airborne_artist

1. That's a big assumption.

2. More pilots are recruited than observers. About twice as many pilots, perhaps a bit more.

3. About one in ten of the fifty odd pilots who join each year.

4. Best you do the research on that area, though it's not hard to work out.

Wader2

While FW is absolutely correct in what he says for most candiates there are, as usual, exceptions for really outstanding aspirants.

I know one who was not actually considering a career in the RN but who met Commodore SouthWest at a function and came away with his card and an instruction to 'call my office Monday'. The AFCO interview followed on Wednesday and AIB 6 months later. Although they were offered a commision in the RN they chose the RAF instead.

Do not rely on this however as it is not the norm.

soaring_steph

Hey guys and gals.

Im a 22 yr old female PPL aerobatic pilot and have an interview with the RAF for pilot.

I love flying, sports and travelling so that side of it isn't really an issue.
I want to know what life is really like in the RAF as a pilot.

Does anyone really love or really hate thier job and have a massive contract still to work at?

Do you ever regret signing?

Are you a female pilot and have any loves/hates?

Whats the food live? Do you live in the same room?: Whats it like moving location every 3 years? Are the conditions bad, average, or good?
Are there too many social events?

What pisses you off the most?
Is the pay sufficient?

Any general 'life in the RAF as a pilot' info would be greatly greatly apreciated. Many thanks in advance.

Steph

wahwah64

don't forget "what's life in the army as a pilot like" too....

There is a book due to be released in the new year aptly titled....

"Dressed to kill!" (Available to pre order on Amazon - look it up for a brief run down)

....written by a former female Apache pilot. Would probably be a good insight to life in the skies with the military as a female.

airborne_artist

The Navy also has ladies in flying, both FW and RW. They have the added advantage of wearing a much nicer uniform (black is never out of fashion).

Mr C Hinecap

This thread will be moved into the 'sticky' one at the top of the board - so you may as well start reading that one to answer your questions. They have been asked, and answered, several times.

airborne_artist

Worth bearing in mind that none of the Services will be in total (or any) awe about your flying experience. It may well suggest that you are better-placed to pass the aptitude tests, but after that it's a level playing field, and you'll be alongside guys/gals with zero hours flying in some cases.

airborne_artist

Best advice is to prepare for the filter interview - be able to answer questions on the RAF, the application/entry/training process, why you would make a good officer, and why you want to join.

Wader2

Does anyone really love or really hate thier job and have a massive contract still to work at?

Some do. Most don't. The RAF they join today is their RAF and it is quite different from my RAF. Which one you would have prefered I can't say.

It varies. It is adequate. Some is good. Some dining-in night food is beyond compare.

In training, maybe. In Hotac on Det you shouldn't. In the sandpit you will.

As aircrew you tend not to move. As a JO in a ground branch you would be unlucky to stay as long as 3 years - 18 months to 30 months is more usual as you need to ticket punch to progress.

Spot on, got it in 3.

Depends what floats your boat. Summer reception, Summer Ball, Christmas Draw, monthly dining-in, say 6 per year, sqn dinner, officer-sgts mess games night, Christmas Exchange drinks, serving Christmas Day dinner, Remembrance Day, Freedom Parade. Some people relish these, many aircrew become indispensible doing air tests, QRA, delivery flights etc or even display pilot just to avoid them.

They pay you to fly, you don't pay them so it must be sufficient esle you wouldn't do it.

Does anyone really love or really hate thier job and have a massive contract still to work at?

Do you ever regret signing?

Are you a female pilot and have any loves/hates?

Whats the food live? Do you live in the same room?: Whats it like moving location every 3 years? Are the conditions bad, average, or good?
Are there too many social events?

What pisses you off the most?
Is the pay sufficient?

Any general 'life in the RAF as a pilot' info would be greatly greatly apreciated. Many thanks in advance.

No. For those that do they can generally escape after 6 years or so.

airborne_artist

After all stoppages for tax, NI, food and accom. I got tokens to the equivalent of >300 pints in my first full month's pay packet.

Graduates joining as officers (under training) are on £28,000 odd, which is generous.

soaring_steph

Thank you so much everyone! :-D
You've answered what I kind of wanted to hear which is good.

Happy flying ~Steph

jordanpolonijo

Just came back from PFJT.

Im 1/2 stone overweight and have run once since last May.

I ran 9mins 56 for the 2.4km.

How does that compare to the average?

airborne_artist

I know it's all "don't ask, don't tell", but any bloke who says he's half a stone overweight sounds like a friend of Dorothy to me.

Well done - the pass is 12 mins, I think, which is slack, really, but that's the youth of today for you.

jordanpolonijo

No just a 400m runner who monitors his weight and is coming off the back of a 6month injury lay-off.

Do you see any half stone overweight types here?

YouTube - 400m Men Final LaShawn Merritt wins Gold Berlin 2009

buemphil

Hi, I have just finished my MSc and I'm now applying to the RAF. Obviously I'm constantly revising history, organisation, current ops, future capabilities and current events etc.

I buy the magazine, 'Air Forces Monthly' on a regular basis and have seen something about the 'Shadow R1'. It seems to be a reconnaissance aircraft based on the King Air. However the RAF website, which is generally full of information, does not seem to have much about it. Can anybody tell me the role of this aircraft, and anything else I may need to know about it as an RAF candidate?

Thanks for any light you may be able to shed on the Shadow (couldn't resist)

Matt

Wholigan

30 seconds on Google!!!

UK's Shadow R1 'to complement, not duplicate' intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets

So the answer is "No, nobody in here can give you any more information than is in this article" but that will be enough for your purposes.

buemphil

Thanks, I had seen that before I posted obviously, just wondered if there was any other more official info on it. But I suppose all I need to know at this stage is that it is a reconnaissance aircraft.

Thanks

Wholigan

What I meant by

is that if the MoD refuses to disclose any more information to the press (as stated in the article) then don't expect to get any more stuff in an open forum like this!

Wader2

buemphil, what you might do is to follow up the leads in the article. One is SAR. It is not just an aircraft and its role that might come up but for instance if YOU mentioned SAR then the interviewer WILL pick up on it and ask you how SAR works and what it is capable of.

The same is true is you mentioned paleontology.

The process is designed to find out depth of knowledge rather than superficial breadth.

buemphil

Wader2, thanks, that is good advice. One of my 'things to do' is to get a better understanding of how radar works, I'm sure google will be able to help.

Thanks again