Hmmm I have always said if you want a flying career then you should join the RAF.
I said this right up until the point I joined the Navy as a pilot.
Throughout elementary training I didn't see much difference, then when I got streamed onto Helo's and RAF friends with the same scores got streamed Fast Jet I knew I had screwed up by joining the Navy!
Subsequently hated flying helo's, wasn't very good at it and am now flying a desk in Portsmouth Naval Base banging my head against a wall everyday and getting wound up with the service I belong to constantly looking for the next area it can save money in whilst creating some new monster initiative or name change for the 7th time in one year. Current Navy helo pals are bored for want of a better word.
I think all three services are being screwed left right and chelsea at the moment and all three have more beauracratic bullsheep then ever before. The "fun" just isn't there anymore.
I firmly believe that if you want to fly then try, try and try again the RAF you will end up just as disillusioned in the Navy and have more chance of being chopped (we have a tendancy to over recruit then realise we don't have enough airframes to send everyone too then chop perfectly competent people then over recruit again etc etc) You also have a much wider choice of airframe in the RAF then the Navy. I think you will find that most Navy pilots tried the RAF first too (although they will never admit it!!) so feel grateful to be flying anything!
Ok so the RAF uniform is a bit gay but well worth it if you end up in a Typhoon rather then a Sea King ASaC or worse a desk surrounded by ships. Urghhh ships.
Civvy street here I come! FlyBe next for me (at least I won't be surrounded by ships)
MFWF
