To be a navy pilot .. [Archive]

aidanjeeez

23rd Sep 2012, 20:04

Hello ,

I know to some , this may sound tedious and stupid- i am not even sure this is the right place to put this but here goes. I've been wanting to be a fast jet pilot for quite some time and like the idea of the royal navy , so i did some browsing a while ago and say the Aircrew officer pilot job description , read it and thought it was perfect for me ( bare with me).

I have 5+ GCSE's , maths and english at c's. So thats alright , and am studying 3 as-levels currently and one btec,and plan to go on to study 3 a-levels to try get the 180 ucas points required to be a navy pilot. Ive heard for one , btec's dont count towards the points needed. I dont know why this would be as its the equiv to one A-level. Also if i got the 3 as levels , 3 a levels , 1 btec certificate would that be enough for me to qualify for it? I dont plan on uni as the money would put me under a mega depression mode for the rest of my life and read you dont need a degree to apply to be a pilot anyway. Or atleast it doesn't say you do on the description.

Any help would be much appreciated ;)

Pontius Navigator

23rd Sep 2012, 21:10

Oh dear. :(

stickmonkeytamer

23rd Sep 2012, 21:24

bare with me

Destined to be in the Navy then... all for one and one for all in the 2 Deck Dash... ;)

SMT

Easy Street

23rd Sep 2012, 21:32

Don't pick any difficult subjects like maths or physics for your A-levels; it would be wasted effort. Just aim for a couple of Ds or Es in Hotel Management or the like, there is no minimum grade required and the subject doesn't matter either.

TheWizard

23rd Sep 2012, 21:32

I know to some , this may sound tedious and stupid

Sorry, but that was just too tempting!!:E

Pontius Navigator

23rd Sep 2012, 21:37

Maybe this is one for WEBF, he can fill him in on the fast jets.

Fox3WheresMyBanana

23rd Sep 2012, 21:42

Strange.

When I wanted to join the RAF, I wrote to .... the RAF.

I asked what they wanted.

I read everything they sent me,

did that....

and got in!

I think my favourite was a mother asking us (school CCF) to help her son get to Lympstone on the train.
"Ma,am, if he can't make it to the depot on his own, I doubt the Marines will want him."

Milo Minderbinder

23rd Sep 2012, 22:31

Aidan
have you actually checked just which fast jets the RN currently flies?
and what they are likely to fly in the future?

phil9560

24th Sep 2012, 01:23

Bet you wish you hadn't bothered son :)

galaxy flyer

24th Sep 2012, 01:39

If you want to be a fast jet pilot AND in the Navy, can you join the USN?

GF

Cabe LeCutter

24th Sep 2012, 01:46

At the risk of taking the bait :ugh::ugh::ugh:. Your post sounds like it was written by Adrian Mole aged ten and three quarters :E. What the fine gentlemen who have posted before really mean is do some research before you post. There is a wanabees sticky at the top of the page and you will also find a telephone number for the RN Recruiting Office.
I am assuming that you are talking about the Royal Navy and not one of the various other imposters, they dont bother with capitals either:p The RN is a little short of pointy things and boats to put them on at the moment :{ I wanted to be a spaceman but am scared of the dark.:p:p:p

Heads down, look out for the flack.

WhiteOvies

24th Sep 2012, 02:17

As Cabe suggested the sticky and recruiting office are good places to start. If you do make it expect poor banter from RAF types like most of the above comments.:hmm:

F-35 is currently planned to be a mix of RN & RAF aircrew so you never know, Naval fast jet pilot may be a possibility. If you want it enough keep studying, get the grades and keep going.

Good luck.

SASless

24th Sep 2012, 02:48

I think my favourite was a mother asking us (school CCF) to help her son get to Lympstone on the train.
"Ma,am, if he can't make it to the depot on his own, I doubt the Marines will want him."

Is that why he wound up in the RAF instead?

Sorry......I just had to say it!;)

lj101

24th Sep 2012, 05:09

Aidan
have you actually checked just which fast jets the RN currently flies?
and what they are likely to fly in the future?

Aid

The RN fixed wing FAA are/will be flying the F18, Hawk and Harrier, (not sure about French exchanges). The good news is more slots are being agreed (or may have just been agreed recently). Before my (current) light blue brothers start getting in a tiz, the RAF will be allegedly sharing some of these USA created seats.

It's (in my opinion) an excellent time to apply: so go and speak to the recruiters and good luck.

BEagle

24th Sep 2012, 07:36

Harrier slots would have to be on exchange, possibly with the USMC. Whether that's actually possible after the navy shot itself in the foot by binning the excellent F/A2, is open to doubt.

It'll be a while before the new carriers are commissioned and even longer before they have any organic fast jets. Until then, it's helicopters only in the FAA.....:\

London Eye

24th Sep 2012, 08:12

"the navy shot itself in the foot by binning the excellent F/A2"

Presumably a waah....

Otherwise perhaps slightly naive or at least revisionist!

FODPlod

24th Sep 2012, 08:22

...Whether that's actually possible after the navy shot itself in the foot by binning the excellent F/A2, is open to doubt...

That would be the Fleet Air Arm's excellent Harrier F/A2 hung out to dry after its incorporation in 'Joint Force Harrier' under RAF Strike Command, of course.

Personally, I think the rot set in when the RAF was given overall responsibility for service accommodation stores and introduced formica-topped tables and delicate gold-rimmed chinaware in ships and establishments up and down the land. :)

Wrathmonk

24th Sep 2012, 08:41

FODPlod

Edited your first para (my bold) to be nearer the truth:E;)

That would be the Fleet Air Arm's excellent Harrier F/A2, hung out to dry after it was sold down the river by the then 1SL (Adm Boyce (a sun-dodger through and through who therefore didn't give a stuff about the FAA) as a means of freeing up cash to pay for boats and things for which he got rewarded by being promoted to CDS.

