RAF Pilot - am I wasting my time?

[jim_t]

Hi everyone,

I am interested in applying for aircrew selection to be a pilot. I am unsure though as to whether they'll take me seriously should I visit the AFCO. I know you need A levels to even be considered which I don't have, however, I have taken a university access course and completed the first year of a degree which I hope will give me the educational basis to apply.

This isn't something I've dreamt up or seen a movie and suddenly decided I want to be a pilot. I was in the Air Training Corps and being a pilot was a lifelong ambition. Unfortunately I lost sight of that when I became disinterested in school and didn't get the good qualifications required. I've worked to get my education up and with studying I'm confident I can pass the entry selection tests.

Another thing is I know a lot of the applications for A/C selection already have extensive flying experience including the PPL (which I couldn't dream of achieving on my budget). Will my lack of flying go against me? I have a bit from the ATC, but my squadron was less interested in getting air cadets up in the air and more interested in keeping them on the ground hiding in the bushes, so I wasn't given any opportunity to get my wings and my flying hours (or should I say minutes) in my log book are pretty pathetic in comparison.

My old man is a member of a gliding club which I am going to join, not just to improve my prospects as a pilot but because I want to. Hopefully this will demonstrate how serious I am about the prospect of joining the RAF.

If the idea of me being a pilot is laughed off I will enquire about NCO aircrew selection but I badly want flying wings.

So going back to my original question; am I wasting my time?

And before you answer...I'm 22 years old

[Wholley]

You have to look at the reality of the situation you find yourself in.
Twenty two,no degree,no science or math at"A"level.
I think you have answered your own question.
As to NCO A/C why would the RAF look at you twice?Again for the above reasons.
People with good qual's are knocking at the door and being defered.
The Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force are the main targets of the "Defence Review"
If the current coalition have their way there will be no aircraft to fly(like there is any now )and no carriers to fly them off.
The lastest love fest with the French regarding sea bourne defence will come to nothing.
Ermmm.......Can we borrow the Charles DeGaulle please?We need to reclaim the Falklands again.No ,the Ark is decommisioned.
What?
What?
Can you lot not speak English?
You've broken it again?
The most expensive carrier outside of the US and you can't stop it from irradiating it's engineers unless you steam at half ahead?Not real helpful.So you can't get any NATO aircraft unstuck?Not even your home grown ones?
I see....the only part of your fast jets made in France are the Renault engines now in the hands of Daushault.with a few Swedish parts.
Lost her prop's on the last exercise?
Replaced them with what?
Twenty year old propellers from an older warship......
Oh great

Hello?
Is that the US DoD?
Remember when dear old Ronnie offered us an Aircraft Carrier if we could man it?
You don't.....Oh,I see.
How old are you?
Um.Er..Twenty one.
How come you work for the DoD?
You don't.....
I see,so your an Intern right?
So where is the USS JFK?
In Boston and mothballs?Wonderful,we'll call the Israelis.
Need I go on?

[timex]

Your best bet is to get down to the AFCO asp and find out where you stand with your quals. I assume you've checked the RAF website and seen what they require? You may have the quals for rearcrew. (one of the Lady members on here is more qual'd to give you the gen info on that)

http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers/jobs/pilot.cfm

Secondly don't forget the RN as they have different criteria for Pilot/Obs and crewman.

Finally "air experience" is good to have but can work against you, the Services will put you through Grading where you will be taught various exercises to assess your ability to fly. PPL is a waste of money at this stage.

[Wholley]

Hyper's is deployed right now,but you are right she would have the inside information

[Hyperlithe]

I amn't actually deployed, I'm in deepest darkest Buckinghamshire (again) doing sneaky stuff!
(Or learning another language, whichever sounds coolest...)

Even before the SDSR you would have struggled getting NCO Aircrew, never mind pilot, but since Kinloss has been given bad news we have a whole lot of guys whose only option for keeping their jobs is to retrade within the Aircrew world, and I know that people already serving were getting told in August that they had a 12 month wait to start a course to train as a rotary loadmaster (the only aircrew branch currently open) so the backlog has probably grown since then. I would suggest having a chat with the AFCO, seeing what you are qualified for, and what trades are recruiting, because that would at least get you in and serving and then you could get some more qualifications and go for aircrew once it's all settled down. Just please remember that we're losing an eighth of our manpower in the next 5 years, and with the economic climate the way it is, more people than ever are applying to join the military because they think it's a secure career, so you really need to make yourself the best candidate you can. I'm not saying it's impossible, just that you're facing an uphill battle at the moment.