Army air corps

[minimad]

Hi Guys,

Im currently in the REME and training for my ppl which ive nearly completed. I met an apache pilot the other day on an excercise at my camp, so i had a chat with him about selection. I asked how much my ppl would benefit me when i got it. He said it wouldnt be helpful at all, as the pilot training would train me from scratch and get me out of civilian habits. I understand it wouldnt help militarily wise, but for selection and apptitude testing surely it will give me a head start? Once i have finished my PPL, ill be moving on to my ATPL and hour building for my commercial license while im still in the REME.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!!!

[HEDP]

Mini,

PPL flying may well help you with the aptitude testing.

As for selection; you need to be careful how you pitch your PPL training. You would need to emphasise that you have done it to help you gain your goal of flying in the Army. The last sentence of your post, if you were to mention commercial training, has the potential to demonstrate that you want the hours to feather a subsequent career rather than a longer commitment to army aviation. This may be percieved as a negative in the selection process.

PPL training will always assist you in military pilot training provided you have the flexibility to then adapt the techniques you learn to the military way of doing business.

Hope this is helpful, PM if you want for more of a heads up,

HEDP

[Two's in]

minimad,

Not sure what it's called these days, but there is a flying skill called Airmanship, which is fairly self explanatory, and it's fundamentally about situational awareness, or thinking in 4 dimensions - x,y, z against time, understanding other traffic locations against your movement, where will you and they be in 5, 10 or 15 minutes, where are the airspace boundaries, who are you going to talk to and why, plus a bunch of other stuff that becomes second nature, in addition to learning to fly the aircraft. This is a critical skill and any flying experience you have will help you acquire Airmanship sooner, including your PPL experience.

As HEDP cautions though, make sure you are prepared to learn to fly the Military way, and don't try and "apply" any specific techniques you may be acquiring with your PPL. And as also mentioned, never, ever, mention ATPL within the hallowed grounds of Aircrew selection or while on any subsequent training course.

The Apache guy was also correct, none of this will help you particularly with selection process either, other than a greater awareness of the broad aspects of aviation. Selection is really quite black and white - the academic bit is pass or fail and the aptitude is almost out of your control, you either have the motor and reaction skills or you don't. My point is there is no point in sweating it, just get the book learning in before you go and do your best.

PS. I'm guessing you're not in a protected trade group in REME?

[lasernigel]

Im currently in the REME and training for my ppl which ive nearly completed.

Well done Minimad,:ok: and at least you're in the 'right' corps!

Remember when I was in REME a Sgt as he was then, got his PPL, did all his hours and on mid term leave from Kuwait,(late '70's) when he was a WO2 did his twin conversion. Ended up flying for Royal mail after leaving the Army after his 22yrs.:ok:

[minimad]

@ HEDP and TWOS IN cheers for your replys. I fully appreciate where you guys are coming from and understand that military flying will be totally different and that the skills i learn now (airmanship) will be vitally important whatever flying i decide to do. Im going to continue to follow with the commercial route but obviously keep my cards close to my chest. Im just trying to keep as many doors open as possible and break a few down if needs be!

@ LASERNIGEL always good to hear from a fellow Lanky!