Any RAF pilots out there......

[cosgrove1982]

Hi

I'm seriously contemplating a career in the RAF as a pilot. I'm just at the early stages of finding out as much as i can and i'd appreciate any advice you can offer. Also, i'm keen to find out about your personal experiences....good and bad......and what it's really like.

Thanks very much!

P.S My only experience of flying is on PC simulations , mostly Falcon 4 (which has the most complex avionics for a comat sim).......will that help at all?

[Flik Roll]

If you are really born in '82 as your name suggests, which makes you 22/23...you only have until you are 24 to apply.

[STANDTO]

The PC sim might have helped your computing skills, to the extent that using the search facility on these boards will come up with comprehensive mountains of information on the subject of your choice.

Posts such as yours are a regular one, and all the questions have been answered before.

Might I be the first to wish you the very best of luck. Don't limit your interest to one service. Have a good look around

STANDTO

[cosgrove1982]

thanks for your replies. After posting i have managed to find out a lot more from other threads. I'm 22 at the moment so i'm going to check out the RAF careers office very soon.

[STANDTO]

Seriously, look at the FAA, and indeed AAC as options. If I had visited the Navy office first in 1986, I might well have been flying big grey helo's off ships in hot places for a few years, rather than having to study the rudiments of shooting aeroplanes down from ground level.

[KYT]

I spent many years as a pilot in the RAF and thoroughly enjoyed my time. Met many fantastic people and went to many fantastic places. However, I also felt frustrated at times with the cutbacks leading to 'overstretch' and concerned about the dangers associated with military flying. That said, it's the best flying training in the world but see if a short service commission is available.....they'll tell you it's not but be insistant.

KYT

[TurbineTooHot]

Dude, the pickin's is fairly slim at the moment, but they are still recruiting.

Search t'internet for as much as you can find on the topic, get yourself genned up on current world and defence affairs, and then get you ar$e down to your local AFCO.

As the other lot have been saying, don't just look at the light blue side of things. The FAA (naval aviators to a man and women) are
screaming out for aircrew (don't know why).

Have written at great length here:

http://www.pprune.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=162572

about the early piloty years. You would count as DE/Graduate DE.

Have a go.

Turbine