CFI Uniforms

Kate, that's hardly a valid comparison. If you put on a uniform AND were your normal self and flew really well, how would that match up against jeans?

Or can you not be nice and fly well while wearing a uniform?

Don't misunderstand me - I'm not insisting on uniforms for CFI's. But I do recognize that uniforms can have advantages in marketing to the masses.
 
Our culture has changed -- the only people who suits these days are politicians, salesmen, and undertakers.

In my business, every day is casual day. We only wear ties when customers are in -- suits when it's a Really Big Deal.

I think professional Business casual (khakis, polo shirt, etc) is perfectly acceptable CFI garb these days.

Epaulets are a little much -- so are shorts, tank top, and sandals.
 
TMetzinger said:
Kate, that's hardly a valid comparison. If you put on a uniform AND were your normal self and flew really well, how would that match up against jeans?

Or can you not be nice and fly well while wearing a uniform?

Don't misunderstand me - I'm not insisting on uniforms for CFI's. But I do recognize that uniforms can have advantages in marketing to the masses.
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Fair enough.

I will buy a few day's worth of black pants and nice shirts.

As soon as my job pays me enough to afford them.
 
Wow Kate, apparently I hit a sore spot with you, I'm sorry, that's really not what I was going for. This is all just an expression of opinions, and I'm not saying anyone else is wrong in their opinions. If someone else feels that uniforms are unnecessary and I believe "retarded" was the term used, that's fine! No problem! I have a differing opinion, however.

As a rebuttal to your points, of course you're not going to retain customers if you're a total jerk to them, no matter what you're wearing. On the flip-side, of course you're going to retain customers if you treat them with respect and let them know how much you truly love your job, no matter what you're wearing. And if you go back and re-read my original post, you'll see that the CFI I wound up choosing to fly with wore shorts, sneakers, and a logo polo shirt.

My point is simply that society has built up the image of the "professional pilot", and that includes the black pants, white shirt, tie (or crossing neck thing for ladies), and epaulets. Think, for a second, like someone who doesn't know any better. I feel like that person is going to feel more confident in their CFI if they fit that image of the "professional pilot". Now, whether a particular CFI actually lives up to that image, that's another story. Both you and Jesse, and I think someone else (I don't feel like re-reading the whole thread) indicated that some of the worst CFI's they've flown with were uniformed. To be honest, I've had some less than positive experience with uniformed CFI's as well. But, we are all experienced people (to varying degrees, I have much less than many here), and therefore we know better.

I guess to make a long story short (I know, too late), my point is not that uniformed CFI's are necessarily better, it seems that most often the reverse is true. My point is that the great unwashed have a perception that uniformed CFI's are more capable, and therefore I can see why some schools require them.
 
I think there's two arguments going on here -

1) Should CFI's dress professionally?

2) Should CFI's wear the typical pilot uniform with epaulets?

IMHO: #1, absolutely. And "professionally" need not mean an oxygen restriction device is in place. #2: F'ing retarded.

And yes, I was one of the other ones whose worst CFI was the only one that's ever worn a tie. And I still can't believe he started talking on his cell phone in flight. :no:

Frankly, I think that the "pilot uniform" can be downright unsafe. On an airline flight, there are environmental controls in place. In that C172 on a hot summer day, there are not. I don't want my CFI to be wearing black pants and getting dehydrated and lightheaded if I'm a primary student. (Actually, I don't want that at all, period.)
 
tonycondon said:
:)

ill be flying charters in tennis shoes until i can afford some nice brown dress shoes as well.
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You need black. Brown shoes are what door to door salesman would wear. At least that is waht my dad told me when I was a little kid.

Who would want to fly with a door to door salesman?
 
KennyFlys said:
Tis ok. I didn't post one; I just mentioned it as part of a few different posts otherwise.

I'm now the only full-time CFI at General Aviation Services, an FBO at Conroe, TX (KCXO).
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Congratulations on your new job. :)
 
smigaldi said:
You need black. Brown shoes are what door to door salesman would wear. At least that is waht my dad told me when I was a little kid.

Who would want to fly with a door to door salesman?
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i might be colorblind, but black just doesnt seem to match my khaki pants
 
flyingcheesehead said:
And brown does? :dunno:
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B rown can be worn with khaki. I am just saying that if you want to present a more professional appearence you should wear black. Brown is a casual color, one that is banned at such prestigious places as Royal Ascot.

Wearing brown shoes may not present the right look for a professional pilot, there are people who could see that an wonder about Tony's flying abilities as they are already judging him by his clothes. ;)
 
t0r0nad0 said:
Wow Kate, apparently I hit a sore spot with you, I'm sorry, that's really not what I was going for.
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Yep, but I'm fine now, nothing a few hours of flying couldn't fix. I do agree with you now that I see more what you meant. It's all good!
 
skyflyer8 said:
Yep, but I'm fine now, nothing a few hours of flying couldn't fix. I do agree with you now that I see more what you meant. It's all good!
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:cheerswine: It's like my mentor pilot always says, "Yeah, flying is expensive... but it's a lot cheaper than therapy, and a heck of a lot more fun!"
 
BTW - and this is kind of funny - it just occured to me that the only difference "uniformed" and "uninformed" is just one more "n"... coincidence? :dunno:
 
t0r0nad0 said:
:cheerswine: It's like my mentor pilot always says, "Yeah, flying is expensive... but it's a lot cheaper than therapy, and a heck of a lot more fun!"
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I mentioned that to my AME last month and he just laughed (and agreed). He's a pilot, too.
 
Our instructors usually just wear a black OSU flight instructor shirt with our logo and pants. I like it that way because you can differentiate who are the instructors and who are students but you don't have the goofy airline pilot outfits. I get a kick out of the CFIs at our competitor who have to wear the monkey suits. It just doesn't seem right when they're preflighting a 172. To me, it's not just an odd clash of pilot vs plane but also the notion that they're gonna leave their students any moment for the airlines. Students experience that enough without the constant reminders.
 
Tristar said:
To me, it's not just an odd clash of pilot vs plane but also the notion that they're gonna leave their students any moment for the airlines. Students experience that enough without the constant reminders.
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An excellent point, one I hadn't thought of before. "I'm a professional... And I'm outta here."
 
Speaking of uniforms, I snapped this photo of a regional FO the other day.

d_877.jpg
 
TMetzinger said:
Clearly you need help. That's not a regional FO - that's Matt's new Captain!
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It's true, four stripes and the leaves on the hat...he's a Captain alright. I was wondering what all the phone books were doing in the plane yesterday...
 
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