The Short Empire flying-boat captain's role had a nautical and imperial flavour that has long gone. The captain of an Imperial Airways (and the sister operators of the type, Qantas and Tasman Empire Airways Ltd) flying-boat had a level of autonomy unknown today - more like a ship's Master, and was able to decide the detail and height of the route, though the timetable was as sacrosanct as far as weather and serviceability would allow. Nevertheless, it was common to divert to show passengers points of interest along the routes, such as animal herds over Africa. Though expected to act in a formal manner, most crews were on first name terms unless the captain was one of the more idiosyncratic or autocratic men of the era. Orders given by the pilots were repeated back, nautical fashion. Imperial Airways' first officers were also issued with white boiler suits, worn when working around the aircraft, while conversely the crew's uniforms were not to be worn off duty in clubs, bars or hotels.
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