A mili question
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Malaga, Spain
A mili question
Hello all,
I am currently in my first year of A-level and have decided that after I finish my studies, I would like to either serve in the R.A.F. or Spanish Airforce as a pilot.
Anyway, just two questions I hope you can help me with - Firstly, physics and mathematics are not my strongest subjects, but I can get by with hard work and application - is this a problem?
Secondly, I am short sighted - evidently, this is a hinderance, but would it stop me flying full stop, even on transport aircraft??
Thanks
Scarebus_A300
I am currently in my first year of A-level and have decided that after I finish my studies, I would like to either serve in the R.A.F. or Spanish Airforce as a pilot.
Anyway, just two questions I hope you can help me with - Firstly, physics and mathematics are not my strongest subjects, but I can get by with hard work and application - is this a problem?
Secondly, I am short sighted - evidently, this is a hinderance, but would it stop me flying full stop, even on transport aircraft??
Thanks
Scarebus_A300
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 434
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From: Nigit
Scarebus
On the first point, as long as you attain the minimum qualifications you'll be fine.
Generally you need to be 6/6 uncorrected on the eyesight front.
Look on the sticky thread about joining as a pilot. Consider deleting this thread and posting again in that thread. There is loads of good info in that thread on all kinds of subjects. There's a lot to plough through but that's surely a small price to pay.
Regards
ProStu
On the first point, as long as you attain the minimum qualifications you'll be fine.
Generally you need to be 6/6 uncorrected on the eyesight front.
Look on the sticky thread about joining as a pilot. Consider deleting this thread and posting again in that thread. There is loads of good info in that thread on all kinds of subjects. There's a lot to plough through but that's surely a small price to pay.
Regards
ProStu
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Joined: Dec 2002
Aviation Qualifications: Military (Retired)
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From: Lincolnshire
PS, he also needs to say whether he is a British national and whether he has the requisite GCSE or equivalent including English and Maths at grade C or better.
Joined: May 2005
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From: Nigit
Look at the sticky thread!
Look at the RAF Website (use Google if it's not in the thread)
Use some common sense and initiative and look for the answers yourself rather than relying on us to just spoon feed you the information...
Look at the RAF Website (use Google if it's not in the thread)
Use some common sense and initiative and look for the answers yourself rather than relying on us to just spoon feed you the information...
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Joined: Dec 2002
Aviation Qualifications: Military (Retired)
Posts: 16,700
Likes: 54
From: Lincolnshire
For pilot or nav you need 3 GCSE A-C plus A-C in English and Maths. For WSOp you also need Physics.
At A-level you need 2 passes at grade E and above.
Experience shows that low, acceptable grades tend to indicate poor aptitude scores.
Short-sightedness will prevent acceptance as a pilot. Mild short-sightedness may be acceptable for navigator but you would need to be able to read a car number plate at 25 metres.
At A-level you need 2 passes at grade E and above.
Experience shows that low, acceptable grades tend to indicate poor aptitude scores.
Short-sightedness will prevent acceptance as a pilot. Mild short-sightedness may be acceptable for navigator but you would need to be able to read a car number plate at 25 metres.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Joined: Dec 2002
Aviation Qualifications: Military (Retired)
Posts: 16,700
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From: Lincolnshire
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 69
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From: Manchester UK
Methinks this whipper snapper needs a dose of the tag team formerly known as Tourist/Xraf
See the following for a recent engagement:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...ht=wheezy+boys
See the following for a recent engagement:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...ht=wheezy+boys
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,196
Likes: 1
From: Among these dark Satanic mills
Scarebus,
Like you, the sciences aren't my strong point, but I was given very good advice by the RAF Careers Office - they said "Don't do subjects you think the RAF would want - play to your strengths". This is because academic knowledge of science doesn't make someone a good pilot (provided you have a basic grasp ie GCSE), and also because, if the RAF turns you down, you have good grades in your chosen subjects to help you get a different job instead of mediocre science grades.
As a result, I took French, Latin and Greek A-level, got sponsorship for uni and read Classics, and here I am now flying in the RAF.
