Ok so after constantly hearing about and experiencing this community vicariously through Kimberly for long enough, I figure it's about time I joined and posted; besides I had an experience recently that troubled me quite a bit, and I'd like to share my story with pilots and other members of the aviation community out there and get some opinions and feedback.
Without getting into my long life story and how I got to where I am now, let me say that after years, and being convinced it would never happen, I'm finally getting my chance to take a crack at being a professional pilot. I'm in training now, and progressing rapidly. Currently I hold a private certificate, single and multi rated, and am working on instrument. Fun stuff! I've had flying on the brain for as long as I can remember; in fact I wouldn't be surprised if it was in my genes somewhere. I'm sure I'm not the first to feel that way. During all those years leading up to now, and unfulfilling they were, I tried all kinds of other things. I collected some tattoos and piercings along the way.
Before anyone gets excited, yes I know I have to cover all that up, and cut my hair etc etc etc etc to get a flying job. Fact is, this is who I've been for the past 10 years, and unlike many people these days, I'm not the type to change my look along with my underwear. Changing the face I've grown accustomed to is not going to be easy, and so long as I'm in training, I don't really feel it's a major concern. I have several months to go before I hit CFI, and I think when the time comes to be ready, and perhaps with a bit of gentle persuasion and encouragement, I'll be ready. So far no one I've encountered in the aviation world notices, much to my surprise. I'm judged as a pilot, and not for what I look like, which is how it should be. Hell, the right hand guy to the owner of my flight school also sports a beard, plugs, and a few tats himself. Anyhow, before I ramble on too long, the story......
I went to my first airshow ever last year. We have a pretty major one here, to my understanding. I won't say where just yet. Last year when I went I knew I was starting training soon, I was timid, and unsure of myself. This year however the story had changed. I was an official pilot, my confidence had grown leaps and bounds, I felt (and do feel) a part of the community, here and anywhere. I wanted more out of going to the airshow; I wanted to rub elbows with the pilots, be closer to the aircraft I admired, take part in making the airshow happen! Besides, just sitting in the grass all day gets boring. Its a much more fun, productive, privileged, important, and belonging feeling to be involved. So I went about registering to volunteer. I started that process in July, and the event just happened this weekend. It took some time to finally get through but I did. I stayed in touch with the volunteer coordinator, who spent some time getting to know me, and being very friendly. Lets skip ahead.
It's the day before the airshow. I went down to the field to help with last minute setting up, and because I was advised to for general orientation type stuff, and to meet the lady I had been talking to all those weeks. Once I track her down and she finds out who I am, I can see her face fall. The entire experience was extremely awkward. I could tell that most I encountered forced their politeness. I didn't get it; it wasn't as if I had showed up looking like I was going to a punk show. I dressed appropriately and I kept my "appearance" to a minimum. The trip ended with being told that my piercings, though removed, were still noticeable, that my hair was too long and it would be too awkward; that there were many WWII vets who would be uncomfortable, and there were a lot of wealthy people attending that may have had to do with airshow funding that might have been offended by my looks etc etc. I felt it was highly degrading. Are we there to look at the planes or the guy selling the tshirts and hats? I left feeling they had no room for anyone who wasn't a perfect white conservative, christian (yup that was brought up too), military, specimen (sorry hope no offense to anyone here). One of my friends at school is an Indian Muslim girl from UAE. She wears the traditional head scarf thing to cover her hair. What would they have told her if she had volunteered?? I was told I'd be called later if they could find anything for me and that either way I already had the tickets and to just come see the show. I mentioned that I would be willing to do anything behind the scenes as well and that I just wanted to take part, but I didn't press as I was already feeling offended and didn't want to seem desperate. Of course the call later reported they had extra volunteers ergo no need for my help, and I declined to go not wanting to support what I felt was a discriminatory group of people. In a short text message exchange with the volunteer lady after the airshow in which I expressed my feelings on what happened, I was explicitly told that I was rejected for my appearance. This lady spent several weeks getting to know me. I expected better.
So I'd like to know what other pilots out there think. Was I stupid to try volunteering at an airshow? Is my look really that offensive regarding a casual, supposedly fun, aviation outing or event? This whole thing rattled me good, I doubted myself, and my choice to pursue a life in aviation. The volunteer lady gave me a long speech about how If i was older than 21 I was way past due to grow up, and cut my hair, and how it was a shame that i did that to my ears. She went on about how I was joining a "military, NASA" world and I needed to play by the rules. I didn't like the way she put things. I know I'm going to have to adopt a more professional look eventually, but the way she had put it made me feel like i would be doing it to appease someone else and not for myself. I didn't like that feeling at all.
So far I've asked a few friends some pilots some not. They think it's ridiculous. My instructor was shocked (and he's a conservative guy! won't even swear...lol) saying you went to VOLUNTEER, how did they turn that down?? I did express in my post airshow text to her that I disagreed; I hadn't noticed a huge military presence in the aviation I had experienced (more than half the students at my flight school are foreign! Indian, Middle Eastern, and Asian) and that I don't believe every airshow is going to be like that. She said she'd never been to any others. Ha!
