View Full Version : RAF Wannabe
CadetWannabe
23rd Jan 2002, 14:21
I am currently one more year away from finishing my degree and like a lot of you out there, I am wondering how best to start my flying career.
I have considered the RAF and have done a few hours with the UAS.
My question is to any pilots already in the RAF. I would like to know how badly it affected your homelives. I have a long term girlfriend and just wondered if any of you were in the same situation? How much time on average do you spend away from home?? I am also considering a career with BA (subject to them actually recruiting again) and understand how much away time is likely with an airline. I would be interested to see how this compares with the military.
Cheers Guys
Jump jump John
23rd Jan 2002, 15:48
Simple answer here chap: just persuade you girly to join the RAF too, and then they'll co-locate you! (Although apparently that is within 200 miles of each other!)
That way you get loads of great flying, and get to (hopefully) stay near the missus. Unfortunately, there is the small matter of operations...
CadetWannabe
23rd Jan 2002, 16:26
Cheers for that Jump,
Thing is I know my missus wouldn't join up. My theory was to join and do all my training as I know you have to live in an officers mess for the duration, then once I join a squadron go for married quarters or somewhere off site. Just wondered if I did that is it likely to go to plan like that? Would that be the best option?
Bervie
23rd Jan 2002, 20:53
Dream on Jump Jump, that will never happen mate. More likely you will just grow apart while you do your IOT or whatever, followed by your specialised training. Then after you have spent 1 or 2 weekends a month driving hundreds of miles each way for a couple of years it will probably fizzle out.
Im not bitter.........but having great fun as a singlie.
Do what you want mate but dont let a long term girlfriend spoil a f*cking great flying career in the Mil.
kippermate
23rd Jan 2002, 21:30
Best you remember that you are unlikely to spend your training, whether RAF or civvie, cuddled up to your loved one so I suggest you make sure that she is aware of that. RAF training is likely to be a little longer than the civvie stuff !
I would also be aware of making a decision that will effect a long(ish) part of you life without serious consideration of the consequences. Do you want to lose your girlie because you want to fly at the speed of heat? Or, do you want to end up flying pissed-up poor people to Majorca and get dumped anyway ?
Its a tough one, but so's life!
Good Luck. <img src="wink.gif" border="0">
Al Titude
23rd Jan 2002, 21:44
Mate, if serious then your bird can get a job that she wants and then follow your awesome flying career around the country from such delightful locations as Forres and Anglesea. I don't think the recruiters will see her motivation to stay with you as apt justification for joining!
My advice - don't worry about it, crack on and start flying jets. Fu&king amazing.. . <img src="cool.gif" border="0">
Bervie`s right !
Spending your entire weekends driving the length and breadth of the country is not fun. Not knowing where you`ll be living in 3 mths time while she tries to sort a career out strains things. Getting pi$$ed up in Norway and having blonde scandavians throwing themselves at you changes the whole " She`s the one for me " feeling . Important fact . The girlies love the pilot thing but the girlfriend won`t .
Stay away from aviation as a career if you have the slightest doubt it`ll affect your relationship. And if you have to ask , then it seems it will.
Good luck anyway . Fuuny thing about it all is when your not a pilot you say you are to pull , when you are one you say your a white water canoe instructor or oil worker to pull.
Get a g suit on and get amongst them lad !!. . :) :) :)
raytofclimb
24th Jan 2002, 01:36
On the contrary.
Dont listen to all these singlies who would love to have a girlfriend or at least someone regular to help clear the custard(!)
I'm lucky. My other half has lasted through UAS, IOT and flying training (now AFT) is currently 250 miles away and I drive up most weekends; primarily because there is nothing to do on weekends here. To help answer your question, its not all rosy and your girlfriend will have to be very understanding. Furthermore I'm far from alone, the singlies on my course are a minority and a couple of the lads are engaged.
Just think of all the civvies that have to commute or travel to "conferences" and "seminars" and are away monday to friday. Same difference to me but my monday to friday is probably more fun!
. .Dont chose your career on account of your girlfriend. Its a long haul either way so if you can't compromise then get flying and find someone who can! Harsh..... but fair.
. .Ray.
CadetWannabe
24th Jan 2002, 15:31
Cheers for that Ray,
My gf hasn't got some lucrative career so is free to move around with me. Is there no opportunity for living together? I know she would go with my career and follow me and I know I am lucky in that repesct. My question was more to do with, if i was stationed somewhere and she was living with me (off base/ married q's whatever) how much time do you get at home, or off?)
