Re:Uniforms in the Cockpit

John Wiley (jwiley_at_atl.mindspring.com)
Thu, 14 Aug 1997 10:15:32 -0400


At 09:03 AM 8/12/97 CST6CDT, you wrote:
>It seems that some of us don't like the idea of wearing uniforms in the
simulator. My thought is this: If uniforms are in some way a problem
during training, could they also be a problem on the line? Or are we just
trying to preserve the tradition of dressing down during training? If the
answer to the second is yes, do we learn better when we are comfortable? Do
we perform better?
>
>Best regards,
>Neil Krey
>neilkrey_at_why.net
>http://users.why.net/neilkrey/

Neil, I have no problem wearing the uniform in the sim but I see nothing
that it adds. Of course, I am real "old school" in that I still believe a
simulator is a simulator and not a ground based airplane. <G>.

It is not a matter of dressing down for the sim. We are required to wear
ties so sloppy appearance is not tolerated but more important, sloppy
procedures and attitudes are not tolerated. We carry full flight kits, are
expected to make all calls as though we were not in the "Ground Based
Airplane" (GBA) but in the Real Flying Machine (RFM). We are expected to
interact with the invisible crew in the back, the invisible crew on the
ground and the invisible dispatch, oddly enough, all having the same voice.
(BTW, sending my invisible jumpseater does not work...<G>)

Now, as to uniforms on the line....that is another subject! Personally, I
would favor walking shorts in the hot months, with tie of course. I would
do away with hats immediately...they do nothing but give one "hat head",
especially in the summer months.

Finally, do we learn better when we are comfortable and do we perform better
when comfortable? Surely, you're being rhetorical...

Wiley