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Feb
08
2016
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Posted 8 years 324 days ago ago by Admin
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My
wife and I recently went to see a movie starring Robert De Niro. I
truly enjoy most of his movies, however I wasn’t really sure at first I
would like his latest: The Intern.
In it De Niro portrays 70-year-old widower Ben Whittaker looking to
come out of retirement to fill a void left by the passing of his wife. I
wound up enjoying the movie and related to Whittaker’s journey and
perspective on the ever-changing workplace.
In
the movie, Whittaker’s co-workers are much younger than him, thus their
work culture is somewhat different. From Day One, his co-workers
comment on the way he dresses while mocking his work ethic. I won’t
spoil the ending, however this movie got me thinking: Are my expectations of our younger pilot population too out of touch? After much thought and reflection, my answer is: I don’t think so.
A
few years ago, I noticed a change in the appearance of applicants
taking their FAA examination. In my old-school mentality, when applying
for something—whatever that something may be—certain etiquette, a
dress-to-impress mindset, is appropriate and expected. Lately, a more
relaxed attitude among applicants has become the norm, and flight
schools seem to be following suit in lowering the etiquette standards
for checkrides.
The
average citizen expects a pilot to be a consummate professional. Most
expect a pilot to have confidence, attitude, a can-do demeanor, and in
many cases—The Look.
What is this look? It’s a professional appearance that makes passengers
feel more comfortable because their captain matches their expectations
of him or her. They just feel that their pilot is the right person for
the job. Passengers likely don’t know the pilot’s actual experience, but
they feel better simply because their pilot has The Look.
Here
are two simple points of etiquette that should be adhered to regarding
FAA checkrides. The first point: There is rarely an occasion when an
applicant should directly contact the FAA examiner to schedule an exam.
The applicant is being presented to the FAA by the instructor, thus it
is proper for the instructor or flight school representative to schedule
with the examiner. It’s not uncommon for a student to believe that they
are ready for an exam long before their recommending instructor is in
agreement.
The
second point: Dress to impress. Cutoff shorts and a T-shirt that reads
“Pull My Finger for a Prize” should be avoided. Remember, you are
applying to the FAA to obtain the privilege to pilot an aircraft with
other lives in your hands. You are attempting to convince a stranger
that you’re fit for this duty and that you will act in a professional
manner. Your first impression will make a definitive impact on the
examiner, and potentially set the tone for the remainder of your exam.
My suggestion is simply to wear nothing less than business casual. If
you’re not familiar with the term—Google it!