What Do Those Stripes Mean On The Pilot Uniform?
Airline pilots wear stripes on their sleeves or on the epaulets on their shoulders. The stripes are an indication of the pilot's level of flight experience and his responsibilities in an aircraft. While airline pilots wear stripes, military pilots in the Navy and Air Force wear different insignia to indicate their level of expertise.
– No epaulets are for beginner student pilots working toward their first rating.
– Black epaulets without bars are for student pilots who have successfully earned their Private Pilot Certificate.
– Black epaulets with one bar are for student pilots who have successfully earned their Instrument Rating.
– Black epaulets with two bars are for student pilots who have successfully earned their Commercial Pilot Certificate.
– Black epaulets with three bars are for pilots who have earned their Certified Flight Instructor Certificate.
– Black epaulets with four bars for are for management, Stage Check Instructors and Standardization Staff.
Flying for the airlines requires a high level of professionalism, and pilots wear a uniform to emulate that same level of respectability.
This article was previously published on UAE Moments.To see the original article, click here