RAF Uni Air Squadron
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Matty Boy - It may be the best way for you, but I'd be careful about making blanket statements about the "best" way to do anything, let alone pursue a career in aviation. You'll also find that the majority of UAS studes AREN'T on RAF bursaries, a little research would also stand you in good stead. Anyone whose "teenage dreams" could be "shattered" by a post from someone they don't know on the internet is, I suggest, ill suited for a career in aviation that will be filled with highs and lows of many kinds - if you'll please excuse the pun.
Matt, Gary. Competition to get into a UAS has always been tough and in recent years has become tougher.
If you even had an inkling of what you are up against then you'd know better than to whine on an internet forum (swathes of which are dedicated to helping wannabes such as yourselves) about being told that you will very likely not get into a UAS on application.
I have been disabusing teenagers (and older people) of their flying dreams for nigh on 10 years now. It is a unique selling point of PPRuNe that you don't get PR you don't get marketing gloss but you do get cold hard fact delivered to you by people who know. For free.
By all means apply to a UAS. It will take them 3 minutes of under to ascertain that you have no sustained interest in a Service career and that your real aspiration is to be an airline pilot. The interview practice will be useful to you.
The very few people accepted onto a UAS next year are very likely of a calibre that would make you weep. The days of bright young things bimbling onto the squadron, part hoping to be enticed into joining up, are long gone.
The UAS system itself is a shadow of its recent self but that is another thread.
Regards,
WWW
If you even had an inkling of what you are up against then you'd know better than to whine on an internet forum (swathes of which are dedicated to helping wannabes such as yourselves) about being told that you will very likely not get into a UAS on application.
I have been disabusing teenagers (and older people) of their flying dreams for nigh on 10 years now. It is a unique selling point of PPRuNe that you don't get PR you don't get marketing gloss but you do get cold hard fact delivered to you by people who know. For free.
By all means apply to a UAS. It will take them 3 minutes of under to ascertain that you have no sustained interest in a Service career and that your real aspiration is to be an airline pilot. The interview practice will be useful to you.
The very few people accepted onto a UAS next year are very likely of a calibre that would make you weep. The days of bright young things bimbling onto the squadron, part hoping to be enticed into joining up, are long gone.
The UAS system itself is a shadow of its recent self but that is another thread.
Regards,
WWW
Join Date: May 2007
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Thanks WWW, that was quite a useful post, unlike your first one which, in my opinion at least, was quite harsh on Gary. But I do admit that my post was a bit uncalled for, and I regret posting it; Gary can defend himself if he wants. "If he wants", because he probably cares less then I do. 
And it's true that the RAF (and UAS) aren't looking for pilots; they are looking for officers.
Knight Paladin, I seriously can't find a better "uni way" towards a CPL, as Pilot Studies gets you a PPL, and in many cases a ATPL also. The only other "uni ways" towards a CPL is a UAS, which doesn't give you any license, it just gives you flight experience.
Most UAS only have about 25 places for non-bursary members (stated by a Bristol UAS recruitment officer), and I guess there is a high rate of competition for those places. If you get a bursary you are obliged to join a UAS.
About Flight Simulator. I personally am against sitting on bums all day long, staring at a screen, and I have met people who do nothing else all day long. But there is another group of FS pilots, who are no where near nerds or dweebs. I find FS quite interesting; once I've joined a RAF-based org, I use their forums to talk about the RAF, and I use their flying to learn about the RAF and about flying. I have learnt allsorts, from VORs and ILS to RAF squadrons and RAF procedures. I also have time for my mates, my girl friend (if she hadn't left me 2 weeks ago
for a good looking Speedo wearer), sports, and work.
Cheers, Matt.
And it's true that the RAF (and UAS) aren't looking for pilots; they are looking for officers.
Knight Paladin, I seriously can't find a better "uni way" towards a CPL, as Pilot Studies gets you a PPL, and in many cases a ATPL also. The only other "uni ways" towards a CPL is a UAS, which doesn't give you any license, it just gives you flight experience.
Most UAS only have about 25 places for non-bursary members (stated by a Bristol UAS recruitment officer), and I guess there is a high rate of competition for those places. If you get a bursary you are obliged to join a UAS.
