In the 1990’s, we started adding a small red ribbon to our jackets with the text “Remove Before Flight”. In aviation, Remove Before Flight ribbons have been used for decades as safety warnings to indicate that a device, such as a protective cover or a pin to prevent the movement of mechanical parts, is only used when the aircraft is on the ground. These ribbons serve as a reminder to pilots to remove specific parts or components before take off. These warnings are of extreme importance; in some cases, non-removal of a labeled part has caused airplane crashes. As our iconic flight jackets became popular with our civilian customers, the “Remove Before Flight” ribbon was implemented as a way to pay homage to our aviation roots.
Beginning in Fall 2021, the “Remove Before Flight” ribbon was replaced with a red “Alpha Industries” branded ribbon to ensure greater cohesiveness across our product lines. The original “Remove Before Flight” ribbon may still appear on past-season product, and ribbons on Core and Heritage styles may be mixed until the transition is complete.