View Full Version : Army to RAF
sabre1001
1st Aug 2009, 18:24
I am currently a Royal Signals soldier serving in the Army wishing to to transfer to the RAF to become a pilot. I have my PPL and 100 hrs of flying. I am 25 now and i wanted to know if i am too old to tranfer to become a Pilot?
Any help would be appreciated
airborne_artist
1st Aug 2009, 21:40
You need to ask at the AFCO, I suspect. It's been said on the OASC thread that the limit is 26 for those already serving, but not sure if that applies to people from RN/Army.
The RN has an upper limit of 26 (actually 25 and 11 months) for officer aircrew for civilian applicants - it may be higher for those currently serving.
Agree with AA. Get yourself into an AFCO as soon as you can. I'm sure there is at least 1 ex Marine and an ex Para (both from the ranks) going through flying training at the moment.
Thud_and_Blunder
2nd Aug 2009, 10:06
Having once been in a very similar boat (L/Cpl on 9 Sigs, pre-Green-Slime days), I wish you all the very best. I had 26 mostly-fantastic years with the Royal Air Force after that, rarely regretted the move! Get yourself down to the AFCO pronto.
Bertie Thruster
2nd Aug 2009, 10:44
Age 22; L/Cpl on 11 Sigs. Army pilots course when 28 and into RAF aged 32.
No regrets. But did get a bollicking once, from Thud and Blunder.
Sloppy Link
2nd Aug 2009, 15:44
If the RAF door is closed due to your age, the AAC one will still be open, 32 I think.
smugley
3rd Aug 2009, 14:18
Sabre1001 - I would get in touch with OASC directly, the AFCO doesn't always give you the best info regarding 'those already in', I am aware of serving personnel who have been accepted for IOT and pilot training (very recently) and been older than you.
If the AFCO keeps giving you the age limit out of the book, why don't you try another aircrew branch? - OASC will then look at on your merits and offer you what they think is best for the service - people have applied for all sorts of ground branches and been selected for Pilot/Nav/WSOp, and also the other way round of course.
At OASC, on the final day, I was asked whether I would consider several officer branches, even though I'd been specifically told by Careers people that I was too old (30). I really would not get too wrapped up about age limits.
Best of luck.
Smugley (7SR 21SR)