I am a private pilot working on my xc requirements for my instrument rating. My co-pilot or “hood buddy” insists on wearing epaulettes every time we fly. Normally I wouldn’t consider wearing a uniform since I’m not the show off type. However, I’m a little bit sick of going places and being asked how my flight training is coming or being treated as a student and not a pilot. Also, whenever we bring our friends on flights I’m always asked about why I’m not dressed up all official or why I’m only wearing jeans and a t shirt. Needless to say, it’s getting old. Getting him to not wear epaulettes is absolutely out of the question. Is it normal for private pilots to do this?
I think I’d get one of those "I’m with stupid shirts with the arrow pointing his way and wear that everytime. Out embarrassing can go along way.
Funny, but I don’t want to be a jerk either.
I would say your co pilot has some severe adequacy issues. We have a word for such people in the firefighting world, WACKER!
not in a jerk way but a joking see how silly this is? kinda way
As a former line guy, I would probably laugh my head off if some part 91 guys came in and one dude was in a dress shirt with epaulets. Seriously. If you’re not part 135 or 121 and on an actual revenue trip, it’s pretty silly to wear them. You could make it a game and wear the same gitup with epaulets as well…wear Captain epaulets if he’s wearing FO epaulets, or if you could find them with 5 stripes all the better. 
Don’t really see much else you can do about it though other than not fly with him.
Get the shirt. 
sounds like a tool bag.
Nah, he’s a nice guy, he just reminds me of Michael Scott from “The Office”.
in hockey, unless you have just won it, it is a curse to touch the Stanley cup without winning it. Maybe make something up like I don’t want to jinx my possible future career by wearing them just yet.
Overseas some flight schools require airline style uniforms for students and instructors. I flew for a 91 operator in a mid sized jet for about a year, we wore uniforms. All it did was invite ramp checks.
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Is it your plane or are you paying to rent it? If so, just tell your friend “No dork bars on my dime”. “Friends don’t let friends wear dork bars” would be another approach.
Who is PIC of your life?
Wear what you want and forget what others think would be my thoughts.
Tell your buddy-
If I have to tell you how cool I am, Then I’m not that cool…
Tell him to lose the monkey suite. It makes him a geek
I like your thinking… 
But the next step up from Captain is Rear Admiral which has one 2-inch stripe http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/OF6_USN_RDML.gif
Unless you know something about navy insignia, that just ain’t gonna have the same effect.
Still, if you’re handy with a needle and thread, you could come up with something with 5 stripes on your own.
You may enjoy the appearing and disappearing epaulets in this video, then: http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/exclusivevids/ExclusiveVideo_PatterFlying_CFIs_SarcasmHumor_202261-1.html
TheEggman - Not sure what to tell your friend. All the private pilots I know (and students, too) would find your friend a bit silly. I like the idea of doing something equally silly but different. I don’t suppose you could explain to your passengers that the epaulets don’t really mean anything in this case…
NICE IDEA! 6 stripes! 10 stripes!
If that doesn’t get the message across, I don’t know what would.
This is funny.
A dozen of those and he’d be looking like Idi Amin
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A dude that wears a uniform in a 172 is like a dude on here with 2,000+ Posts and less than 100hrs total time.
I’ll admit to wearing the shirt one time outside of Halloween. Was a first time ever airplane flight for a friends 6 year old son who loved airplanes, and I gave him a set of wings. I felt obligated to do the dog and pony show.
Quite the opposite, one time in winter I brought along my Buffalo headress and put the headset on under it, flew around warm and toasty, and upon taxing up to the FBO it took a while to figure out why everyone was checking me out.
Be safe, have fun, and enjoy your flying with dorks. Each of us is “That guy” in one way or the other. What would aviation be without funny stories?