Originally Posted by
Sky Sports
They officially stopped accepting new applications on Monday.
Only option for wannabe military flyers is now the Army!
I had a conversation last week with a Flying Branch & Trade Advisor (SO1) and he told me that the RAF have certainly reduced the number of Pilot applicants that they're taking on, because the lockdown created quite a large backlog of applicants in the system and they need to get through them all, but, to my knowledge, they haven't stopped completely.
I personally contacted the Royal Navy and they have stopped accepting Pilot applicants for 6 months, initially (informed on 30th September 2020), again, due to a rather large backlog of candidates as a result of the lockdown. They will open this back up again soon, just keep checking.
What I will say, is that the RN have reduced their age limit requirements back to 26 for 12 months, so if you're older than 26, you need to wait until next summer, realistically, before you can apply to become a Fleet Air Arm pilot.
As for the Army, I genuinely don't know but I imagine the situation will be pretty similar, probably doubly so considering that they recruit NCOs as pilots from within the Service, as well as DE commissioned aircrew. Worth asking.