Which armed force to join to fly?

[andrew mcallister]

Hello all.

This may sound like a stupid question to some of you but I am set on joining one of the armed forces as an officer sometime next year to fly.

I've heard some reports that the AAC is a bit too regimented, the RAF is underfunded etc etc.

I come from a computing background, having graduated this year from Glasgow with a degree in Computing Science, but am already sick of sitting infront of a PC all day! I want to go fast, be it in helicopter or plane. Perhaps flying mixed with some sort of technically-based activity?

If any of you have got any suggestions on which force is the best, stories or thoughts, please let me know - looking forward to your feedback-much appreciated.

Cheers,

Andrew McAllister

[Flugplatz]

In my (perhaps biased) opinion, you should choose in the following order of precedence: Army, Navy, Airforce.
I have two main reasons for this suggestion:

1. You are joining the armed services, NOT a flying club. Apart from the flying there should be other aspects/employments within your chosen service that interest and motivate you. If you are 'chopped' during flying training' or moved to a desk job (staff training will inevitably intervene at some point) during your career, you don't then want to be streamed into an unexciting job you hate. I have met several RAF officers who were in branches that they did not originally intend to join, and in which they felt they were treated as second-class citizens (mainly because they were not 'aircrew'). These individuals did not feel as if they were being valued within the RAF (despite their various branches' contribution to the overall fighting effort), and the whole organization seemed to be split along these lines (except for the RAF Regt - who do their own thing).
Whilst divisions do exist in the Army and RN, they are of a different nature where each branch or Regt/Corps are convinced that they are the real battle-winners (Cavalry vs Infantry, Surface fleet vs Submariners). There are no real arguments over who is at the front-line because each Regt/Corps has their own role which often does involve frontline service (not that you will ever get any two to agree on this!).

2. You have not said whether you wish to join as a soldier/seaman/airman or as an officer. The army is at the top of my list because you can fly at the minimum rank of Corporal, and all the way up to Lt Col. In my own experience, the RAF wouldn't even allow an technician Corporal to sign for a box of tools, let alone an entire aircraft! The army also allows serving members to do a 3 year flying tour irrespective of their background, i.e. you can be an RAMC nurse or infantry Sgt and still fly, as long as you volunteer, pass the selection and then complete the flying training.

Not withstanding the above, in support of the RAF, they do have a much wider variety of aircraft and if it is fast jets or bust, this is the one to go for.

:8

My apologies Andrew! you did say you wanted to join as an officer.
Flug :confused:

My apologies Andrew! you did say you wanted to join as an officer.
Flug :confused:

In my (perhaps biased) opinion, you should choose in the following order of precedence: Army, Navy, Airforce.
I have two main reasons for this suggestion:

1. You are joining the armed services, NOT a flying club. Apart from the flying there should be other aspects/employments within your chosen service that interest and motivate you. If you are 'chopped' during flying training' or moved to a desk job (staff training will inevitably intervene at some point) during your career, you don't then want to be streamed into an unexciting job you hate. I have met several RAF officers who were in branches that they did not originally intend to join, and in which they felt they were treated as second-class citizens (mainly because they were not 'aircrew'). These individuals did not feel as if they were being valued within the RAF (despite their various branches' contribution to the overall fighting effort), and the whole organization seemed to be split along these lines (except for the RAF Regt - who do their own thing).
Whilst divisions do exist in the Army and RN, they are of a different nature where each branch or Regt/Corps are convinced that they are the real battle-winners (Cavalry vs Infantry, Surface fleet vs Submariners). There are no real arguments over who is at the front-line because each Regt/Corps has their own role which often does involve frontline service (not that you will ever get any two to agree on this!).

2. You have not said whether you wish to join as a soldier/seaman/airman or as an officer. The army is at the top of my list because you can fly at the minimum rank of Corporal, and all the way up to Lt Col. In my own experience, the RAF wouldn't even allow an technician Corporal to sign for a box of tools, let alone an entire aircraft! The army also allows serving members to do a 3 year flying tour irrespective of their background, i.e. you can be an RAMC nurse or infantry Sgt and still fly, as long as you volunteer, pass the selection and then complete the flying training.

Not withstanding the above, in support of the RAF, they do have a much wider variety of aircraft and if it is fast jets or bust, this is the one to go for.

:8

[Thud Ridge]

Fly navy. You get a nicer uniform!!

Seriously. All 3 services are underfunded, but we all go out there and do the job with the equipment we have and are well respected for it.

The navy has maintenance test pilots that get a certificate in competance in engineering first, then crossover to the pilot world and do 2 front line tours. After that they become MTPs.

Each service has there pro's and con's. have a look through some old threads and you will get the general idea.

TR

[FFP]

Flugplatz has said it all in his last line.

You'll find that people tend not to join the Army for the flying.It represents a small part of what they are all about. I'm sure the AAC guys can confirm/deny this. Put another way, you better be prepared to roll around in the mud if half way through Sandhurst they decide its The Kings Own Royal Gloucester Cavalry for you.

