Navy/Army Pilot

[radiodude]

Hi everyone.

I'm 31, considering going back to school (TAFE) for a year to get great grades and applying for the defence force.

I hold a PPL and by the time I apply will have all the CPL subjects done (I know that means nothing ha ha)

What's the likelihood of the ADF taking a 32 year old in for pilot training?

And how many pilots a year roughly does the ARMY/NAVY take?

I look forward to hearing back from you

Radiodude.

[Arm out the window]

I've been out of the system for a fair while now, but I note it says here General Requirements | Aviation Corps Officer (SSO Pilot) - Defence Jobs Australia (http://www.defencejobs.gov.au/army/jobs/AviationCorpsOfficerSSOPilot/GeneralRequirements/) you have to be between 17 and 49 years of age on entry, so age shouldn't be too much of an issue.

The RAAF says maximum age 43 with a preference of maximum 27.5 - not sure why they've gone the half-year there!

Anyway, do a bit of research and give it a crack. Good luck!

[Lookleft]

The question should be rephrased as "How many 32 year olds does the ADF actually accept?" I think the clue is what their preference is. Age can't be used to discriminate hence the age range on their recruiting information.

[Defenestrator]

Spoke with a defence guy yesterday and apparently they're very short on rotary wing pilots. As an aside apparently Oakey will be wrapped up within 3 years and those operations will then take place in Nowra in a joint Navy/Army 'school'. Interesting times.

D:ok:

[Username here]

Chances are very high for Army aviator. Army is screaming for pilots!

[mcgrath50]

2009 I sat in an ADF Pilot Officer Selection Board, they asked which of the three services I was interested in. I said basically "I'm here for Air Force, I'd consider Navy and I have no interest in Army". The army guy quizzed me a bit and I ended saying "Respectfully sir, I don't want to be in the Army, it would be a disservice to myself the the organisation if I did."

Two weeks later the ADF rang and offered me a position. As an Army Pilot!

[radiodude]

It's good to know they need pilots. Does anyone know of anyone 32+ being accepted into the ADF as a pilot?

Also how many pilots start training with ADF each year?

Any advice from current/past pilots?

[Username here]

What Squadron are you in now mate?

[Ultralights]

so, whats wrong with Army aviation?

[Arm out the window]

The hotels aren't comfy enough.

[Stikybeke]

As we used to say,

Army sleeps under the stars, Navy navigates using the stars, RAAF use the stars to figure out which motel to stay in.......

Stiky
:ok:

[Ultralights]

not from what i have seen! nice hire cars, off they go, leaving everyone else in the dirt.



surely, and yes, im calling you surely, that alone cant be the reason army aviation is not attractive?

[josephfeatherweight]

Army sleeps under the stars, Navy navigates using the stars, RAAF use the stars to figure out which motel to stay in.......
Motel? Sir does not stay in a "motel"!

[Arm out the window]

Ah, how I miss my piss-stinking roofless corner of a wrecked airport terminal in Bacau or the gunpits I dug in various corners of Hervey's Range, those were the luxurious RAAF days!

[JAJM]

All the information you need to know at this point can be found here (http://www.defencejobs.gov.au/airforce/jobs/Pilot/GeneralRequirements/), here (http://www.defencejobs.gov.au/army/aviation/) and here (http://www.defencejobs.gov.au/navy/Jobs/NavyPilot/). If you have any further questions, then may I suggest reading the Military Aviation section of this forum, especially the sticky thread for RAAF Flight Screening. A lot of military personnel frequent that forum more often, a number of which are in the Australian Armed Forces.

[Stikybeke]

Ah yes, UL,

As you know I am a fan of ADF aviation and in fact, I have some good friends, both former and current drivers of aircraft where the wings move faster than the rest of the airframe, in both the Army and Navy. No matter where you go it'll be a good gig!:ok: As for the RAAF, as you also know I am a bit biased there for some historical reason or another :ok:

Joe,
Sir prefers motels to hotels in the bush, because sometimes whilst beekeeping, there are not to many secure places around hotels to park the vehicle, hence the motel.....Arm out the window is correct also!!!:ok:

..and speaking of Arm out the window, that reminds me of once when I had to stay 2 nights in a 3 star motel where the only thing in the bar fridge was water!!! I was not a happy camper. I don't know how I managed however it would appear that with the passage of time I seemed to have got over the experience....

Stiky
:}

[Squawk7700]

Everyone knows that the RAAF are civilians in uniform.

Army is far more hard-core and you will sleep under a log at some stage.

Sorry I'm not smart enough to re-size this image; if I was, I'd be in the RAAF.

https://airforcechat.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/air-force.png

[YPJT]

Didn't know the USAF operated off carriers :confused:

[Ultralights]

air force? try Naval aviators.

[Di_Vosh]

radiodude

Dancing Dog is on the money :ok:

Look at the lifestyle involved with being a military aviator. Talk to some current soldiers if you can find them. More importantly, talk to some EX-soldiers and ask them why they left.

Same-same for the Navy.

But in answer to your question:

IMHO, 31 isn't too old. But much older than that and you're going to have to have something extra for you to be considered competitive. I did my assessment up in Tamworth in 2005 (at age 42) and was accepted. But I was most likely accepted because I was a current serving member (Chokkos) was very fit and had an extensive and varied army background. (I declined, but that's another story).

DIVOSH!

