Afterburner Seminars trademarking wearing of Flightsuits

[HeyJoe]

So General Chuck Yeager, the one and only, the man, is asking today about Afterburner Seminars claiming to have trademarked the wearing of Flightsuits in public appearances?? https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chuck-Yeager/465193060493?hc_location=timeline

I checked and, indeed, this outfit (http://www.afterburnerseminars.com/home) has taken on their competitors in court claiming they, and only they, can wear flightsuits in motivational speaking (thereby attracting attention of the good general) as well as using certain phrases used in everyday military aviation.

 

[Fallonflyr]

Didn't there used to be a TV show about this bunch (Yeager included) called Tool Time?
I've heard of wearing the "green tux" in the ville to get laid but to get paid by a bunch of corporate wanabe's to hang out is a great idea.
(Full disclosure, I have gotten shitfaced at some point with at least 3 of the afterburner consultants.)

 

[BOMBSonHAWKEYES]

I trademarked the wearing of steel-toed boots while in the function performing military duties. Lawyer up!

 

[Flash]

Not to get completely off topic but there is a long thread over at Baseops about how much of an arrogant jerk General Yeager is nowadays, some of the posters met him personally and all said he wasn't very nice. Apparently his new wife hasn't helped things. Great man who has done great things but......

Back on topic though, those 'Afterburner' folks and a few others make me crack up. No problem with trying to make money but the whole business is a bit too 'That Guy'-ish. It gets even better when one of the competitors complaining about the flight suit copyright advertises herself as the '"Navy's first female fighter pilot", her subsequent FENAB notwithstanding.

 

[HeyJoe]

Whether you like the principals or not, if the court decides in favor of Afterburner plaintiff, they will be able to sue anyone outside military wearing flight suit and using terms like "Situation Awaeness" or even showing Blue Angel video that is in public domain.Sounds ludicrous but but they got to Trademark office first and are targeting their completion at present.If they succeed, they will have government on their side to go after any and all individuals wearing flight suits outside the military.

 

[LFCFan]

Why would you pay people to tell you that if you don't get your life together that "You''ll be living in a Mig-21 down by the river!"

 

[Flash]

Whether you like the principals or not, if the court decides in favor of Afterburner plaintiff, they will be able to sue anyone outside military wearing flight suit and using terms like "Situation Awaeness" or even showing Blue Angel video that is in public domain.Sounds ludicrous but but they got to Trademark office first and are targeting their completion at present.If they succeed, they will have government on their side to go after any and all individuals wearing flight suits outside the military.

I agree that the patent application is stupid and should not be approved, the personalities involved notwithstanding. I am curious just how they can even apply to patent something that they didn't design, a government design at that? Not being well versed in patent law I am sure there is some reading of the law that allows them to do so but as a layman I am puzzled how they could get away with that. I am sure they have some legalistic explanation in the best barracks/sea lawyer fashion but it is still just plain stupid, the folks associated with that filing deserve a nice big kick in the junk.

This almost makes me want to show up at some event of theirs and heckle them while wearing my purple velour 'Bahrain special' flight suit, for once I wouldn't look like the biggest fool in the room while wearing that thing.

 

[HeyJoe]

.

This almost makes me want to show up at some event of theirs and heckle them while wearing my purple velour 'Bahrain special' flight suit, for once I wouldn't look like the biggest fool in the room while wearing that thing.

Brilliant! So now i hear they are trademarking use of term "Task Saturation". I get that you can speculate buying domain names, but trademarking military aviation terms like "situational awareness" and "task saturation" is simply ludicrous as well as saying only they can use publicly released Blue Angel video?. I lay blame on the Trademark Office for allowing frivolous trademarking but their position is proposed Trademarks are posted and can be protested. But who thinks to go there and check on ridiculous trademarks??

 

[wink]

So here is what I have gathered before becoming task saturated and losing all situational awareness. AB filed for the trademark in July of 2010 claiming they have been using the flight suit for their unique business purposes since Jan 96. The Corps (similar business with some former AB employees) flied the lawsuit with the Patent and Trademark Office to prevent the trademark. Separately, in state court, GA, I think, AB sued The Corps for wearing flight suits in a similar business. So far it looks like the Trademark proceedings are on hold until litigation has been resolved. We are probably along way off from having a resolution on the trademark going forward.

http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=85094889&caseType=SERIAL_NO&searchType=statusSearch
http://www.plainsite.org/dockets/index.html?id=2105885

My son is a law student and has taken classes on intellectual property. He says there is growing concern in the legal community that the PTO is way to permissive allowing trademarks and patents too liberally, thereby inviting these types of suits. Ninth Circuit Judge Alex Kozinski is leading the charge to make patent and trademark more rational.

 

[Sheepdip]

Does that mean the man, Chuckie Yeager, won't be able to charge kids for autographs whilst wearing a flight suit? His wife is the epitome of WAPCE

 

[Recovering LSO]

Ninth Circuit

more rational.

two phrases not generally used together...

 

[HeyJoe]

It has now surfaced that Afterburner, Inc actually sells "Military Grade Flighr Suits" on their webpage.....trying to figure that one out. That sets up situation in which they will gladly sell you a flight suit, but then sue you for wearing it? Unless, if you buy THEIR flight suit, you get a license to wear it in public???...or do they give you a SOP on when and where you can wear it???

http://www.afterburnerstore.com/Military-Grade-Flight-Suit-_p_16.html

 

[707guy]

It has now surfaced that Afterburner, Inc actually sells "Military Grade Flighr Suits" on their webpage.....trying to figure that one out. That sets up situation in which they will gladly sell you a flight suit, but then sue you for wearing it? Unless, if you buy THEIR flight suit, you get a license to wear it in public???...or do they give you a SOP on when and where you can wear it???

The pile around this situation justs smells more everyday...

 

[Beans]

It has now surfaced that Afterburner, Inc actually sells "Military Grade Flighr Suits" on their webpage.....trying to figure that one out. That sets up situation in which they will gladly sell you a flight suit, but then sue you for wearing it? Unless, if you buy THEIR flight suit, you get a license to wear it in public???...or do they give you a SOP on when and where you can wear it???

http://www.afterburnerstore.com/Military-Grade-Flight-Suit-_p_16.html

Meticulous in detail? Even more bullshit. These folks are geniuses. Disgusting geniuses.

 

[wink]

two phrases not generally used together...

Unless it is Justice Kozinski on the panel. Kozinski is a breath of rationality and reason on the Ninth Circus. He has a sharp wit, is libertarian leaning, a product of Communism, all around fascinating. This on trademarks: http://notabug.com/kozinski/trademarks