is civvy flying helpful

[ferro79]

I currently applied to the airforce as and was just wondering if my civvy flying would be a help or a hinderance ie forgeting habits (good or bad) and learning to fly their way

any feedback helpful ta

[BigGrecian]

Time spent in the air is always a bonus. Airmanship is the main area which will improve with this - as well as a general knowledge of the way ATC work etc etc.
As to learning bad habits etc - you'll be taught from scratch anyway and any habits you do have will quickly disappear.

Be aware recruitment is tight and your aptitude score will have to be very high to be successful. Have a look at some of the other threads about recruitment to get an idea about the current situation.

[Pontius Navigator]

If you get accepted you will have a very good chance of graduating from IOT and the airmanship will then come in handy but as said before is not essential.

Therefore the main use of your previous experience will be at OASC at the interview stage. It will give you the confidence that you can fly already so you will be a lower training risk.

[BEagle]

If you've been properly trained to PPL standard, at least you'll be able to navigate to a better standard at medium level than most UAS/EFT students...... And you'll probably have a much better knowledge of the sub-division of UK airspace as well.

But 'spare capacity' is what really matters.

[Gainesy]

I think s/he is probably talking about the RAAF, not to say the advice does not apply there.

[Pontius Navigator]

Good spot Gainsy, OTOH maybe they are looking to take up UK citizenship iaw the Good Buffoon's new directive.

[airborne_artist]

ferro79

search this forum for "RAAF" - I think there is a thread which answers your query, in about the last six months.

[ferro79]

i aplied in senior, i am guessing life experience let me down, have infantry background am hoping that knowing a little about military life will help as well as having career in GA will show I am keen in both aspects of living the military life as well as flying

thankyou for the input (and no bitching like D&G)

[Aynayda Pizaqvick]

ferro 79,

It will not make a difference no matter what air force you are applying for.

Only thing it may do is show that you are committed to a career in aviation. And for once I disagree with BEagle... PPL thumb crawling is not ML nav!

Best of luck though, any questions feel free to PM me.

[Bof]

Back in the early 50s at FTS in Thornhill, Rhodesia, apart from us straight-in-from-civvy-street guys, we invariably had two or three ex Sgt siggies or engineers on each course. They were always the first to solo and were generally streets ahead of the rest of us for the first few weeks. It tended to even out after that but it was clearly due to their greater awarenes of being in the air, used to listening on the R/T and knowledge of phraseology.

[BEagle]

Aynayda Pizaqvick, 'PPL thumb crawling' is specifically forbidden; pilots are to use a 'rigorous navigation method'.

And at least they know how to use a Dalton computer!

[L J R]

Whilst previous flying experience is advantageous in that you know what an ATIS is for the very first trip, you know what R/W 23 means without real thought and it would be unlikely that you are afraid of flying when you first strap in, Generally, those without previous experience are preferred - (if such a definition can be drawn) as mil training wants 'untarnished' products. That is not to say previous experienced pilots are tarnished.

The real trick is to convince those who have no experience that there is no disadvantage to their lack of flying.

I personally think it is an individiual's motivation and willingness to learn, absorb and apply him (her) self AND the quality of Instruction.

Good luck.

PM if you need to discuss (I have been on a Board or two) - & have seen a lot of studes....

[AllTrimDoubt]

BEags-

"...Navigate at med level better than UAS?EFT students..."

Enough sniping. Perhaps rephrase to read ..."UAS/ RAF EFT students" if you wish, but I have every confidence that my students in the RN were taught effective Nav skills (including Dalton at g/s) iaw a syllabus you might remember.

The RAF decided to diverge from combined EFT and then divorce completely via DE Flights.

Whist it was sad we could no longer get down to 250'MSD, the RN were correctly taught at both 500' and ML and proved those skills before being allowed further.

Yes, Monday and Grumpy.

And the Tutor, in my opinion, remains a graceful and effective biplane trainer whilst the Grob is neither!

[BEagle]

Yes - OK! Sorry - I didn't mean RN or Army EFT! Glad that they're still as sound as ever.

Das Teutor is indeed as you describe, unlike the Tutor!

[AllTrimDoubt]

Ok - Mon Lunchtime so slightly less grumpy now!

Thanks Beags!!

[Cougar]

I would recommend having some hours (approx. 15-20), just to experience the airborne environment. I concur with LJR in the fact that knowing why runways are numbered (for example) gives you a little more brain space, as well as being familiar with radios and R/T.

I came from the 0 previous flying hours school and struggled through Basic GF (equiv. of civ. GFPT). Later on down course though it all becomes even par when you get into nav and form etc.

I really came unstuck on initial emergencies such as engine failures as i had very little idea of how they should be run. I had seen the insturctor demo them previously once or twice, but when it all came doen to him pulling idle with the dreaded words "practice", the demo he had previously given me seemed a world away. I remember thinking that I was having enough problems doing R/T etc and then he pulls this stunt on me! '

I think with some prior flying experience i may have been more comfortable with some of the basics and would have made the rest a little easier.

But if you do come from the zero hours club, don't worry, there are plenty of us who passed doing exactly that!!