Go RAF. If it's flying you want, it what it does best . . . . . . . (easy on the reality boys, lets get him in first before telling him !!:E )

[Airbedane]

The Navy does boats, the Army does tanks, the RAF does aeroplanes. There was a time when each service dabbled in the other's skills, to a certain extent, they still do, but the fundamental is still there.

There is only one service to join if you want to go fly! Have you guessed which one it is yet?

[The Wathp]

There is only one service to join if you want to go fly! Have you guessed which one it is yet?

Airbedane is right, Fly Navy.

Flugpatz has it right, you need job satisfaction in all three services for the times when you can't fly, or get dropped from flying.

On a purely biased note the navy is great and you only have to read the news to see that most of the operational work is done by the FAA.

Having said that the RAF does have a much greater variety of aircraft, more chance of being streamed fixed wing, and more options when things go bad.

The Army has (quite obviously) a large bias towards being a soilder, but does offer fantastic flying at a junior level.

My preference would be Navy, Army, RAF

[pulse1]

Andrew,

Would you really want to join a service in which the leadership will cover up its own mess by (illegally) blaming deceased pilots with no real evidence?

Would you really want to join a service which takes two years (and 22 days in court) of pathetic attempts to prosecute one of its own ATCO's for something which was plainly not his fault?

One of the minipulses had to make this decision and, to my great relief, wisely chose the Navy and, so far, is immensely pleased with his decision.

Compare the Nottigham CM, swift, decisive and let everyone get back to work (or the bar).

p1

[snafu]

Fly Navy!

The Army isn't too bad if you want to be a soldier that does some flying, although if you join as an officer, you'll be taken out of flying after a few years as you become more senior and you'll end up driving a desk. Alternatively, if you came from a regiment other than the AAC originally, you may have to go back to your source regt. (You'll also have to put up with the SNCO pilot 'Mafia' towards junior officers!) Oops, dives into trench pulling on helmet - "Incoming!" :E

The other option is to join the Senior Service and spend your flying career having an outstanding time flying and taking the p**s out of the Crabs at every opportunity! Seriously though, the RAF will offer you the widest variety of aircraft types, but their approach to the rules and reguations can be very litteral, while the Fleet Air Arm is proud of our reputation for flexibility and a 'can do' attitude.

OK, so I'm biased, but even our Crab exchanges agree, flying in the RN is much more fun than in light blue.....less red tape, a different attitude to the 'crew duty time' rules, more flexibility, better quality flying and at least the Navy has traditions! (The Crabs aren't old enough to have traditions, they just have habits and most of them are bad!!) :ok:

At the end of the day, the best option would be to speak to a careers officer and see if you can organise a potential officer's course or visit to each of the three services and see how you feel about them. Whichever one you feel most comfortable with....go for it!

[Anyface]

Fly Navy!!!
Never regretted a second of my time as a Naval Aviator, and whilst I may be biased, Naval Aviation is the most demanding environment - ask a few RAF pilots about pitching decks, moving airfields and see how pale some of them go.
However, if you are desperate to fly fast jets the crabs have got to be your first choice, just on numbers. If you want to fly multi-engine fixed wing and line up for civilian/commercial flying also go for the RAF. If you want to fly Apache, join the AAC. If you want to be a specialist, enjoy yourself and can't take life too seriously, join the Fleet Air Arm. :cool:

[Zoom]

Become American, join American Airlines, then join the Air National Guard and the Confederate Air Force on top of that. Heaven! :ok:

[Training Risky]

you only have to read the news to see that most of the operational work is done by the FAA

Ha ha ha.

That's why the Chinook force hitched a lift on Ark Royal to do the bulk of the troop lifts into Iraq was it?
And the FA2 had a big role in Telic ..... NOT.

Go crab, there's more aeroplanes and more flying. And the only aircrew role in which you will find yourself in sh*tty tents is the Support Helicopter Force. Otherwise its fast jets, multis and hotels all around the world!

[SALAD DODGER]

Andrew,

Check your PMs.

Hope I can help!

[breakscrew]

Be sensible - don't join the military!
You can see from the bitching on this forum how awful it can be....

[AllTrimDoubt]

I have the number of that TruckMaster school.....

;)

[Training Risky]

Remember, there's 2 O's in 'Goose' boys.

:ok:

[truckietypebloke]

The military is alright on the whole , and as the phrase goes...' it beats working for a living'.... my advice is simple... go aircrew in the RAF as you are treated better and given more respect than in most other trades.... after all, the purpose of the RAF is to fly.... and only a small percentage of us do..... the rest help put us up, although OPS try there best not to!

Army are ok , but theres too much money from mummy and daddy with the officers, especially in some regiments.... and with the navy you are stuck on a boat.

quite simple, airforce as aircrew or civvy!!!

:confused: ........... :ok: