RAF or not?
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RAF or not?
Hi,
ive read a lot of posts recently and the authors of these posts have said that they would not join the RAF these days and I was just wondering why that is the case?
I am very interested in Joining and would like to see both sides of the story as it were.
Thanks very much
Ghostie
ive read a lot of posts recently and the authors of these posts have said that they would not join the RAF these days and I was just wondering why that is the case?
I am very interested in Joining and would like to see both sides of the story as it were.
Thanks very much
Ghostie
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Depends on;
what YOU want from your career?
equally
what YOU want to give during your career?
[For reference I am making vague comparisons to civvy flying, airlines]
If you want to get into the cockpit ASAP, forget it. It will take you +6 yrs to get front line with around 2yrs holding.
You have to spend a year beasting at IOT.
Altho pay is good, by the time you are mid career (30's-40's), others in the airlines for example will be earning double yours.
You have to fight, war etc...
You are an Officer first, not a Pilot.
Unstable family life; having to move bases every tour (3yrs)
what YOU want from your career?
equally
what YOU want to give during your career?
[For reference I am making vague comparisons to civvy flying, airlines]
If you want to get into the cockpit ASAP, forget it. It will take you +6 yrs to get front line with around 2yrs holding.
You have to spend a year beasting at IOT.
Altho pay is good, by the time you are mid career (30's-40's), others in the airlines for example will be earning double yours.
You have to fight, war etc...
You are an Officer first, not a Pilot.
Unstable family life; having to move bases every tour (3yrs)
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Ghostie - Simple analogy - I left the RAF ten years ago . At that time it tasted like a decent whisky - since then it seems like its been downgraded to an alcopop . Having never tasted the decent whisky you don't know what you have missed . An alcopop might be entirely your taste however.
It's very much a case of if you like the idea of a service life - try it !
It's very much a case of if you like the idea of a service life - try it !
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Everyone who has been in the forces has had a different experience to the next person. You'll probably get a few replies saying the RAF isn't what it used to be, and a few others saying it's great. As RileyDove said, you don't know what it was like before, so you don't know what you're missing. By all means take on board what people say but realise that if you go into the RAF your experiences will vary from others. Why do you want to join the RAF and what do you expect from it? Those are the important questions.
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From certain viewpoints it is undoubtedly true that opportunities in the RAF, indeed the forces as a whole, are not what they were even 15 years ago (fewer overseas postings, more beancounting etc.)
However; I think it still has a lot to reccomend it; otherwise I wouldn't be in (I have a highly "transferrable skill" with nigh on guaranteed emloyment in civvi street).
The people you meet are still on the whole some of the best guys (and gals, sorry!) you'll come across, pay is very competitive and when combined with the low cost of living, disposable income is favourable. Finally it's better than working in an office in the city, with a load of choppers watching the clock till the end of the day and looking forward to your hour and a half commute home.
Look into it, try and get some experience of what you will be doing and meet chaps doing what you will be doing in the near future and work out if it is for you.
Best of luck and for God's sake don't join the RN!!
Mike
Edited for inebriated grammar and punctuation
However; I think it still has a lot to reccomend it; otherwise I wouldn't be in (I have a highly "transferrable skill" with nigh on guaranteed emloyment in civvi street).
The people you meet are still on the whole some of the best guys (and gals, sorry!) you'll come across, pay is very competitive and when combined with the low cost of living, disposable income is favourable. Finally it's better than working in an office in the city, with a load of choppers watching the clock till the end of the day and looking forward to your hour and a half commute home.
Look into it, try and get some experience of what you will be doing and meet chaps doing what you will be doing in the near future and work out if it is for you.
Best of luck and for God's sake don't join the RN!!
Mike
Edited for inebriated grammar and punctuation
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Aerospace101
Correct me if I am wrong, but isnt IOT only around 6 months? Or has it changed since I last heard.
And from what I have heard, its not that much of a beasting, but I guess that varies for each individual.
Correct me if I am wrong, but isnt IOT only around 6 months? Or has it changed since I last heard.
And from what I have heard, its not that much of a beasting, but I guess that varies for each individual.
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Best of luck and for God's sake don't join the RN!!
My best friend from years back always was and still is an exceptionally talented pilot. He had a PPL before his driving license (so did I actually!) and aviation was his forte. He applied to the RAF and was refused, so he beat the thousands of applicants and won a place on an airline sponsorship scheme. He is now a Captain earning goodness knows how much. I was always in awe of the cash he had when I would pop over on leave to see him - his flat in Brighton, his various exotic sports cars, the many parties with an abundance of particularly charming hosties etc. You get the idea - a dream lifestyle. However whenever I recounted some of the cheeky flying I had done from the boat (in my oily, smelly, shaky, old helicopter) and some of the places I have been fortunate enough to have been, he always said with a twinge of regret how great it must be (flying in the Navy, from a ship etc). So what I can gather from this tale is that the grass is not always greener, each career path has its merits and its drawbacks and it is up to you to decide what is best for you, and you alone. Use the search function to find other similiar threads or just send Beagle a PM
lolGood Luck
Oggin
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Correct me if I am wrong, but isnt IOT only around 6 months? Or has it changed since I last heard.
The new course was due to start about now. 30 weeks in total, in 3 ten week terms, each separated by a week or two's leave. I believe that you find out whether you're graduating at the end of the second term too...
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hey,
thanks very much for the posts guys, all very uselful.
i have passed the interview stage to a UAS but still have the medical and a further selection procedure to go through, so fingers crossed everything goes well!
Thanks again
Ghostie
thanks very much for the posts guys, all very uselful.
i have passed the interview stage to a UAS but still have the medical and a further selection procedure to go through, so fingers crossed everything goes well!
Thanks again
Ghostie
"And from what I have heard, its not that much of a beasting, but I guess that varies for each individual."
True, its probably not as physically demanding as JROC or Sandhurst, but its not a complete walk in the park and you do have to have some grit to get through. I found it to be challenging - both mentally and physically. I was very very fit before IOT - I had spent years going to the gym minimum 3 times a week plus a lot of tennis at club level. I would say that after the initial 4 weeks BIM at IOT, my VO2max actually started to decrease. I remember on a certain stretcher excercise being in agony with achilles tendonitis. Without a team encouraging me on, I wouldn't have lasted the course. I learnt a lot from it.
The other side of it is being able to put up with ironing and bulling until 1am, then getting up at 6am for a very long and physcial day.
I felt I developed socially at IOT too. I certainly have respect for the course.
True, its probably not as physically demanding as JROC or Sandhurst, but its not a complete walk in the park and you do have to have some grit to get through. I found it to be challenging - both mentally and physically. I was very very fit before IOT - I had spent years going to the gym minimum 3 times a week plus a lot of tennis at club level. I would say that after the initial 4 weeks BIM at IOT, my VO2max actually started to decrease. I remember on a certain stretcher excercise being in agony with achilles tendonitis. Without a team encouraging me on, I wouldn't have lasted the course. I learnt a lot from it.
The other side of it is being able to put up with ironing and bulling until 1am, then getting up at 6am for a very long and physcial day.
I felt I developed socially at IOT too. I certainly have respect for the course.
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i have passed the interview stage to a UAS
Red On, Green On
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Best of luck and for God's sake don't join the RN!!
However whenever I recounted some of the cheeky flying I had done from the boat (in my oily, smelly, shaky, old helicopter) and some of the places I have been fortunate enough to have been, he always said with a twinge of regret how great it must be (flying in the Navy, from a ship etc).
You'll never guess who I was flying with
36 trips, 2 types, 61:30. Shortest 0:10, longest 5:25.
Here goes:
Torpedo drop
Depth charge drop
Helo In flight refuel (HIFR)
Helo Delivery Supply (HDS)
Jumpex (Sub-killer)
Surface Search
Deck Landing practice (DLP)
General flying practice (GFP)
EWX (EW!) spot(!) of jamming
Detect-Identify-Destroy (DIDTACS)
4.5 inch flare drops
Naval Gunfire Support (NGS)
VIPTAX(Taxi-VIP)
CASEVAC
Load Lifting
Winching
Dead Reckoning sea navigation(Dalton/Protractor/pencil/dividers/rubber)
Beach Assault - with troops!
Photex
Test flights -up to 12000 feet.
And it's all still going on now ....
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Come on chaps the RN comment was (mostly) banter. The only FAA guy I've known was a top bloke.
Ghostie congrats on the UAS, medicals for UASs now are pretty much counting limbs and checking you only have one head as you no longer have to be fit aircrew,
From you profile I' presuming you are joining OUAS? If so tell Gooders one of his studes from the Capital Air Wing sends his regards.
Good luck
Mike
Ghostie congrats on the UAS, medicals for UASs now are pretty much counting limbs and checking you only have one head as you no longer have to be fit aircrew,
From you profile I' presuming you are joining OUAS? If so tell Gooders one of his studes from the Capital Air Wing sends his regards.
Good luck
Mike
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I'm afraid its SUAS not OUAS, Im at southampton doing aerospace engineering, my parents are in Oxford.
However if i see him i'll let him know you said hi!
Thanks for all the help again guys, really useful stuff!
Thanks
Ghostie
However if i see him i'll let him know you said hi!
Thanks for all the help again guys, really useful stuff!
Thanks
Ghostie
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You have definately done the right thing by joining SUAS.
You will get the best insight into the RAF, from which then you can decide to go forward with an application. Being on the UAS means you will already have some advantage over normal 'off the street' applicants, in terms of information and advice available to make a good shot at OASC.
But remeber your degree takes priority. Some people can get a 1st in Aero Eng and do EVERYTHING on a UAS!
You will get the best insight into the RAF, from which then you can decide to go forward with an application. Being on the UAS means you will already have some advantage over normal 'off the street' applicants, in terms of information and advice available to make a good shot at OASC.
But remeber your degree takes priority. Some people can get a 1st in Aero Eng and do EVERYTHING on a UAS!
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IOT
"I felt I developed socially at IOT too. I certainly have respect for the course"
Vigilant Pilot
I just meant (as you pointed out as well) that I didnt think it was as much of a beasting as Sandhurst, which I personally have had the "pleasure" of.
I have lots of respect for IOT myself, and have no doubt it produces excellent officers.
Jordan
P/S How do you quote on this forum?
Vigilant Pilot
I just meant (as you pointed out as well) that I didnt think it was as much of a beasting as Sandhurst, which I personally have had the "pleasure" of.
I have lots of respect for IOT myself, and have no doubt it produces excellent officers.
Jordan
P/S How do you quote on this forum?
I agree, the only experience of Sandhurst I have is from watching presentations. Put it this way, a good proportion who make it through IOT would never make it through Sandhurst, but then the aims and the products are a completely different kettle of fish.
Its probably a very personal viewpoint about any type of Officer training. I was well equipped fitness wise, and in the military life. I felt it did change me though in confidence, bearing and being able to lead more effectively. For that I am very grateful.
No idea how you quote - it has never worked for me!
Its probably a very personal viewpoint about any type of Officer training. I was well equipped fitness wise, and in the military life. I felt it did change me though in confidence, bearing and being able to lead more effectively. For that I am very grateful.
No idea how you quote - it has never worked for me!
