Jobs with Military Down Under

[Green Bottle]

Has anyone any info about pilots transferring from the RAF to the RAAF? I am interested to get any feedback from anyone who has jumped ship and is now serving down under. Does anyone have any contacts? Grateful for any help.

[kmagyoyo]

GB,

Go through this link: http://www.defencejobs.defence.gov.au and follow your nose until you hit the "Non-Australian Overseas Enquirers" link. There is an "expression of interest" form to fill out which will end up at the "Central Pilot Selection Agency", from here look forward to more paperwork than you can shake a stick at...but worth it in the end me thinks!! :D

Hope this helps...what are you looking at flying down under??? :cool:

[Green Bottle]

Ideally rotary but I'd prefer to work for the RAAF so that rather limits my choice in that area.

[ChristopherRobin]

kmagyoyo, thanks for the lead, but the Bloke's email won't work - maybe it's because so many of us are trying to send him our CVs! I'll have to try the snail-mail approach.

One thing tho - the pay for a Flt Lt is approx $42k Aus a year which works out at about £15k. Is this enough to keep me in the manner to which I have become accustomed?

Is it a decent wage in Oz terms? Forgive my ignorance.

[josephfeatherweight]

The 42k you quote above is for a first year FLTLT - it increases to 50k dependingon time spent at that rank. HOWEVER, the most important thing you've overlooked is Flying Allowance. All pilots (flying - as opposed to non-flying pen pushers) get Flying Allowance, which is additional. It ranges from $4265 for a pilot with 2-4 years experience, to $21,322 for a pilot with 8-10 years experience. Not sure if they'd play the exact same game with an imported pilot, but you'd be looking at a fair bit more than the quoted 42k.
And as for whether 42k would be enough? I don't know what lifestyle you're used to. Most FLTLT pilots with family seem to live reasonably comfortably. The can save money by sending the kids to school on a pet kangaroo, rather than the bus...

Hope this helped, I know there are a few ex-RAF QFIs over here. Might be an advantage to have instructional experience... I dunno...

[Arm out the window]

Mr or Ms Bottle,

As a rotorhead you could probably jump into the Army or Navy fairly quick smart, but we are short of experience almost everywhere, so it would be a good idea to at least ask the RAAF for a job.

If, as mentioned above, you're an instructor, you could take on a posting to Tamworth, for example, flying the mighty (!) CT4, and then hit the posters up for a conversion onto one of the other types. Once you get your foot in the door, other doors open, so to speak!

Service transferring is easier these days as well, so if you rotor-ised it for a while with the Army (who have got some good equipment these days) you could then try that avenue.

All these things are possible, but it obviously depends on your background and the good old 'needs of the service' at the time.

I'm all for it, because we keep losing experience and can always use an injection of it, if you've been around for a while.

The pay is pretty good if you consider flying allowances (for a reasonably experienced FLTLT, say), but unless you're in for a good number of years, the superannuation would need to be supplemented by something else - maybe you already have an entitlement of some kind for your UK service?

Don't forget the initiation ceremony, though; you have to have your foreskin lopped by an aboriginal elder using a sharp rock (for blokes, of course). :)

[ftrplt]

GB,

you also have to shower every day and you cant wear your uniform under the flying suit ;)

The Army announced a few days ago an order for a new attack helo, delivery due approx 2004 (from memory). I cant remember the name of the type though but its the European one.

[Arm out the window]

We also have some fast jets, but I can't remember the name of them. :D

[Northern Chique]

try the French eurocopter "Tiger"

Pretty neat piece of machinery, with its own little quirks

The new jet trainer / fighter is the Hawk

[Thud_and_Blunder]

Arm,

Thank Christ that's all the initiation process involves. Thought for a moment we might be required to demonstrate a minimum level of ability with a cricket bat/rugby ball - though probably not at the same time...

http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/proud.gif

[Arm out the window]

Thud, that's the secret - all our sports teams have had it done to them, and have been threatened with more being taken off if they don't perform!

[Green Bottle]

Thanks for all the replies. It's certainly given me some food for thought but what about lifestyle factors e.g. time away from home, detachments exercise, flying rates etc.

[ChristopherRobin]

Never mind all that, here's the 64 million-dollar question: If you are an officer to you end up shining your ar$e in a desk job which has nothing to do with flying or can you opt to stay as an aviator?

If the answer is "stay as an aviator" then standby for a Fed-ex'd application yesterday!!!

[Arm out the window]

GB, I started to answer your questions, but it became a schemozzle because there were too many what ifs.

What types are you interested in, and what have you flown?
How experienced are you? (I'm talking flying here, mind out of the gutter now)
Are you a QFI?

Then we can let you know the relevant schtuff.

As a rough guide, jets are getting maybe 250 hr/yr, maritime say 500 - please correct me if I'm wrong here you other types people -
and it depends greatly on what type you fly how long you can expect to be away from home.

I had about 5 months away last year, but that was because we were involved in Timor, which was an abnormal situation.

Average time away - maybe a couple of months total a year? P3s probably have more than that, others less.

Christopher Robin, our posting friends can always hit you with the old ground job,
but there is a limited (a certain number per year can join it) specialist aircrew scheme, in which you forego promotion and keep flying for a 5 year stint. Or you can do like me and reasonable numbers of others and service transfer to prolong your flying career.

Cheers

[Harry Peacock]

GB,
Did the transfer thing a few years ago to the dark blue flying rotary. Best plan is to get a few contacts, old exchange aircrew etc. then get a feed to the poster's as well as a letter of interest. I had done the Oz exchange first and helped with the 'foot in the door' as my interview with the military was basically a formality as it was two old friends!!!!(Not what you know....!).

The real pain is the visa application through Australia house! They are as helpful as kidney stones. Again get a contact in house and keep it.

Barter hard for your entry conditions, seniority etc. I took a drop of 10 years but it keeps me in flying jobs for the next few years rather than pushing a desk.

The main thing they wanted to know at the interviews was not flying or military experience (you've either got it or not), but the transfer to the Oz lifestyle, have you been downunder? do you like lager, prawns, large steaks and petrol at 35p ltr, oh and a 4 bedroom house 4 mins walk to the beach with sea and mountain views for GBP120,000.

It's got to be a lifestyle change more than just another mil flying job.

All the best in your choices, I've never looked back.

HP :D :D

[The Lizard]

Agree with most of the above. I've worked with several chaps from overseas who have come across (so too speak!). Only reason they ever went back home was to remind themselves what a good time they were having. Can't agree more with being hard on the $ and rank thing! But don't make a move without getting the promises in writing. If they tell you they are going to give you a conversion etc. onto a specific type (to get you across) get it in writing! Preferably signed with blood. More than one chap in the past has been promised the world and been given an atlas on arrival! Same all over I spose? Good luck!