[Jamair]

I was offered a ADF (army) aviation position at age 42 with a CPL & had been an infantry soldier for 6 years 20+ years prior. I didn't take it - got a better offer.

Try this - join the Army, choose Aviation Corps as your preference, get used to the systems, decide if you actually LIKE the Army, then apply for consideration as a pilot.

[Altimeters]

Are there any current serving military personnel in the reserves that are flying for an airline? I'm interested in joining the reserves but not sure my aviation qualifications actually count for anything. I have a degree in aviation management if it helps.

While I understand I can't apply for a flying role is there anything else I could apply for aviation related role that I could be of some use to our armed forces? Air Force/Navy preferably.

[Altimeters]

Thanks WIWUT, I thought of OPSO but I still need to do lots more research into the role. What about Meteorological Observer for the Navy? Would our aviation experience in met be an advantage?

[radiodude]

Thanks Jamair, there's still hope 😄 would getting involved in reserves for a little while whilst I get some education backup help?

I plan to spend some time crossing T's before applying to anything Military full time.

[loop it]

Are the Army and Navy still screaming for pilots ?
If so, where/how did you source the info ?
Cheers

[Cuban Eight]

They've certainly been pumping out plenty of online advertisements for ADF pilot applicants. Although it's probably just targeted marketing (because I'm on a flying-related site every 2 minutes) but I wouldn't be surprised if they needed more pilots given all the recent rotary acquisitions (MRHs, Tigers, Romeos).

Although I read somewhere (Australian Aviation?) that the Bell 429s were being used to keep surplus RAN trainee pilots current as the operational conversion units were well behind schedule in getting new pilots on to type?? I have no idea how accurate any of that is.

Maybe give ADF PSA a call and ask them directly?

The PSA still have plenty of FSPs scheduled:

http://www.airforce.gov.au/docs/ADF-PSF-course-schedule-2014-15_AL2-20141204.doc

Pilot Selection Flight - Royal Australian Air Force (http://www.airforce.gov.au/Our_People/Becoming_a_Pilot/Pilot_Selection_Agency/?RAAF-NVhdsO9FrLJRUr4T6iy0dnLXZ+WLhNBt)

[loop it]

I have heard, from a few people, that they are keen for pilots and I have seen all the advertising...
I am hoping to join and rotary is where I want to be . Like you I have also read that the 429s are used because they are backed up at the moment so I just thought it odd they are soo keen...then again there are a lot of changes happening right now .
Any extra hope is good :)

[TrailBoss]

All the nice girls love a sailor, and there is one waiting for you in every port. Forget the Army or Airforce, FLY NAVY:ok:

[Trevor the lover]

Hey Arm Out The Window


Ah, how I miss my piss-stinking roofless corner of a wrecked airport terminal


I don't think it was a wrecked airport terminal that was stinking of piss - when you sent me solo in the parrot 27 years ago, I seem to remember wondering what the pissy smell was. I think you spent too much time rolling around with the grunts. :8


Trev.
Roll power prop trim one banana two banana

[slow n low]

Are the Army and Navy still screaming for pilots ?

Yes, but to be more precise, trained crew in the SQN's. The training pipeline has a number of undergraduate pilots, however they will take a while to filter through to "frontline". Keep in mind there are more airframes inbound for both services (Romeo, MRH 90 and Chinook)

Natural attrition will put also dent in the total number of aircrew. So I would give it a go now.
As soon as helicopter industry picks up, the situation will be even more in favour of hopeful fling-wing pilots.

[Arm out the window]

when you sent me solo in the parrot 27 years ago, I seem to remember wondering what the pissy smell was. I think you spent too much time rolling around with the grunts.

Crikey mate, I hope my personal hygiene wasn't that bad! I've seen those TV ads about LBL, maybe there's a g-induced version...

[donpizmeov]

A wise man once said that if you hover you are queer. This did not apply to anything with two P&W R2000s strapped to the wings flying into a headwind.

Trev your landings made me pee myself as well mate. :}

[Subversive1]

Jamair has a good point.

I was a soldier and would never have considered RAAF or Navy because I want to be in the fight; a flying soldier, if you will.

Unfortunately, The Australian Army are not really that sort of organisation anymore. The British system of producing 'flying soldiers' is much more effective than ours and the reason for it is operational tempo. The British Army will train 'Air Troopers' as NCO pilots, based entirely on merit, with military experience/performance requirements but no formal education requirement and an accelerated training program. The majority will see active service somewhere, and their minimum period of service will be short (four years I think).

Contrast that with Australia, where most of our Army pilots are graduates of an 18-month RMC course and many a four-year ADFA Degree. They eventually get to ROBC after several years in training establishments and then serve a nine-year minimum period. At the end of that nine years most will have less than 1000 hours and most will not have seen combat. I would at least try the reserves for a while before taking the plunge; see what you think of the day to day life in the Army.

The Navy was seen as a bit of a dead end when I was in the system, but that might have changed since the ramp up of the Romeo etc.

I guess it depends on your motivations, but committing yourself to that lifestyle in your thirties is a big step.

[13Beast]

It's good to know they need pilots. Does anyone know of anyone 32+ being accepted into the ADF as a pilot?

Also how many pilots start training with ADF each year?

Any advice from current/past pilots?

Curious if you got in? I'm currently waiting on a LOO for RAAF. Have completed ASP, OSB and am medically cleared as of last week....also happen to be 38 years old. Certainly hoping the RAAF hold no prejudice against a pilot applicant with a few extra years under their belt :p