JJ 91
8th Jun 2009, 23:41
Hi, i hope this is the right forum to ask, if it isn't sorry. :)
For as long as i can remember, i've always wanted to fly aircraft for a living, be it in the RAF or for an airline, most people seem to abandon their dreams or they just become less attractive, but i've been different, this has stuck with me my whole life. Now i'm the age to act upon what i want to do i'm forced to make a decision: to join the RAF in the hopes of becoming a pilot or to try my luck in the airlines.
I was always leaning to towards commercial flying because the prospect of me going to war has my mum up in a tizz and my father is a pacifist, but he knows flying is my dream and he's said he will never stand in the way of the choice i make and just wants what's best. But the other day i was thinking what it would be like flying a large passenger aircraft, looking around me and seeing a fast jet fly past, i felt like i'd never on the subject before, i thought what i could miss by passing the chance to join the RAF while i'm the right age, and what could lay ahead of me.
Since this i've been looking into life in the RAF and i've found two very different things, never seems to be a mid way between what people say.
On the one hand i see people saying joining the services may as well be signing myself up for years of suffering and misery and condemning myself to be nothing when i leave. On the other hand i have people saying it's the best choice they've ever made, that they're living their dreams and doing things no other lifestyle could offer.
I really just want to know what it's REALLY like and what would be my prospects when i come out of the RAF? Could i then go on to become a commercial pilot?
Also i've heard stories of people scrubbing toilets and bike sheds with toothbrushes? Is this kind of stuff true? Don't get me wrong, i'd have no problem getting my hands dirty and doing this once in a while, i mean someone needs to do it and i'd scrub out a zoo with a toothbrush to be able to take control of the military aircraft. But are things like this a daily occurrence?
I really appreciate you reading this as this is going to be such a big part of my life.
For as long as i can remember, i've always wanted to fly aircraft for a living, be it in the RAF or for an airline, most people seem to abandon their dreams or they just become less attractive, but i've been different, this has stuck with me my whole life. Now i'm the age to act upon what i want to do i'm forced to make a decision: to join the RAF in the hopes of becoming a pilot or to try my luck in the airlines.
I was always leaning to towards commercial flying because the prospect of me going to war has my mum up in a tizz and my father is a pacifist, but he knows flying is my dream and he's said he will never stand in the way of the choice i make and just wants what's best. But the other day i was thinking what it would be like flying a large passenger aircraft, looking around me and seeing a fast jet fly past, i felt like i'd never on the subject before, i thought what i could miss by passing the chance to join the RAF while i'm the right age, and what could lay ahead of me.
Since this i've been looking into life in the RAF and i've found two very different things, never seems to be a mid way between what people say.
On the one hand i see people saying joining the services may as well be signing myself up for years of suffering and misery and condemning myself to be nothing when i leave. On the other hand i have people saying it's the best choice they've ever made, that they're living their dreams and doing things no other lifestyle could offer.
I really just want to know what it's REALLY like and what would be my prospects when i come out of the RAF? Could i then go on to become a commercial pilot?
Also i've heard stories of people scrubbing toilets and bike sheds with toothbrushes? Is this kind of stuff true? Don't get me wrong, i'd have no problem getting my hands dirty and doing this once in a while, i mean someone needs to do it and i'd scrub out a zoo with a toothbrush to be able to take control of the military aircraft. But are things like this a daily occurrence?
I really appreciate you reading this as this is going to be such a big part of my life.