WSO/WSOp post RAF Career?

[Squat-thrust]

My Nephew/Godson is talking about joining the RAF (he is 16 still at school)
In particular he is interested in becoming a WSOp / WSO.
I was wondering what type of careers non pilot aircrew have after leaving the service?
Please no answers re McDonalds.........:) serious comments welcome!
Apologies if this question has come up before, did not have much luck on the archives.

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

Tell him to study hard at school, get good grades at GCSE and a couple of sensible A levels, go to Uni to get a CREDIBLE degree then get a decent civilian job:ok:

WSO/WSop is not the way ahead:ok:

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

[foldingwings]

The first part of AWIB's answer has merit. He would be sensible to go to university and get a degree to give him a fallback position should he:

a. Not make it through RAF selection.
b. Not make it through Flying training.
c. Not want to make a lifetime commitment to the RAF.

Despite rumours to the contrary, there are plenty of opportunities for WSOs and WSOps in the RAF. Nimrod MRA4 will require both for many years to come and Tornado GR4 will not go out of service until 2018 (planned). Trucky and Helo fleets are less dependent on Navs (WSOs) these days but there are still some slots.

So, in answer to your question, a WSO/WSOp solely on retirement at, say, 38may not be that employable for those skills alone but, if he were to specialise in a particular field, say Weapons or Electronic Warfare, then many an industry would wish to take him on because of his expertise and military background in his specialisation.

First step for a 16-year old is to head off to the RAF Careers Office for an informal chat about possibilities. There he will be told about everything that is available and he won't have to rely on rumour control (PPRuNe) for his information. He may qualify for a scholarship for 6th Form or University; he needs to check.

Might I ask, if he wants to fly why not pilot? If he has the aptitude, he would be trained in a very transferable skill.

In any case, march him off to your local Career Office, they will point him in the right direction.

And good luck to him, I have had over 20 years in the cockpit as a Nav (WSO) and wouldn't have swapped it for anything.

Final thought, he may be starry-eyed about life in the RAF and flying but let him read the papers before he finally commits. There are a lot of nasty, hot & hostile places in the World these days and we seem to frequent most of them! This is the same advice I gave to my kids.

FW

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

FW,

I have had 32 years and four days, forgot that little anniversary must be going senile, and like you would not swap a day of it. However we joined a vastly differant outfit to that that is on offer today. The changes to pensions, current theatres of ops and relentless working tempo, ask the SH or AT WSOP's about their current quality of life, and it make a far less atrractive proposition today than when we went starry eyed to the AFCO.

al spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

[shawtarce]

I agree with FW,
Push him to get the qualifications and advise him to go for pilot.
I joined at 16 in the engineering branch, and then went loadmaster after 8 years. The last 10 years as a Loadmaster have been great.
Airman aircrew, or non commissioned aircrew as its now known is, in my opinion, the best non pilot job in the air force. But at the end of the day, the air force always has been, is and always will be, all about the pilots. They get the best support, the better accommodation and the better pay, so basically the air force revolves around them. It really does, just ask one.

[Pontius Navigator]

<<I was wondering what type of careers non pilot aircrew have after leaving the service?>>

There are jobs in industry where 'blue suiters' go 'grey' and operate as simulator staff. There are others where the 'non-core' elements are contractorised such as Fylingdales or in to operations support jobs.

There are opportunities as civil servants - intelligence, communications, operations in what is known as Military Support Function. Then there are jobs in civil aviation where you manage to gain skills in flight operations or airport security (not RAFP experience of course). I met a former top rate ex-Nimrod Eng Leader a Norwich Airport. We had a long chat while I was waiting for my flight, then, as first through security, he gave me a thorough search just in case an ex-RAFP was watching :} .

On a slightly different tack, he will start as a 'simple' WSOP learning how to fight an aircraft. Then he will pick up a multitude of skills that would never have crossed his mind (or her of course) when contemplating a career as aircrew.

My first security course was at a place that Laarbruch may not even have heard of!. Then I specialised in weapons but along the way I also did admin, fighter control, simulation (not simulators you will note), IT and so on. I am currently going down an environmental route, a word practically unknown when I joined and probably related to wearing long johns 'cause the aircraft was cold.

Go for it, he will be amazed what opportunities open up.

[navibrator]

Sir
Why be a WSO/WSOP? I am a WSO and wish I had fought to be a pilot. But I was changing branches and already outsdie the normal age bracket. Let's be honest, the career prospects for WSO/WSOP are limited given the introduction of Typhoon and JCA. If he wants to fly in ME ac, then the opportunity exists, currenlt. What the future holds, I know not. The future is UAV/UCAV.

I suggest study the degree and have a look at the RAF then. If I was giving advice, it would be go for pilot or go civvi! Best of luck!

[navibrator]

I agree with FW,
Push him to get the qualifications and advise him to go for pilot.
I joined at 16 in the engineering branch, and then went loadmaster after 8 years. The last 10 years as a Loadmaster have been great.
Airman aircrew, or non commissioned aircrew as its now known is, in my opinion, the best non pilot job in the air force. But at the end of the day, the air force always has been, is and always will be, all about the pilots. They get the best support, the better accommodation and the better pay, so basically the air force revolves around them. It really does, just ask one.

Better accom? You must be joking. It may look rosy being commissioned aircrew but why do you think so many live out? Loadies are the RAF's unsung hero's!

[navibrator]

On the basis I said 2 things:

Much officer accommodation is old. There has, in the past, in my experience only, been the practice that other ranks have been provided newer accommodation than officers. This has been due to historic factors.

As for loadies being unsung heroes, I need not really have to support that statement. Despite being a FJ nav, I can tell you from my experience that ALM never get the same recognition as front-end aircrew.

Everyone deserves recognition where it is deserved.