Life after the RAF for a WSOP
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London, New York, Paris, Moscow.
Posts: 3,632
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I left after 27 years in 2003, as a Flight Operations Manager who was finally bitten to death at the home of the then JFH.
The RAF equipped me with life skills a plenty, I wanted nothing to do with aircraft but within two years was a Benefits Manager for a large Borough Council. Im back with my aircraft now at Qantas and loving it but you have all the skills you need to succeed. You have to pick the career path though, no one can do that for you.
All my "civvie" bosses love ex-military men, we are taught to be at a certain place at a certain time and we get the job done whatever. They love that.
The RAF equipped me with life skills a plenty, I wanted nothing to do with aircraft but within two years was a Benefits Manager for a large Borough Council. Im back with my aircraft now at Qantas and loving it but you have all the skills you need to succeed. You have to pick the career path though, no one can do that for you.
All my "civvie" bosses love ex-military men, we are taught to be at a certain place at a certain time and we get the job done whatever. They love that.
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: @exRAF_Al
Posts: 3,297
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Train driver and unmanned/remote submersible pilot seem to be popular at the moment. Train drivers can make £50k or so, not to be sniffed at, and as for ROV pilot, lots of tax benefits to be had floating around the global oggin for months at a time.
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lake District
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was a dry man. Left 3 years ago. First interview got me a job as a project manager at a large defence contractor. Got bumped up to senior project manager this summer. Project management is mainly being organised and leading a team (slight generalisation but let's roll with it for now) so I fitted in and excelled due to my background and in-service training.
a
Toadstool,
loads of fabulous things to do, loads of places I haven't seen, and next year my no.1 car is back on the road and planning going to Le Mans Classic, Also planning on importing 2014 Millenium Riserva which should see me through until I'm 80+. So not planning on going anywhere for a while.
Dave M
loads of fabulous things to do, loads of places I haven't seen, and next year my no.1 car is back on the road and planning going to Le Mans Classic, Also planning on importing 2014 Millenium Riserva which should see me through until I'm 80+. So not planning on going anywhere for a while.
Dave M
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Bristol
Age: 82
Posts: 308
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vim's being modest - he's OC The Goat as well now. 
(shh)
@ 5aday
I was addressing Eul0gy. Let's face it, you're an idle fellow: you've only got a small boat, and you've said nothing whatever about painting the bridge at Marlow. That's the way my father thought and he meant it. We used to drink our lunch in the pub at Little Marlow on 6th Form geography field trips.
(shh)@ 5aday
I was addressing Eul0gy. Let's face it, you're an idle fellow: you've only got a small boat, and you've said nothing whatever about painting the bridge at Marlow. That's the way my father thought and he meant it. We used to drink our lunch in the pub at Little Marlow on 6th Form geography field trips.
Last edited by nutnurse; 18th Oct 2014 at 19:20.
What a small world.
I live next door to the Kings Heads' garden and the Queens Head is three gardens away. We are at SL7 2JR and it its the one set back from the road.
I drink in the Queens and the Royal Oak on the other side of town where a bunch of long haul pilots gather on Thursday(All very pissy as its a four hour session) However the brewery in Marlow Bottom has absolutely free and very excellent beer and now, as I'm semi retired it's a great place to socialize.
The bridge has just been restored but the rowing club burned down about 3 years ago and a brand spanking new one is nearing completion with what will be a super bar overlooking the river.
I live next door to the Kings Heads' garden and the Queens Head is three gardens away. We are at SL7 2JR and it its the one set back from the road.
I drink in the Queens and the Royal Oak on the other side of town where a bunch of long haul pilots gather on Thursday(All very pissy as its a four hour session) However the brewery in Marlow Bottom has absolutely free and very excellent beer and now, as I'm semi retired it's a great place to socialize.
The bridge has just been restored but the rowing club burned down about 3 years ago and a brand spanking new one is nearing completion with what will be a super bar overlooking the river.
While it always guarantees a bite to suggest to non-pilots that they can always apply to MacDonald's for a second career, actually it shouldn't be dismissed.
Some years ago an RAF VC10K GE decided to look into the possibility of working for MacD's. With his proven outstanding team management credentials and 'can-do' attitude, they snapped him up and within a year he was managing one of their restaurants in Florida - and doing very nicely out of it!
Some years ago an RAF VC10K GE decided to look into the possibility of working for MacD's. With his proven outstanding team management credentials and 'can-do' attitude, they snapped him up and within a year he was managing one of their restaurants in Florida - and doing very nicely out of it!
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 33,064
Received 2,937 Likes
on
1,252 Posts
A move up in the world too, perhaps a few from the other ex fleet may consider it, tri stars to five stars
It seems a waste of a skill set though.
It seems a waste of a skill set though.
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Bristol
Age: 82
Posts: 308
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
@ 5aday
Sounds great! I haven't been there for decades and I'm very creaky and so not that mobile these days. Still, one day...
I recall also a pub at or near Hurley Bottom which seemed to be in the middle of nothing in particular. We sat on settles round the sides of an enormous, single table. Our orders were fetched from elsewhere - a bit like 'The Saracen's Head' in Dublin. No doubt all has changed. The 'developers' won't have shifted Ashley Hill, though.
Sounds great! I haven't been there for decades and I'm very creaky and so not that mobile these days. Still, one day...
I recall also a pub at or near Hurley Bottom which seemed to be in the middle of nothing in particular. We sat on settles round the sides of an enormous, single table. Our orders were fetched from elsewhere - a bit like 'The Saracen's Head' in Dublin. No doubt all has changed. The 'developers' won't have shifted Ashley Hill, though.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 33,064
Received 2,937 Likes
on
1,252 Posts
5aday I would take your post code down
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: 23, Railway Cuttings, East Cheam
Age: 68
Posts: 3,115
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Was an avionics guy for 22 years. Well, Nav Inst, Flight Systems then Avionics. Same job different title. Left in '95 and it seemed the natural career progression was to become a peripatetic music teacher in schools. So that's what I did.
I turned my hobby into my job and my job into my hobby, so I play music for four days a week then with the rest of the week and the 17 weeks holiday I give myself (I think that's sufficent actually, anymore would just be lazy) each year I happily pole light aircraft around. It's as good as it sounds.
I still apply what I absorbed during my time in the services every day and as a result became successful at what I do now. You can be anything you want to be as an ex serviceman because you have the motivation and discipline to do it.
I turned my hobby into my job and my job into my hobby, so I play music for four days a week then with the rest of the week and the 17 weeks holiday I give myself (I think that's sufficent actually, anymore would just be lazy) each year I happily pole light aircraft around. It's as good as it sounds.
I still apply what I absorbed during my time in the services every day and as a result became successful at what I do now. You can be anything you want to be as an ex serviceman because you have the motivation and discipline to do it.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: The Americas
Age: 59
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Retired Forces - You can do what ever you want!! We need you!
Was at a recruiting fair here in the great white North oil patch, our group was there looking and hiring - Two recently retired CF18 ground crew chiefs from Cold Lake came through looking and handing out their resume - it turned into a "slave auction", us and other companies started bidding to hire them, right there on the spot! We stopped at $150K cdn / year, they were both hired for alot more than that. They are now leading the commissioning of new build land based oil rigs, same company as us, just a different division - We only have ten years worth of back orders!
Remember your military training and skills are very valuable and very valued! Please don't under sell yourself!
Remember your military training and skills are very valuable and very valued! Please don't under sell yourself!
