear the uniform. But I say a nice polo shirt with airline emblem on it should be good enough. I think the public really does not give a darn about what the pilot dresses like a long as the flight is smooth and the landing even smoother.

My 2c on the topic.

[mtsu_av8er]

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But I say a nice polo shirt with airline emblem on it should be good enough. I think the public really does not give a darn about what the pilot dresses like a long as the flight is smooth and the landing even smoother.

[/ QUOTE ]

I disagree completely. I think that a uniform can, and often does make the difference.

Having worn alot of different uniforms for quite a few years, I think that people react to you based on your appearance.

Now, if we're talking about "whether or not we like uniforms", well, that can be something different completely. Personally, I like them. I feel good when I wear a uniform.

And just a clue....if you think people think that "overpaid" crap now...wait until they're saying "those overpaid bus drivers can't even wear a decent shirt and tie"!!

Think about that....

[CapnJim]

Good thread... I'll be in the 'pengiun suit' in a month or so and I'm a little curious about it myself.

During indoc, they said that we can only purchase uniforms from the designated supplier, which seem sensible enough if you want to avoid 20 or so different mixed uniforms running around. My question is, how much modification or deviation is typically allowed? I realize all airlines are different in thier requirements, but what about things like having your jacket tailored to be more comfortable (like avi8trxx's post) or buying a different cut of uniform from the same supplier (assuming it's basically the same, i.e, double breasted vs. three button, or pleated and cuffed vs. non-pleated or cuffed) as long as the color matches?

[Doug Taylor]

Once again, Lloyd takes the words right out of my mouth. Perhaps it's an 'ethnic thing' or something?

I'm not a big uniform person, but it does command respect and it represents your airline well. My employer did a survey of passengers and the uniform rated suprisingly high on their list of 'likes' in terms of the corporate image.

It certainly makes a difference.

I will say that if you think people have little respect for pilots now, just wait until they're wearing golf shirts khaki shorts.

[mtsu_av8er]

[ QUOTE ]
Once again, Lloyd takes the words right out of my mouth. Perhaps it's an 'ethnic thing' or something?

[/ QUOTE ]

i didn't even turn my Ebonics on, yo!

It's true, though. How much respect could a police office command wearing jeans and a sweatshirt on patrol?

[av8trxx]

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I think that a uniform can, and often does make the difference.....people react to you based on your appearance.


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There is no doubt about that!

Some people have no idea how much the public looks at you and judges you. Because of that I take special care to always be put together before 'going out' before the public. (Plus chicks in uniform get stared at just because they are wearing a uniform sometimes!) While many complain about it, the hat DOES look more professional and at AMR you are SUPPOSED to wear it. Example- We just got a memo from our CP last week detailing some pax complaints about pilots with a less than stellar appearance: One wearing a baseball cap, another that was so wrinkled and dishevled he looked like he slept in his uniform and one who was in such a bad need of a haircut one pax said he "looked like a surfer". And bad examples are not limited to my company. All over I see some who look like they simply have no pride in their apperance. That's pretty sad when one is supposed to be a 'professional' pilot.

[aviategw]

I'm just starting as a CFI, but my school requires us to wear polo shirts with the school name on it. I have absolutely no problem with this, and am looking forward to the days when I can wear the 'penguin' suit to work. It is more professional, and I belive that people tend to respect you more.

For the airline guys, a correlated question: How many uniforms do you take on a 'typical' four day trip? I've seen the black Travelpro roll-aboards with the Delta logo sewn into them, and they don't look all that big. One shirt for each day of the trip? Do you 'recycle' pants on a trip? Enough space for a set of civilian clothes? Workout clothes? What typically is the load out in a roll-aboard for an airline pilot?

[Bandit_Driver]

Get used to the uniform. If you can get one that fits correctly it will be more bearable. However, CINTAS sucks as a uniform company. Spend the extra money on trailoring it will help. The uniform does make a difference when dealing with the passengers.

While DHing (in uniform) on a flight a guy was giving an FA a hard time. When I stood up and backed the FA the guy immediately shut up and complied.

[mtsu_av8er]

[ QUOTE ]
While many complain about it, the hat DOES look more professional and at AMR you are SUPPOSED to wear it. Example- We just got a memo from our CP last week detailing some pax complaints about pilots with a less than stellar appearance: One wearing a baseball cap, another that was so wrinkled and dishevled he looked like he slept in his uniform and one who was in such a bad need of a haircut one pax said he "looked like a surfer".

[/ QUOTE ]

The hat is important. Baseball caps have no place around the passengers, and wrinkled uniforms spell loser.....

That's just me, though.

Well, and the world...

[Doug Taylor]

Hmm, one pair of slacks, one shirt for each two days, a fresh pair of undies and some socks. Oh, and a layover shirt, jeans or shorts and my comfy leather Doc Marten sandals.

Plenty of space left for mini soaps and whatnot.

[MQAAord]

If you look like you have authority, you do.

My issues with my F/A uniform was mostly what it was made of. The polyester pants stuck to my butt when it was hot out, whenever I stood up I literally had to peel them off my rear. Nice visual, eh? The Cadillac-Emblem shirts tended to be hot, and didn't hold a press well. The new dresses (also 100% polyester) were lined with a poly lining that stuck to skin like glue, when it was above 60 degress I was forever trying to unstick my dress from my back. Also these new dresses were not made with any 'give' as far as lifting ones arms. (Hmm, reaching & stretching, there's something a F/A never does on the job....) So when we would lift our arms, the entire dress would come up. So if the dress was hemmed any shorter than about knee length we'd end up giving quite a show when we reached for something.

Basically the uniforms are made by the cheapest bidder, whoever can manufacture them the quickest & cheapest gets the bid. This usually ends up resulting in a product that may look nice from a distance, but is really quite cheap & uncomfortable to wear for 12+ hours a day.

Delta's pilot uniforms are at least a poly/wool blend, and their jacket is nicest out there. Their current F/A uniforms (when they were first issued) were a logistics nightmare. They would fall apart at the seams after one wash, showed pit stains something fierce, did not fit anyone properly, and were just generally of extremely poor quality.

But, complaints aside, the uniform is an integral part of both the pilot's and F/As image. Both need to be kept professional. At Eagle we had a uniform polo issued a few years ago. It was comfortable, but the pax were forever not recognizing the working F/A. I took to only wearing it when I was doing IOE, that way my student would be in full 'regular' uniform, and I would be quite inconspicuous in the polo. If a pax needed something, they went to the student! Which is how I (as an IOE instructor) wanted it!