Before anyone else says it, Classics ain't much use in my day-to-day work (though I can be useful for a Latin grace at a formal dinner!) - but by the same token, how many ex-engineer students now flying in the military now use their degree studies either?!
Good luck,
TOTD
Like you, the sciences aren't my strong point, but I was given very good advice by the RAF Careers Office - they said "Don't do subjects you think the RAF would want - play to your strengths". This is because academic knowledge of science doesn't make someone a good pilot (provided you have a basic grasp ie GCSE), and also because, if the RAF turns you down, you have good grades in your chosen subjects to help you get a different job instead of mediocre science grades.
As a result, I took French, Latin and Greek A-level, got sponsorship for uni and read Classics, and here I am now flying in the RAF.
Before anyone else says it, Classics ain't much use in my day-to-day work (though I can be useful for a Latin grace at a formal dinner!) - but by the same token, how many ex-engineer students now flying in the military now use their degree studies either?!
Good luck,
TOTD
Red On, Green On
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 6,490
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From: Between the woods and the water
Full details on eyesight standards are at http://www.aop.org.uk/uploaded_files/raf_nov06.pdf for the RAF and http://www.aop.org.uk/uploaded_files/pdf/04-navy.pdf for the Royal Navy.
Note that laser correction is not allowed, and will be picked-up at a medical
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: brizzle
Well done guys
Well guys you really did the community proud. Young lad on the beach in Malaga uses his initiative to ask some experienced guys for advice and what does he get - "BOG OFF" and "don't come here to be spoonfed".
Appears he has bogged off as you suggested so you ought to be proud of your acheivment.
Scarebus (if you bother to return), If this is an indication of the quality of the group you wish to join then I suggest you concentrate on the Spanish Air Force, you might find them a bit more laid back and tolerant.
Good luck
Sharmine
Appears he has bogged off as you suggested so you ought to be proud of your acheivment.
Scarebus (if you bother to return), If this is an indication of the quality of the group you wish to join then I suggest you concentrate on the Spanish Air Force, you might find them a bit more laid back and tolerant.
Good luck
Sharmine
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 3,373
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From: Home
You are quite correct sharmine.
The thoughtless bullying of these people has lost us another candidate for the "short sighted with learning dificulties /spoon-feed only/nationality undecided" fighter squadron of tomorrow.
How will the UK survive?
I weep for the future.
The thoughtless bullying of these people has lost us another candidate for the "short sighted with learning dificulties /spoon-feed only/nationality undecided" fighter squadron of tomorrow.
How will the UK survive?
I weep for the future.
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: London
leave the lad alone, if you have a problem with discrete threads, don't bother to reply!
scarebus, i learnt to fly with no science/maths background at all beyond gcse and got by fine by putting in a few extra hours. however i got binned on eyesight, despite trying every way to get round it. only option that MIGHT have worked was to have gone nav (though nb that still has pretty strict criteria, just not as strict as pilot) and then transferred at a later date, which happened a few times, especially on the rotary fleet - so you might want to think about that.
otherwise you might be left with the commerical airlines as your only option - at least the money is better
scarebus, i learnt to fly with no science/maths background at all beyond gcse and got by fine by putting in a few extra hours. however i got binned on eyesight, despite trying every way to get round it. only option that MIGHT have worked was to have gone nav (though nb that still has pretty strict criteria, just not as strict as pilot) and then transferred at a later date, which happened a few times, especially on the rotary fleet - so you might want to think about that.
otherwise you might be left with the commerical airlines as your only option -
at least the money is better
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Joined: Dec 2002
Aviation Qualifications: Military (Retired)
Posts: 16,700
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From: Lincolnshire
Red On, Green On
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 6,490
Likes: 2
From: Between the woods and the water
From http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers/jobs/pilot.cfm
"Qualifications: 5 GCSEs/SCEs and 2 A-levels or 3 Highers or equivalent. GCSEs/SCEs at Grade C/3 minimum to include English language and maths" - no mention of Physics.
WSO EW needs Physics GCSE.
"Qualifications: 5 GCSEs/SCEs and 2 A-levels or 3 Highers or equivalent. GCSEs/SCEs at Grade C/3 minimum to include English language and maths" - no mention of Physics.
WSO EW needs Physics GCSE.