In short: In this comedy bit from one of his talks, Rod Machado recalls meeting a teenager at an air show who asked whether his tongue piercing might affect an airline career. Rod spins the question into tongue-in-cheek interview strategies for pilots with earrings and nose rings.
Video: “Nose Ring Pilots” by Rod Machado, from his YouTube channel.
What you’ll learn
- The air show encounter that started the story
- Rod’s deadpan answer about the airline interview question format
- His mock interview practice session
- A headset strategy for pilots who wear earrings
- Why a nose ring calls for a very creative cockpit explanation
A question at the air show
Rod tells the audience that he meets all kinds of interesting people in aviation. Years ago at an air show, a young man of about 16 struck up a conversation, but his speech sounded slurred. Rod eventually noticed the reason: a metal stud on his tongue. The teen then asked, sincerely, whether it might affect his airline career.
Rod insists he doesn’t make fun of anybody, though he admits he had to restrain himself. His reply was that it depends on whether the young man planned to answer any questions during the interview. From there, he suggests looking for an airline with a yes-or-no question format and acts out a practice session for the crowd.
Interview strategies, Rod style
Next Rod turns to earrings. His tongue-in-cheek solution is to arrive at the interview wearing your headset, which will make you look highly motivated. A nose ring is trickier, since showing up in an oxygen mask would suggest you are far too motivated.
Instead, he says, talk your way through it by claiming the nose ring improves your IFR flying because it is where you clip your approach charts, ready for when the captain asks for one. It’s pure silliness, which is the point.
There is no flight lesson here beyond the obvious reminder that first impressions count in an airline interview. What the clip does show is the playful timing that has made Rod a favorite seminar speaker for decades. It runs under three minutes and makes a good break from studying.
Go deeper with Rod Machado
For more of Rod’s wit along with his reflections on flying and the people who do it, his essay collection is an easy and entertaining read. Learn more in Speaking of Flying.
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