About Flight Simulator. I personally am against sitting on bums all day long, staring at a screen, and I have met people who do nothing else all day long. But there is another group of FS pilots, who are no where near nerds or dweebs. I find FS quite interesting; once I've joined a RAF-based org, I use their forums to talk about the RAF, and I use their flying to learn about the RAF and about flying. I have learnt allsorts, from VORs and ILS to RAF squadrons and RAF procedures. I also have time for my mates, my girl friend (if she hadn't left me 2 weeks ago
for a good looking Speedo wearer), sports, and work.Cheers, Matt.
Last edited by coolblackcat; 13th Sep 2007 at 20:23. Reason: Adding last part.
Red On, Green On
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....about flying. I have learnt allsorts....
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The UAS is for persuading promising students to sign up as officers, and providing some useful training for those who are already signed up. It is not a free flying school or a means to a PPL - indeed you will need to do more training out of your own pocket to get the PPL.
Don't trumpet FS usage - the "procedures" in use are unlikely to be the reality used in the RAF, but are rather gamers' interpretation, not to mention that advertising a gaming interest is not exactly going to enhance your image on an air force base, where real people fly real jets.
The RAF is looking for leaders of men with potential talent to fly (or engineer, police, count paperclips etc) not PC gamers with suspect "experience". The life in the UAS is not "military" or "harsh", but is certainly something of an "in-crowd" with A-type personalities who are ambitious in their career aims, if not in their socialising. This is not meant to discourage those who are unsure - it is not full of a bunch of jocks - it just will not suit those who are somewhat wishy-washy in their attitude towards commitment etc - once committed to the UAS, though you may not join the RAF, you commit to time out of uni that you must honour.
If you are interested, the details are in the RAF website, and there are other UAS websites with more than enough informantion.
The point WWW was trying to convey, was you need to use initiative to find the details.
Finally, a "pilot studies" degree with an ATPL at the end is hardly going to convince the UAS that you are interested is it now...think about it.
Don't trumpet FS usage - the "procedures" in use are unlikely to be the reality used in the RAF, but are rather gamers' interpretation, not to mention that advertising a gaming interest is not exactly going to enhance your image on an air force base, where real people fly real jets.
The RAF is looking for leaders of men with potential talent to fly (or engineer, police, count paperclips etc) not PC gamers with suspect "experience". The life in the UAS is not "military" or "harsh", but is certainly something of an "in-crowd" with A-type personalities who are ambitious in their career aims, if not in their socialising. This is not meant to discourage those who are unsure - it is not full of a bunch of jocks - it just will not suit those who are somewhat wishy-washy in their attitude towards commitment etc - once committed to the UAS, though you may not join the RAF, you commit to time out of uni that you must honour.
If you are interested, the details are in the RAF website, and there are other UAS websites with more than enough informantion.
The point WWW was trying to convey, was you need to use initiative to find the details.
Finally, a "pilot studies" degree with an ATPL at the end is hardly going to convince the UAS that you are interested is it now...think about it.
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1.4g - Slightly harsh banter.... like it.
Matt - Yes, 25 places per year sounds about right, with maybe 5 or so bursars a year. If that seems pretty competitive to you, then you're right, but so are most things in the flying game. As regards the "uni way" to an airline job, doing a degree in Pilot Studies really doesn't have to be it. I know quite a few uni graduate airline pilots in good jobs, not one of whom actually got their ATPL while at uni. My advice to you is to have a think about what you want - if you're hell bent on becoming an airline pilot, then don't waste time on a degree you don't really want to do, and crack straight on with your flying training - plenty of advice around here on how to do that. If, on the other hand, you want to go to university and have a fantastic few years, then do so, but don't worry too much about licenses and stifle yourself with three or more years of studying a subject you're not actually as interested in. Choose a subject you enjoy and can motivate yourself to work at (although you probably won't feel the same way after three or more years studying it!), this may well still be at least partially aviation related. While at uni, feel free to get as much aviation experience as you want to - apply for the UAS and do anything else you can - I know many students got lots of relatively inexpensive flying experience through uni gliding clubs. By all means get your PPL if you can afford it (and the current UAS course is designed to work you towards your NPPL, although it doesn't get you one for free) and enjoy your flying, but if you do decide to go to university, I wouldn't try to rush your career - it will work out eventually, plenty of time after university to sort out your ATPL. All of the above is naturally just my own view of the "best" way to go about it, you may decide neither of those options work for you. Feel free to PM if you want, various friends of mine have gone various different ways with their aviation careers. Sorry to hear about your girlfriend, life is, unfortunately, a bitch.
Matt - Yes, 25 places per year sounds about right, with maybe 5 or so bursars a year. If that seems pretty competitive to you, then you're right, but so are most things in the flying game. As regards the "uni way" to an airline job, doing a degree in Pilot Studies really doesn't have to be it. I know quite a few uni graduate airline pilots in good jobs, not one of whom actually got their ATPL while at uni. My advice to you is to have a think about what you want - if you're hell bent on becoming an airline pilot, then don't waste time on a degree you don't really want to do, and crack straight on with your flying training - plenty of advice around here on how to do that. If, on the other hand, you want to go to university and have a fantastic few years, then do so, but don't worry too much about licenses and stifle yourself with three or more years of studying a subject you're not actually as interested in. Choose a subject you enjoy and can motivate yourself to work at (although you probably won't feel the same way after three or more years studying it!), this may well still be at least partially aviation related. While at uni, feel free to get as much aviation experience as you want to - apply for the UAS and do anything else you can - I know many students got lots of relatively inexpensive flying experience through uni gliding clubs. By all means get your PPL if you can afford it (and the current UAS course is designed to work you towards your NPPL, although it doesn't get you one for free) and enjoy your flying, but if you do decide to go to university, I wouldn't try to rush your career - it will work out eventually, plenty of time after university to sort out your ATPL. All of the above is naturally just my own view of the "best" way to go about it, you may decide neither of those options work for you. Feel free to PM if you want, various friends of mine have gone various different ways with their aviation careers. Sorry to hear about your girlfriend, life is, unfortunately, a bitch.
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Oh, don't worry about my ex-gf; she'll come crawling back... or not
Plenty others out there.
I was going to do a Physics degree, till I cought my eye on this Aviation degree. It would mean I would apply what I'm good at (Physics, Maths, and "Motorbikes") to what I'm interested in.
I knew that this degree would risk my RAF entrance, but it's a risk well worth taking; If the RAF reject me (no harsh comments on this please
), or after my RAF career, I'll have many more open doors then if I had a physics degree. No second thoughts about it. I'll just have to show the RAF that I'm commited to them some other way.
I'm not the type of flat-bummed teenager who boasts about how many FS flight hours he has, or about how many Star Trek figures he has... Haven't flown for a few months, and never ever ever (that's TWO evers) seen a Star Trek episode. But must say that the LUAS page does mention a bit about FS on P3 of this page. ("How to Join" - "Selection hints").
I've got my objectives sorted out, and in the very posible chance that some of them don't work out, I'll do the best I can with the options I have. I recomend this to most people in life.
Cheers, Matt Lewis.
Plenty others out there.
I was going to do a Physics degree, till I cought my eye on this Aviation degree. It would mean I would apply what I'm good at (Physics, Maths, and "Motorbikes") to what I'm interested in.
I knew that this degree would risk my RAF entrance, but it's a risk well worth taking; If the RAF reject me (no harsh comments on this please
), or after my RAF career, I'll have many more open doors then if I had a physics degree. No second thoughts about it. I'll just have to show the RAF that I'm commited to them some other way.I'm not the type of flat-bummed teenager who boasts about how many FS flight hours he has, or about how many Star Trek figures he has... Haven't flown for a few months, and never ever ever (that's TWO evers) seen a Star Trek episode. But must say that the LUAS page does mention a bit about FS on P3 of this page. ("How to Join" - "Selection hints").
I've got my objectives sorted out, and in the very posible chance that some of them don't work out, I'll do the best I can with the options I have. I recomend this to most people in life.
Cheers, Matt Lewis.
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Matt,
I don't recruit for airlines, so I may be well out here, but I'd be very surprised if they gave a monkeys what degree you did, as long as it wasn't underwater basket weaving. They may, and many other employers would, care about WHERE you did your degree - and I'd suggest far more reputable universities offer physics than those offering "Pilot Studies", which smacks of being a made up subject!
KP
I don't recruit for airlines, so I may be well out here, but I'd be very surprised if they gave a monkeys what degree you did, as long as it wasn't underwater basket weaving. They may, and many other employers would, care about WHERE you did your degree - and I'd suggest far more reputable universities offer physics than those offering "Pilot Studies", which smacks of being a made up subject!
KP
