Joining The RAF

[felixflyer]

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.:sad:

Regards

Mike

[Pontius Navigator]

You do appear to be a bit behind the drag curve. Assuming you get in soon you would be well into your 30s before you got operational with contemporaries pushing for wg cdr.

Your wife and family would not be a problem for the RAF. They could well be a problem for you. During IOT they own you body and soul. Weekends? These are the working days between Friday and Monday. Bank holidays? These are the days when the GBP has a day off. You may remember them after you graduate.

Difficult to get in, hard slog, and then even harder and harder.

The 12 year bit is in case guys don't want to go for the full career option and many can leave at 30-32 and start again. Several of them however will get picked up for promotion and offered further service. They will be on their second lap when you join. Don't let this put you off but your most dificult job will be convincing that you are committed and a low training risk. ATPL - interesting but that really is all.

[BEagle]

All indications are that airline recruiting is picking up. You would be barking mad to give up your fATPL work at this stage.

Yes, there is ample General Aviation opportunity in the RAF through RAFFCA. But so many people are out of area so often thanks to overstretch and Bliar's wars that few have much free time to devote to GA - perhaps not unreasonably any time they do get out of the sandpit they like to spend with their families.

[Fanois]

If you're a crewman you'll be NCO aircrew, hence you won't do IOT. The initial NCO aircrew course is, i believe, much shorter.

[Fanois]

Also... when i went to Cranwell they were saying you could attempt to transfer to pilot up until 31. Sketchy on details, so don't qoute me on that, but maybe worth looking into. Would be tight thoough.

[JamesTigris]

I was also informed that you can apply for a transfer from and NCO Aircrew position (such as WSO) to a Pilot up to 31. I was also told the RAF look very favorably on those with this type of flying experience when selecting pilots.

The former I think is a fact, the latter may just be AFCO sales-speak!

[BEagle]

felixflyer, don't forget that as a civilian you may also be able to join your local RAFFCA club if they have vacancies. Much cheaper to build hours than at a normal civvie club - for example, PA28 at £91 per hour chock-to-chock including a FI here at the Covert Oxonian Aerodrome!

[cazatou]

Just to point out that the RAF is not just an easy option to get into aviation.

You may, after all, be required to go into combat!!

If you want to join the Military, GREAT; but do it for the right reasons!!!!!!!

[JamesTigris]

An easy option?? I'd say that if you want the best chance of becoming a professional pilot, the RAF is a much longer shot than going the civillian route!

[JamesTigris]

My mistake, I was referring to the non-commssioned aircrew role such as weapon systems operators in Nimrods or the guys down the back of an AWACS aircraft. As for the ATPL experience, I'm pretty sure the RAF prefer not to recruit people already trained. The flying experience I was talking about was strictly from the back of an RAF aircraft in the former role.