The Strange Reason Behind Why Pilots Are Almost Always Clean-Shaven

Posted on 15/06/2024 by Boris Clair

Have you ever wondered why pilots don’t tend to have beards? Well, me neither, but when you think about it, have you ever seen a pilot sporting a big bushy beard?

Weird, right?

It’ll differ from airline to airline but for the UK’s biggest airline, British Airways, this is the rule pertaining to hair: “Men’s hair must meet a conventional style which is appropriate for a professional environment; shaven or sculptured styles and long hair are not permitted.

“Dyed hair must be of a natural colour for both men and women.”

Of course, this is in part due to appearance, especially on an airline as prestigious as British Airways but according to experts, it’s also a crucial matter of safety.

Why pilots do not tend to have beards

According to Wayman Aviation Academy, the most crucial thing on airlines is passenger and staff safety, which isn’t all that surprising.

What is surprising, though, is that beards can actually compromise the safety of pilots in the instance of an emergency.

Wayman Aviation explained: “In emergency situations, pilots must don oxygen masks quickly and efficiently. Facial hair can disrupt the tight seal necessary between the mask and the face, potentially compromising the flow of oxygen.

“This is critical at high altitudes where oxygen levels are low. Ensuring a proper seal can be the difference between life and death, making the clean-shaven rule a non-negotiable aspect of airline safety protocols.”

Additionally, in a 1987 safety review of masks and facial hair found that facial hair really can impact the efficacy of masks.

The report read: “The data resulting from these tests indicated that decrement in performance does occur when facial hair is present along the sealing surface of crew oxygen masks.

“This decrement is proportional to the amount of facial hair present, the type mask worn, the suspension system associated with the mask, and the exercise level to which the individual is subjected.”

It’s probably not worth it, to be honest.

UK Travellers Urged To Avoid Doing 1 Very Common Departure Lounge Habit

Posted on 13/06/2024 by Boris Clair

Departure lounges in airports are, at the best of times, incredibly dull and if your flight is delayed, you may find yourself cycling through apps on your phone, grasping at straws for entertainment and distraction.

Of course, this drains your battery and what is the first thing you do when you see that all-important battery running down? Look for an outlet to plug your phone into.

Now, personally, I never travel without at least two charged battery packs but less anxious people tend to find USB ports in airport lounges which may seem handy but according to multiple UK airlines, you shouldn’t be so readily using these outlets.

Why you should never charge your phone in the airport

Travel expert Megan who shares travel tips on advice on her YouTube channel Portable Professional said: “Using an airport USB to charge your devices can expose you to a scam called ‘juice jacking’. This happens when public USB ports are manipulated to steal data from your devices that are connected to them.”

Cool, cool, cool.

Instead, Megan advises using a travel adapter for your plugs.

She said: “Using an adapter allows you to safely connect to outlets. Unlike USB ports, AC outlets are purely for power and they don’t transfer data, ensuring there is no risk to your personal information while it’s charging.

“Navigating airport layovers with multiple devices can be tricky, and a big mistake that travellers make is not having a plan to keep all of their devices charged.”

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How to keep your information safe when travelling

According to the National Security Alliance, these are the steps we must take to keep our information safe while travelling: “Back up your data and make sure your software is updated.

“Use complex, unique, and long passwords for every account, along with multi-factor authentication (MFA). Use a password manager to generate, maintain, and store your strong passwords! Secure every device with a password and MFA.”

Stay safe out there!

Sabina Nessa: What Must Change To End Violence Against Women

Posted on 24/09/2021 by Boris Clair

British police investigating the killing of a 28-year-old woman in London say they are probing whether... — British police investigating the killing of a 28-year-old woman in London say they are probing whether she was attacked by a stranger.

Sabina Nessa was walking through a park to meet a friend at a bar, on a journey that should’ve taken five minutes, when she was killed a week ago.

On Thursday, the Metropolitan Police said a 38-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of the murder of the 28-year-old teacher.

A vigil is being held for her on Friday night at Peglar Square in Kidbrooke Village, southeast London, close to where her body was found.

Sadly, Sabina’s death is not out-of-the-ordinary. Around 200 women were killed last year in Great Britain, according to official figures.

But what’s being done to make sure women are protected?

Violence against women and girls (known as VAWG) in the UK is a “shadow pandemic”, according to sexual harassment lawyer Deeba Syed. She is calling for drastic change to attitudes, policies and policing so women can feel safe.

People gather in Clapham Common, in memory of Sarah Everard.

A sense of ‘urgency’

Syed believes violence against women and girls is “much more common” than people think.

“So many women have died in similar circumstances, there’ve been the high profile cases of Sarah Everard, Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry, and now this. But there have been so many cases in between that many people haven’t heard of.

“There’s not enough urgency in the way it’s being tackled and there’s not enough understanding of the ways that this impacts women. It impacts on all women, but particularly women of colour who are at a higher risk of violence.”

Syed questions whether measures such as more plain-clothed police officers and more street lighting – which have been proposed by the authorities – are really going to tackle the immediate issues women face.

“How many more women have to die before it’s seen as the urgent matter that
it is?”

Women are being *killed* walking through the parks of London and the Government thought the answer was to install a bit more street lighting

Say her name #SabinaNessa and ask yourself where is the same outcry that there was for Sarah Everard?https://t.co/2KpKjWU9Ub

— Deeba Syed (@deebasyed) September 22, 2021

Connecting strategies on violence and domestic abuse

“This is the shadow pandemic that’s just ignored,” says Syed.

Her thoughts are shared by Farah Nazeer from Women’s Aid, a charity fighting to end domestic abuse in the UK.

“We know that women’s experiences of violence and abuse are interconnected,” says Nazeer.

“Strategically the government needs to respond to this. We are concerned that disconnecting the VAWG strategy from domestic abuse by creating a separate strategy is a backward step.”

The treatment of Sabina’s death has not been on the same level as others, and time and time again we see how victims from Black and minority communities do not receive the same level of attention and support. It is simply not good enough, and it has to change.Farah Nazeer, chief executive of Women’s Aid

And she especially wants to see better mental health support for women who have experienced violence with “specific ring-fenced funding for services run ‘by and for’ Black and minority women.”

Improving police understanding of the dangers faced by women

Some of the work Women’s Aid carries out includes working with police forces to deliver training around the response to survivors of domestic abuse.

But Nazeer says the reality of police forces understanding the dangers women face is still “inadequate”.

Syed wants to see every case taken “more seriously” when it comes to women going missing and similar incidents.

“After the Sarah Everard outcry, what we saw was the police telling women ‘don’t go outside’. We’re still in this place where we are telling women to moderate their behaviour to keep themselves safe when women should be able to walk down the street without having to fear for their lives.”

They’re not the only group calling for the police to do more.

A police watchdog, the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services, recently said that violence against women should be treated as seriously as terrorism, and there are still areas where the police are failing women.

A police officer stands by floral tributes at Cator Park in Kidbrooke, near to the area where the body... — A police officer stands by floral tributes at Cator Park in Kidbrooke, near to the area where the body of Sabina Nessa was found.

The government must step up, and not wait for a social media outcry

In July, the government revealed plans to tackle violence against women and girls.

Following Sabina’s death, a spokesperson for the prime minister said the strategy would “drive long-term change” but many are sceptical.

“It’s taken grassroots activists and people on social media to demand that her [Sabina’s] story gets more attention,” says Syed.

She thinks the government’s strategy doesn’t go “far enough”.

“VAWG services have been underfunded for years, it hasn’t been seen as important, and it’s not been seen as a priority.”

Stella Creasy, Labour MP for Walthamstow, believes women are “being let down” because of the lack of reporting and potential crimes not being investigated.

“We have to take on the culture within the police and politics that doesn’t recognise the warning signs in perpetrators behaviour and so leaves women in harms way.”

Syed has used her own social platforms to raise awareness about stories like Sabina’s. Even though she feels a social media outcry shouldn’t be the only reason for the government to pay attention, she’s glad to see people online trying to help.

She said: “We saw in the Sarah Everard case how crucial social media was to raising awareness and creating a response.

“This is a long standing problem that needs an urgent kind of solution that shouldn’t just be based on social media outcry.”

Help and support:

If you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. If you are not in immediate danger, you can contact:

The Freephone 24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline, run by Refuge: 0808 2000 247
In Scotland, contact Scotland’s 24 hour Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline: 0800 027 1234
In Northern Ireland, contact the 24 hour Domestic & Sexual Violence Helpline: 0808 802 1414
In Wales, contact the 24 hour Life Fear Free Helpline on 0808 80 10 800.
National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0800 999 5428
Men’s Advice Line: 0808 801 0327
Respect helpline (for anyone worried about their own behaviour): 0808 802 0321

Two Thirds Of Child Stair Gates Fail Safety Tests, Investigation Finds

Posted on 30/05/2019 by Boris Clair

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