I'm curious to hear what everyone has to say!
Sorry for the long post, but since none of you know me yet I felt a bit of background was necessary.
Without getting into my long life story and how I got to where I am now, let me say that after years, and being convinced it would never happen, I'm finally getting my chance to take a crack at being a professional pilot. I'm in training now, and progressing rapidly. Currently I hold a private certificate, single and multi rated, and am working on instrument. Fun stuff! I've had flying on the brain for as long as I can remember; in fact I wouldn't be surprised if it was in my genes somewhere. I'm sure I'm not the first to feel that way. During all those years leading up to now, and unfulfilling they were, I tried all kinds of other things. I collected some tattoos and piercings along the way.
Before anyone gets excited, yes I know I have to cover all that up, and cut my hair etc etc etc etc to get a flying job. Fact is, this is who I've been for the past 10 years, and unlike many people these days, I'm not the type to change my look along with my underwear. Changing the face I've grown accustomed to is not going to be easy, and so long as I'm in training, I don't really feel it's a major concern. I have several months to go before I hit CFI, and I think when the time comes to be ready, and perhaps with a bit of gentle persuasion and encouragement, I'll be ready. So far no one I've encountered in the aviation world notices, much to my surprise. I'm judged as a pilot, and not for what I look like, which is how it should be. Hell, the right hand guy to the owner of my flight school also sports a beard, plugs, and a few tats himself. Anyhow, before I ramble on too long, the story......
I went to my first airshow ever last year. We have a pretty major one here, to my understanding. I won't say where just yet. Last year when I went I knew I was starting training soon, I was timid, and unsure of myself. This year however the story had changed. I was an official pilot, my confidence had grown leaps and bounds, I felt (and do feel) a part of the community, here and anywhere. I wanted more out of going to the airshow; I wanted to rub elbows with the pilots, be closer to the aircraft I admired, take part in making the airshow happen! Besides, just sitting in the grass all day gets boring. Its a much more fun, productive, privileged, important, and belonging feeling to be involved. So I went about registering to volunteer. I started that process in July, and the event just happened this weekend. It took some time to finally get through but I did. I stayed in touch with the volunteer coordinator, who spent some time getting to know me, and being very friendly. Lets skip ahead.
It's the day before the airshow. I went down to the field to help with last minute setting up, and because I was advised to for general orientation type stuff, and to meet the lady I had been talking to all those weeks. Once I track her down and she finds out who I am, I can see her face fall. The entire experience was extremely awkward. I could tell that most I encountered forced their politeness. I didn't get it; it wasn't as if I had showed up looking like I was going to a punk show. I dressed appropriately and I kept my "appearance" to a minimum. The trip ended with being told that my piercings, though removed, were still noticeable, that my hair was too long and it would be too awkward; that there were many WWII vets who would be uncomfortable, and there were a lot of wealthy people attending that may have had to do with airshow funding that might have been offended by my looks etc etc. I felt it was highly degrading. Are we there to look at the planes or the guy selling the tshirts and hats? I left feeling they had no room for anyone who wasn't a perfect white conservative, christian (yup that was brought up too), military, specimen (sorry hope no offense to anyone here). One of my friends at school is an Indian Muslim girl from UAE. She wears the traditional head scarf thing to cover her hair. What would they have told her if she had volunteered?? I was told I'd be called later if they could find anything for me and that either way I already had the tickets and to just come see the show. I mentioned that I would be willing to do anything behind the scenes as well and that I just wanted to take part, but I didn't press as I was already feeling offended and didn't want to seem desperate. Of course the call later reported they had extra volunteers ergo no need for my help, and I declined to go not wanting to support what I felt was a discriminatory group of people. In a short text message exchange with the volunteer lady after the airshow in which I expressed my feelings on what happened, I was explicitly told that I was rejected for my appearance. This lady spent several weeks getting to know me. I expected better.
So I'd like to know what other pilots out there think. Was I stupid to try volunteering at an airshow? Is my look really that offensive regarding a casual, supposedly fun, aviation outing or event? This whole thing rattled me good, I doubted myself, and my choice to pursue a life in aviation. The volunteer lady gave me a long speech about how If i was older than 21 I was way past due to grow up, and cut my hair, and how it was a shame that i did that to my ears. She went on about how I was joining a "military, NASA" world and I needed to play by the rules. I didn't like the way she put things. I know I'm going to have to adopt a more professional look eventually, but the way she had put it made me feel like i would be doing it to appease someone else and not for myself. I didn't like that feeling at all.
So far I've asked a few friends some pilots some not. They think it's ridiculous. My instructor was shocked (and he's a conservative guy! won't even swear...lol) saying you went to VOLUNTEER, how did they turn that down?? I did express in my post airshow text to her that I disagreed; I hadn't noticed a huge military presence in the aviation I had experienced (more than half the students at my flight school are foreign! Indian, Middle Eastern, and Asian) and that I don't believe every airshow is going to be like that. She said she'd never been to any others. Ha!
I'm curious to hear what everyone has to say!
Sorry for the long post, but since none of you know me yet I felt a bit of background was necessary.
