What did you guys wear to the checkride?

jordane93

jordane93

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For all my rides I wore a nice button down shirt, slacks, and nice shoes. Now that I have my CFI ride coming up I'm thinking of adding a tie to the outfit. What did you guys wear?
 
T-shirt and jeans for every checkride I've taken *except* for the CFI. I took the CFI with the FSDO so I wore khakis and a button down shirt.
 
As an employer I always laugh at people that shop up over dressed to make an "impression". My rule of thumb that I have told people and live by is show up dressed just one notch higher than the "job" you are applying for is expected to dress. If you are gonna be working for a high end school that requires professional dress...sure...but for a check ride or a typical CFI gig I would not expect to see anything more than a nice business casual at most.

Anytime I have a candidate show up overdressed my first thought is "what is he trying to over compensate for" and second...this person has not done their research on what would be expected of them once they get going.
 
Kahki pants with a golf shirt. For the ATP I wore a shirt and tie with dress slacks.
 
This. Let them know you mean business.

img-thing
 
Wanted to wear a crash test dummy costume but decided against it.
 
Whatever I had already planned on wearing that day. A lot of guys in the collegiate flight program in college wore ties to their checkrides. I don't get it.:dunno: Last time I checked I was getting graded on my flying ability, not posing for a GQ photo shoot.
 
I mainly wore nice pants and a button up, even to my private checkride. I wanted to look professional and show the examiner some respect as well as that I was serious about the checkride.

Yes, you are graded on your flying ability, but if you were in their shoes would you want to fly with someone who looks like they just crawled out of a dumpster or someone who looks like they really want this?
 
I think it's only as important as wearing something neat, clean, neutral and comfortable (e.g., jeans, casual shoes or sneakers and a solid-color polo). I wore something I had flown in several times before. (The last thing I needed was to be breaking in new shoes while trying to work the pedals.) Also, the examiner came to evaluate my skills, and I wouldn't want him/her to be distracted by what I'm wearing.
 
Jeans and a collared shirt seems enough to me. It's a checkride, not a job interview.
 
Golf shirt and khakis with nice shoes (I like Rockport loafers, myself) is a good idea -- gives the impression of being generally neat about what you do without overdoing it (even PIC dropped its requirement that its instructors wear ties a few years ago). Whether one likes it or not, DPE's are generally more my age than that of collegiate pilot applicants. We had our attitudes formed in a different era -- and we learned you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
 
Shawn said:
As an employer I always laugh at people that shop up over dressed to make an "impression". My rule of thumb that I have told people and live by is show up dressed just one notch higher than the "job" you are applying for is expected to dress. If you are gonna be working for a high end school that requires professional dress...sure...but for a check ride or a typical CFI gig I would not expect to see anything more than a nice business casual at most.

Anytime I have a candidate show up overdressed my first thought is "what is he trying to over compensate for" and second...this person has not done their research on what would be expected of them once they get going.
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But would you rather see overdressed or underdressed for an interview? If I were an employer I would rather see the latter.
 
For my glider check ride I wore board shorts, my usual sneakers, and a tshirt. For my single ride, I wore shorts and a tshirt. If I ever moved up to commercial or CFI I might wear something nicer. :dunno:
 
Ron Levy said:
Golf shirt and khakis with nice shoes (I like Rockport loafers, myself) is a good idea -- gives the impression of being generally neat about what you do without overdoing it (even PIC dropped its requirement that its instructors wear ties a few years ago). Whether one likes it or not, DPE's are generally more my age than that of collegiate pilot applicants. We had our attitudes formed in a different era -- and we learned you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
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Since I'm fairly young (21) I always try to make a good first impression because everyone I meet is a future potential employer. For the CFI I'm thinking a nice button don shirt and pants which is what I did for every other ride.
 
Epaulets. The more the better.

For a glider ride, show up "cowboy."

Unless you're using an OpenAirplane rental for your check ride, you could wear a kilt.
 
teejayevans said:
I was told open sole shoes are a no-no, I wore docksiders, I like a thinner sole as oppose to a sneaker, still do.
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I guess it's all about preference The examiner I took my IR and Comm. wore a Hawaiian shirt and fli flops. I flew with flip flops once when I was a student and it didn't really gel with the rudder pedals so I've never worn them since that time.
 
I research the guy that was taking my checkride, and the most common comments was that he was somehow resent privet pilots, because they are "rich".

I work in a bikecycle factory so I decide to dress as one of our mechanics, full overal and security shoes. Hide the new headset and rent a basic ones.

It work perfect, the guy was very different as all other people had told me. Maybe was luck...

