Hi All
I am currently studying for my ATPL exams and building hours towards my CPL.
However i am getting more and more concerned at the state of the airline industry and am resigned to the fact that i may need to pay for a type rating and even then not be gauranteed a job at the end of it. Also when i finally get employed the way things are going i wont be able to afford to pay off the loan i will need on the wages i will earn as a low houred newly hired pilot. I also have a wife and a mortgage to support.
I have seriously been considering applying to the RAF as a WSO (Hopefully Crewman). This way i would be able to fly for a living which is my dream. I dont really feel i need to be in control of the aircraft, just be paid to fly, i would still have a CPL and fly for fun.
What i would like to know is, how would being married affect my application do the RAF like this or would they rather take on someone single?
Would passing the ATPL exams help my application? Is there plenty of opportunities for GA flying whilst in the RAF? I know they encourage interests.
How concrete is the 12 years service period? can you get out of this if the airline industry changed in say 5 years and i was offered a job. I 29 now so too old to join as a pilot but after 12 years would be too old to get a job with an airline.
I realise there is no way to transfer to a pilot from WSO and this is not what i am looking for, the idea of working as aircrew for a few years sounds like it could be a great experience and something worth doing.
Any WSO Crewman out there i would love to here exactly what the job entails and a standard day etc.
Alot of questions i know but it is a big decision to make.
Regards
Mike