IM Irish, am i screwed.
I can't believe the IAC say you need a degree to get in! Who are they trying to kid? Now that really must be an officers' flying club!
I know lots of pilots in the (British) Army Air Corps that don't have a GCSE/O-level to their name, never mind a degree, and some of those are Irish. I know of at least one officer from the south and several from the north (although they will enjoy dual nationality under the constitution).
You can join the British Army on an irish passport, so unless the RAF is different, the people above may not be correct in what they have said. The British Army also is the only service that has enlisted men as pilots. In any case the Irish have been joining the Brits for years. In Wellington's day they made up over 70% of the entire Army at the time!
As for the US, you can join on a green card, but you need to serve 2 years in the ranks before you can apply for citizenship. Only US citizens can be a CWO or Officer which is the minimum rank you have to be to be a pilot.
One small tip though, and take this as advice, not criticism - the ability to spell and use punctuation may be used to discern if you are 'tick' or not, so I'd brush up on that.
Nár laga' Dia do lámh!
I know lots of pilots in the (British) Army Air Corps that don't have a GCSE/O-level to their name, never mind a degree, and some of those are Irish. I know of at least one officer from the south and several from the north (although they will enjoy dual nationality under the constitution).
You can join the British Army on an irish passport, so unless the RAF is different, the people above may not be correct in what they have said. The British Army also is the only service that has enlisted men as pilots. In any case the Irish have been joining the Brits for years. In Wellington's day they made up over 70% of the entire Army at the time!
As for the US, you can join on a green card, but you need to serve 2 years in the ranks before you can apply for citizenship. Only US citizens can be a CWO or Officer which is the minimum rank you have to be to be a pilot.
One small tip though, and take this as advice, not criticism - the ability to spell and use punctuation may be used to discern if you are 'tick' or not, so I'd brush up on that.
Nár laga' Dia do lámh!
Evening wings.
correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure there was a southern Irish pilot on the carbon fiber hovvering budgie, there's a few northern guys too. Good lads the lot of them. Just don't drink with 'em! (warm welcomes spring to mind)
correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure there was a southern Irish pilot on the carbon fiber hovvering budgie, there's a few northern guys too. Good lads the lot of them. Just don't drink with 'em! (warm welcomes spring to mind)
TAC Int Bloke
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In Wellington's day they made up over 70% of the entire Army at the time!
Of course old 'Big nose' was born in Dublin - but being a West Brit I don't suppose he'd have thanked you for reminding him! – How times have changed – now everyone wants to be Irish
Regards
-Nick
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Perhaps you may care to wait for a serious conflict to arise!
When they get a little short of jet jocks, then they will a come a calling.
As an aside have a look at the 2ND World War RAF 'killed in action list'. Count the number of Irish,Poles etc,etc
When they get a little short of jet jocks, then they will a come a calling.
As an aside have a look at the 2ND World War RAF 'killed in action list'. Count the number of Irish,Poles etc,etc
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Leaving aside the chatter. Basically if you're Irish you are screwed as far a a military career as an officer and pilot is concerned. The Irish Air Corps is tough to get into and most who do make it can't wait to leave. They only take a few cadets every year anyway. So it's a bit of a lottery at best.
As for the RAF when I last looked at the RAF careers website you had to be a British citizen since birth to be an RAF pilot or aircrew including NCO. So forget it. Same for the RN.
You could enlist in the Army Air Corps and aim to be selected as NCO aircrew but that's speculative to say the least.
Someone suggested the US forces. Only the army is a viable option but as described above you have win a visa in a lottery. Then serve as a grunt for a while. Then become a US citizen and then be selected for flight training. Not exactly a short term plan.
My suggestion is to try for the Irish Air Corps. Otherwise forget about a military career as a pilot.
Face it, those of us who were born in Ireland can forget about flying fast jets or even slow jets with the military in our lifetime.
Your'e screwed. If you want to fly you have to go civil and pay for it yourself.
As for the RAF when I last looked at the RAF careers website you had to be a British citizen since birth to be an RAF pilot or aircrew including NCO. So forget it. Same for the RN.
You could enlist in the Army Air Corps and aim to be selected as NCO aircrew but that's speculative to say the least.
Someone suggested the US forces. Only the army is a viable option but as described above you have win a visa in a lottery. Then serve as a grunt for a while. Then become a US citizen and then be selected for flight training. Not exactly a short term plan.
My suggestion is to try for the Irish Air Corps. Otherwise forget about a military career as a pilot.
Face it, those of us who were born in Ireland can forget about flying fast jets or even slow jets with the military in our lifetime.
Your'e screwed. If you want to fly you have to go civil and pay for it yourself.