It is sad that I had to do that, but, i believe you have to do your homework always
 
jordane93 said:
Since I'm fairly young (21) I always try to make a good first impression because everyone I meet is a future potential employer. For the CFI I'm thinking a nice button don shirt and pants which is what I did for every other ride.
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If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Stick with what works! :wink2:
 
Nike shorts, Nike T-shirts, Nike sneakers -my usual attire. I had to pass the PTS standards not the first impression standards. Same for my IFR ride... passed them both.. which is good as everyone says I am a horrible dresser.
 
Aviator glasses are the most important part.

Mankini-borat-1116041_554_700.jpg
 
It depends. What does the examiner usually wear? What time of the year is it? Typically I do khakis and a clean solid colored polo shirt. In the winter I'll do a collared button down. I don't beleive in wearing neckties in and around small GA aircraft for safety reasons.
 
Brad Z said:
It depends. What does the examiner usually wear? What time of the year is it? Typically I do khakis and a clean solid colored polo shirt. In the winter I'll do a collared button down. I don't beleive in wearing neckties in and around small GA aircraft for safety reasons.
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My CFI ride is next week in LI, NY. However I did wear a button down and black pants for my private, IR, and comm and they were all taken during the summer. Felt like I jumped in a pool after my rides were done.
 
Brad Z said:
It depends. What does the examiner usually wear? What time of the year is it? Typically I do khakis and a clean solid colored polo shirt. In the winter I'll do a collared button down. I don't beleive in wearing neckties in and around small GA aircraft for safety reasons.
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yeah...yeah, that's my story and I'm stick'n wit it. :D
 
Checkout_my_Six said:
you tried not to say it....right?.......there, Turbine. :rofl:
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Umm...no, unless you're suggesting he put his kirpan in his turban, although I'd think they'd catch that walking through the metal detector. Or are you talking about the "hats off" rule?

For those unfamiliar, a kirpan is a ceremonial knife/sword ranging from a few inches to three feet in length (the small size for normal carry, the big one for special ceremonial occasions) carried by all Sikh males "symbolic of their spirituality and the constant struggle of good and morality over the forces of evil and injustice, both on a individual as well as social level". See here for details.
 
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jordane93 said:
For all my rides I wore a nice button down shirt, slacks, and nice shoes. Now that I have my CFI ride coming up I'm thinking of adding a tie to the outfit. What did you guys wear?
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Look nice. Tie is optional, but certainly won't hurt...as long as you know your stuff.
 
jonathanv said:
Yes, you are graded on your flying ability, but if you were in their shoes would you want to fly with someone who looks like they just crawled out of a dumpster or someone who looks like they really want this?
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You make it sound like I wore 12 year old underwear with holes, my motorcycle/auto repair jeans with oil stains, and a white wife beater that hadn't been washed in weeks. I do have standards. But if I'm getting graded, I'm gonna wear something I feel comfortable flying in. A suit and tie is not my idea of comfortable in a 172 or warrior.
 
I show up to a checkride in appropriate attire. Should the DPE inquire, I can explain that I am wearing comfortable shoes, pants and multiple layers to:
A. be comfortable in the cockpit and around the plane
B. be able to walk through a pasture in case of an off-airport landing
I don't think any examiner with half-a-brain would object that. But it is just my own opinion.
 
Gucci Pilot said:
You make it sound like I wore 12 year old underwear with holes, my motorcycle/auto repair jeans with oil stains, and a white wife beater that hadn't been washed in weeks. I do have standards. But if I'm getting graded, I'm gonna wear something I feel comfortable flying in. A suit and tie is not my idea of comfortable in a 172 or warrior.
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you wear children's underwear?.....:yikes:
 
teejayevans said:
I was told open sole shoes are a no-no, I wore docksiders, I like a thinner sole as oppose to a sneaker, still do.
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Checkride or no checkride, I told my students to wear shoes that they could walk home in. Sent a BFR candidate (and his dad's Malibu) home because he was wearing flip-flops.

Bob Gardner
 
Gucci Pilot said:
You make it sound like I wore 12 year old underwear with holes, my motorcycle/auto repair jeans with oil stains, and a white wife beater that hadn't been washed in weeks. I do have standards. But if I'm getting graded, I'm gonna wear something I feel comfortable flying in. A suit and tie is not my idea of comfortable in a 172 or warrior.
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Agreed, a suit and a tie is definitely overboard, I certainly didn't go that crazy. I've just seen a lot of people go for a checkride in flip flops, torn jeans, and a t-shirt and I just thought that was really tacky! :wink2:
 
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