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In the world of internet and social media, sometimes such pictures or videos come to the fore, which surprise anyone at first sight. You may have also seen such photographs many times in which a pilot’s uniform—especially the back part of his shirt—appears badly cut or torn from the back. Seeing this, common people often think that perhaps friends have played a prank or it is the result of some accident.
But the truth is completely opposite and very inspiring. In fact, it is a very prestigious and old tradition in the world of aviation, which is associated with the biggest and emotional point of any trainee pilot’s career. Let us know the complete story of this unique custom.
What is ‘First Solo Flight’?
The journey to becoming a commercial or fighter pilot goes through extremely strict discipline, months of exhausting training and mental testing. In the early days a trainee pilot never flies solo; Right next to him or behind him is his instructor (training guide) who corrects every small mistake from takeoff to landing.
The biggest and historic turning point during training comes when the instructor is confident that his student can now handle the aircraft in the sky alone without any human help. With this confidence, the student is sent to fly for the first time, sitting completely alone in the cockpit. In aviation language this is ‘First Solo Flight’ It is said. This moment is the proudest moment of every pilot’s life.
Shirt Cutting Tradition: Comparison of Past and Present
How this interesting tradition started and what changes have taken place in it today, you can easily understand from the table given below:
From patting the back to cutting the shirt: Its unique history
There is a very practical and historical reason behind this tradition. In the early days of aviation, the instructor used to sit right behind his student inside the cockpit. In those days, unlike today, there were no facilities for modern headphones or radio communication, due to which it was impossible to talk to each other amid the loud noise of the engine.
How did this unspoken gesture work?
During the flight, if the student made a mistake or had to change direction, the instructor sitting behind would explain his point by pulling hard on the back of the student’s shirt or hitting his shoulder. The pull of the shirt itself was a signal for the student to turn or control speed. Therefore, when the student successfully completed his first solo flight and landed safely on the ground, the instructor would cut the back of his shirt with scissors. It symbolized that this pilot no longer needed a guide pulling his shirt from behind; Now it is completely free to scale the sky on its own.
This custom is alive even in the digital and hi-tech era
Today’s aircraft may be equipped with the world’s most modern technology, but aviation academies and flying schools around the world still carry on this ancient tradition with great pride and enthusiasm.
Whenever a student (be it male or female) makes his first solo landing, his fellow cadets and instructors surround him and cut the back of his shirt with scissors. Not only this, on that cut piece of cloth, congratulations are written along with the date of the flight, the number of the aircraft used and the signature of the instructor. Later, the pilot gets this cut cloth framed and decorates it like a medal on the wall of his house.
So, the next time you see a picture on the internet of a female or male pilot with his shirt cut from his back, understand that it is not an accident or ragging. This is a celebration of the first and biggest success of establishing our rule over the sky.