Of course, in both our posts, you should never let the truth get in the way of a bit of single Service bashing!:ok:

Wander00

24th Sep 2012, 08:48

Maybe Mum was just after a rail warrant - do they still exist?

teeteringhead

24th Sep 2012, 08:54

a rail warrant - do they still exist? .. indeed they do, but are becoming as reare as hens' teeth and rocking horse poo.

What you have to do is go through a (perhaps outsourced) Travel Cell, which will:

a. Provide the most expensive ticket
b. Charge a % for so doing ...

... rather like Hoitel booking really ......:ugh:

XV490

24th Sep 2012, 09:34

I do so love these spit-roasting rituals. Pontius's simple, understated
Oh dear. http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/sowee.gif
was exquisite. A rite of passage for any who've not done their homework - nor even know what homework is (was?).

ExRAFRadar

24th Sep 2012, 11:28

Do you all still get 4 a year ? We used to buy the Married guys ones....
£10 from Carlisle to London return. Superb

And to the OP, Don't give up , carry on asking any questions you like.

Pheasant

24th Sep 2012, 19:44

Aidan,

Assuming you can really spell and have some grasp of grammar.......at least the RN FAA are recruiting and have a plan - unlike the RAF who are still recycling mega holdovers and will be for some considerable time.

The RN have and will be selecting FJ jocks and posting them to the USN programme until the Joint F-35 school starts (in the USA). As I understand it any RAF pilot who accepts one of the USN slots has to sign up for a maritime life....so not many are signing up.

Go into your local RN Office and ask.

Justanopinion

24th Sep 2012, 21:45

To be a navy pilot ..
one has to be tremendously charming, talented and good looking.

Harrier slots would have to be on exchange, possibly with the USMC. Whether that's actually possible after the navy shot itself in the foot by binning the excellent F/A2, is open to doubt.

Harrier slots WILL be on exchange with the USMC.

It'll be a while before the new carriers are commissioned and even longer before they have any organic fast jets. Until then, it's helicopters only in the FAA.....

No its not. Its F18s (Super and legacy), Harriers and helicopters.

BEagle

24th Sep 2012, 22:03

No its not. Its F18s (Super and legacy), Harriers and helicopters.

F-18s and Harriers will hardly be organic....

Lonewolf_50

24th Sep 2012, 22:16

I would suggest to the Aidanjeez that he consider the following as he plots the course of his career:
I've been wanting to be a fast jet pilot for quite some time and like the idea of the royal navy , so i did some browsing a while ago and say the Aircrew officer pilot job description , read it and thought it was perfect for me ( bare with me).
Do you have 20/20 vision?
Are you an adrenaline junky?
(You seem self confident, so that's good.)
Are you willing to work your backside off?
What does it mean when someone says clockwise?
Do you realize that there are these neat machines known as helicopters that the Royal Navy flies?
Does that interest you?
I ask for the following reason: when I was in flight school, I wanted to be a jet pilot, but the breaks and my flying skills didn't quite match up. I ended up a Navy helicopter pilot. It was a good thing.
In other words, what is your plan B?

NutLoose

24th Sep 2012, 22:49

Do you all still get 4 a year ? We used to buy the Married guys ones....
£10 from Carlisle to London return. Superb

I used to get bus warrants as well as we lived a couple of miles outside Carlisle... Never thought of buying the married guys Warrants as most used them as mileage claims.

Did used to go back to Germany with a pockets full of old 5p coins as they were the same weight and size as a mark coin, and of course fitted German vending machines.. :O

old-timer

25th Sep 2012, 09:48

Both Fixed & Rotary wing offer a great career path.
There are some great civvie rotary wing jobs when you leave & earn loads of £££.
Sadly not so many FJ options in civvie street !

Enjoy either way & go fly !

teeteringhead

25th Sep 2012, 09:54

full of old 5p coins as they were the same weight and size as a mark coin, and of course fitted German vending machines.. And the fruit machines in the Mess at Gütersloh when I was O i/c Machines!!

Could always tell when there was a det on - more shillings and 5ps than DMs! (and there were 5 to the £ then :{).

So I used to fill up the jackpot hoppers with the shillings ..... :E

Davaar

26th Sep 2012, 01:29

Don't pick any difficult subjects like maths or physics for your A-levels

Or, on the evidence, English.

Redcarpet

26th Sep 2012, 08:22

Aidan, I think the best places to look for information would be careers websites, the Careers Office and the wannabes forum. It would save you the trouble of trying to post here and being met by a barrage of abuse from a bunch of the usual sad to$${rs who should know better. The only consolation for you is that they are likely to have disappeared up there own ar$}h@les by the time you reach the front line. Keep your chin up, your options open and don't let these goons put you off.

Pheasant

26th Sep 2012, 10:03

Aiden and other wanabees,

Further to my last, the RN are full steam ahead with recruiting into both FJ and Rotary whereas it would appear the RAF will not need an aircrew intake for many years (up to 10??) as a consequence of (bizarrely) not making any aircrew redundant. The RN learned many years ago never to turn off the tap.

So, if you want to fly.....Fly Navy!

Edmund Spencer

26th Sep 2012, 10:05

Sounds like a wind up to me.
Certainly seems to have worked!
ES

AllTrimDoubt

26th Sep 2012, 10:55