Just out of curiosity Ray, where are you stationed?
Cheers for all the replies so far
To Baldly Go
24th Jan 2002, 17:50
Cadet
Join the RAF! There, a simple premise on which to work. Then, if you want to keep your girlie, make sure she knows all about Service life, including detachments, wars, irregular hours, etc. If she still wants you after all that, marry her!
This principle has worked for me, 15 years on, 2 kids and happily going quietly to seed in rural England. Mind you, the wife has put up (with varying humour) with all the above problems, moving 9 times in 12 years, having no career to speak of and a husband who disapears at short notice for up to 3 months at a time. I don't think I would have married me under those circumstances!
As to your other questions, time away is hugely variable, good starting point is 4 months in the year. It can get up to 8, but folk start leaving in droves at that point, so unpopular with the 3*s. The most I've spent away in any year was 7 months, this year will probably total 5-6. Wars are generally good for military budgets, but they play merry hell with your home life!
Still, when all is said and done, I love the life, the people and the job. Don't pay too much attention to the whingeing - we all do it, but most of us are still here. Best of luck...
Bervie
24th Jan 2002, 19:46
Ray - You must be one of the lucky (gullible) ones that hasn`t found out his girlfriends been seeing Leeroy for some good luvin throught the week while you are stuck on the happy island.
Its pretty tough to hold a relationship when its a 14000 mile return journey at a weekend to see her, so I pi55 on your 250 miles - tw@t. Some of us choose to be single.
At the end of the day, being young, flying jets is the dogs bo11ox. Girls are for weekends.
Edited for harshness
[ 24 January 2002: Message edited by: Bervie ]
[ 24 January 2002: Message edited by: Bervie ]</p>
Ray
What a classy boyf you must be to think of your girlf as someone to "help clean the custard out" !
My (ex) followed my for 5 yrs and around 7 locations across the UK before deciding that her limited career options / me going to war was not a life she was prepared to live . That`s the point that Wannabe should make sure his girlfriend is aware of before 5 yrs passes and things are complicated.
As such I`ve found myself a more understanding ( and all round better ) girlfriend. We live a 3 Day drive away and it`s working. So it can be done , but both parties need to know the score.
Wannabe , you`ll live in single accm for all of your training unless you are married . I beleive that you can`t get married quarters with a partner (marriage is needed ) but I could be wrong esp with all this Human Rights blah . Maybe someone else will know more.
To Badly go has hit the nail on the head IMHO .
Alf Aworna
25th Jan 2002, 07:45
Wannabee I'm sure your gf is great but consider the following. You decide that the strain of all that fast jet flying, foreign travel, good social life etc would be bad for your relationship and join the airlines instead and bus lager louts to Malaga for your sins. 5 or 6 years down the line your gf decides that she wants out and ******s off. Do you regret not joining the RAF at that point? The point is what will be, will be and with the best will in the world, you have very little control over what state your relationship is in a couple of years time, especially if you're just leaving college. Trust me I was in your position. It sounds selfish but go for what you want to do- if you don't you won't be happy and it will end up affecting your relationship. Yes there is time away etc etc but if you have a good relationship and it was meant to be, it will survive. If it doesn't then get over it and get on with life. Don't waste the opportunity you have because of a woman and end up kicking yourself in 10 years time.
shipwreck
25th Jan 2002, 23:09
ray
Are you sure your girlfriend isnt scrabble and the only distance you have to travel is a late night RV in the new annex washroom???????????
better livin
25th Jan 2002, 23:22
scrabble??!!
How is the moaning Navy git?! I doubt his 'ooh me arm, ooh me back' attitude could cope with much annex room sweet lovin'!. . <img src="cool.gif" border="0">
Bervie
25th Jan 2002, 23:45
Scrabble is anyones B1tch isnt he? Especially after a few Schmirnoff Ice.
You on 19(F) yet Scrabble?
Beleive he is but i`m sure he`s not on here .
I`m sure he`d love to know that he`s a pprune celeb !!
RAFAT
30th Jan 2002, 06:53
CW,
I must go with Alf's view on this. I've seen too many weak-minded guys get ordered around by GFs and Wifies and miss out on exciting opportunities, only for said relationship to subsequently fail.
There are millions of potential GFs out there, but only one, maybe two, career paths. You have to be ruthlessly single minded at your stage in life, the rest will follow. Give the mob a go, you'll regret it later if you don't.