There are a variety of rules that you need to abide by as a pilot.
If you’re interested in training to become a pilot, you might be wondering: Do pilots need to tie their hair?
In this article, I will cover whether pilots need to tie their hair.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
Airlines are notorious for following strict grooming policies for cabin crew, and appearances are everything.
This comes down to the fact that the aviation industry has many standards which must be adhered to under any circumstances, which includes the rules that surround long hair.
Unfortunately, when you are a pilot there are grooming standards to follow.
Do Pilots Need To Tie Their Hair?
In short, yes, long hair needs to be tied back. Long hair needs to be tied back with hair ties that are of a conservative color and that also match the pilot’s hair color for the cleanest, sleekest look.
While many people would argue that long hair doesn’t impact a pilot’s job, others disagree, stating that it looks untidy and can make an airline look unprofessional.
The FAA sets out clear guidance to ensure male pilots have short, military-style haircuts.
In addition to this, many airline pilots choose to keep their hair very short as it is easier to manage.
The similar haircuts that can be exhibited in both airline pilots, as well as the military, began with the U.S. Air Force.
Can Pilots Have Long Hair?
It is generally accepted that female pilots can have long hair. However, up until 2020, the rule was very different for men, requiring men to wear their half 1 1/4 inches from their scalp.
Now, the rule states that men can wear their hair 2 inches from the scalp.
While the rules and regulations can differ from airline to airline, the general consensus is that male pilots must keep their hair kept short and tidy, and females need to keep their hair tied up in a ponytail or bun.
This is to ensure that their hairstyle never interferes with their eyesight, as well as the systems when they are sat inside the cockpit during the duration of the flight.
Grooming Tips To Maintain A Clean And Professional Appearance As A Pilot
There are a variety of grooming tips to follow to ensure you are maintaining a clean and professional appearance.
Take Care Of Your Body
You should always take care of your body and treat yourself well. When you are a pilot, you need to be in reasonably good shape and maintain a good level of fitness.
Long haul flights mean that you need to be awake and alert for long stretches of time, so ensuring you’re in the best shape possible means getting enough sleep, eating a healthy, balanced diet, as well as getting enough regular exercise.
Take Care Of Your Hair And Keep It Tidy
As mentioned above, you should keep your hair neat and tidy.
This applies to both men and women. Men will need to ensure that their hair is short and neat in appearance.
Pilots are allowed to dye their hair, however, you must note that it has to be a natural color such as black, brown, or blonde.
If you want to fly with long hair as a female pilot, you need to ensure that it is neatly tied back.
Look After Your Skin
Pilots must have a clean and fresh face. This means that for male pilots, their beards need to be shaved or presentable. For many airlines, pilots need a clean-shaven face.
Your skin’s health can be affected by a variety of different factors.
Healthy skin can be achieved through following a healthy, balanced diet, receiving enough hours of sleep throughout the night, and a good level of exercise.
A Note On Hairstyles For Airlines
In the U.S. Air Force, there are a variety of hairstyle regulations that a female pilot with long hair must follow. These are:
– There is no minimum hair length, however, the maximum is 4 inches from the scalp (double what men are allowed). In addition to this, the hair needs to ensure the proper wear of headgear.
– Hair needs to end before it reaches the collar.
– One or two braids or a single ponytail is allowed to be worn, but only down the pilot’s back. These braids cannot be worn over the shoulder or pulled in the front.
– Bangs, or hair that is worn to the side may touch the pilot’s eyebrows but should never touch or cover the eyes or affect eyesight.
Can Male Pilots Have Long Hair?
Despite the fact that the rules are ever-changing when it comes to this topic, male pilots are currently not allowed to wear their hair longer than 2 inches from the scalp.
So, to answer this question, no. Male pilots currently cannot wear their hair longer than 2 inches.
As a result, you will need to follow the strict rules of keeping your hair short and tidy if you plan on becoming an airline pilot.
After all, appearances are everything, and you need to look as professional as possible.
Why Can’t Airline Pilots Have Beards?
There are a variety of reasons why airline pilots aren’t allowed to have beards, but it primarily comes down to safety.
The safety of passengers and cabin crew is a very important priority for every airline and every flight taken, so anything that can cause a safety risk needs to be treated very seriously.
It is thought that beards aren’t as during the course of a flight, airline pilots may have to wear supplemental oxygen masks.
As a result, many individuals argue that a beard can affect how the oxygen mask fits to a pilot’s face should they need to wear one.
Bulky facial hair could prevent the oxygen mask from fitting as it should and could therefore result in them not being able to receive enough oxygen, endangering themselves and their passengers should this occur.
As a result, pilots are asked to keep their faces clean-shaven to ensure that they can receive the necessary oxygen should an emergency occur.
Do Pilots Have To Follow A Dress Code?
Yes, in the same way that other members of the cabin crew have a uniform, pilots also have to follow a dress code.
For the majority of airlines, pilots are typically expected to wear a blue or black blazer over a standard pilot shirt with a tie.
In addition to this, many modern airlines also have traditional pilot hats to go alongside their uniform.
Other airlines still require pilots to wear traditional double-breasted pilot jackets with a hat.
That being said, dress codes can differ from airline to airline. So, you shouldn’t be alarmed if the dress code of an airline is slightly different from what you are used to.
In Summary
If you’re a pilot with long hair, then you need to tie it back!
Currently, only female pilots are allowed to keep their hair long, as male pilots can only have it 2 inches from the scalp.
Hopefully, after reading this article you have a better understanding of the rules that you can expect from being a pilot.
Good luck choosing a hairstyle that suits you and is within the regulations.
I decided to create this source of knowledge from my own experiences, in the hopes of helping budding pilots to get through their training.
So, if you’re thinking about becoming a pilot or are in the middle of your training, I hope that this website and my knowledge comes of some benefit to you. I’d love to think that my website made your experience a little less stressful and a lot more fun!
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