From 1960,Who is this pilot and is he still around!!

[Lordflasheart]

20 and still a Middy

He must have been passed over ..LFH

[Brian 48nav]

We certainly had a few 23 year old captains on the Herc' in the early 70s ( South Cerney men who had joined at 17 and a half to just 18 ), in fact Mike Arthur who had been a co on 48 in Changi was probably still only 22 when he started his captain course.

[brakedwell]

AA - Are you referring to the front seat of a chipmunk at an EFTS?

[airborne_artist]

Brakedwell - No, and I'm not talking about the alleged use of the deck of a carrier moored in the Sound by Chipmunks from Roborough either

[Tankertrashnav]

In the overcrowded mess at Seletar I shared a room with a 23 year old Beverley captain. I was only 20 at the time so he seemed quite old to me!

[Pontius Navigator]

Most scary flight I had was with a very young pilot officer captain on an RNZAF Dakota. The A4 pilots out bound chose to drive back by road.

[John Eacott]

Originally Posted by airborne_artist

I was led to believe that in the 60s it was just about possible for an FAA SL (P) to be CDQ before he made Sub Lt - the 2ic of RN EFTS in the late 70s was one, I was told.

20 and still a Middy and in the front seat - could it get better in the world of aviation? There could even have been a 19 y/o.

John Eacott may be able to expand/confirm this?

Joining back in 1967 the system was beginning to slow down a bit: I guess one difference that isn't always apparent to current aircrew was that you went through Dartmouth as a Cadet, not gaining Midshipman or Acting Sub Lieutenant until moving on to flying training. If you were under 21 then a Midshipman rank for you, over 21 you were an A/S/Lt, regardless of capability. Since too many of our course passed out at Dartmouth (we were the last FW and HSP) there weren't enough slots in flying training and the youngest were sent off to holdover and rejoined with the subsequent lot to pass out from BRNC. Again, totally age related and regardless of exam results, etc.

So, if you joined at minimum age (17 1/2) and got out of BRNC 8 months later, sailed through flying training, front line would come about 2 years after joining. Expect a year front line before getting a Proficiency Certificate (as it was known) so just about three years from joining Dartmouth and just before turning 21 and still a Midshipman

But the system tended toward delays so with my 3-4 month holdover plus 3 months on 700S that added another six months to getting front line, back in June 1970 This was for two pilot ASW crews where a lot of second pilot button pushing was a part of the day to day grind.

That was my take as an ASW driver, but the Junglies had a shorter AFT/OFT timescale plus less emphasis on day/night deck operations, so they would have a better chance to be Midshipman in command a lot earlier. Fixed Wing, I'm not at all sure of their training timescale but certainly they were throwing aluminium death tubes at the deck a lot sooner than we ASW dual pilot crews were trusted to be in charge!

[Whenurhappy]

Most scary flight I had was with a very young pilot officer captain on an RNZAF Dakota. The A4 pilots out bound chose to drive back by road.

Certainly in the mid 1980s, it was not uncommon for 20 year old captains on the F-27 and the Andovers. At NATTS , at the ripe old age of 25, I was the oldest on the crew (excluding the Trapper/screen) on a Friendship overseas route trainer to Australia.

[CoffmanStarter]

Originally Posted by Newt

That's because they wanted us young in those days!

So heres one for you then Newt



Image Credit : MOD RAF : Aviation Ancestry

[newt]

Thanks Coff! Not me in the picture but I did my first single seat Lightning flight in November 1970 in XM180 aged 21! But only just as I turned 22 a couple of days later! Declared Oerational six months later on my first Squadron in Germany!

As for the rest, that is history. Suffice to say not many went on to be a Gp Capt by the time they were 40!!!!!!

[teeteringhead]

Was involved at OASC very recently; hangar exercises still very much what they were - same routine but bigger "crash mats"!

Pour moi - joined 26 Feb 68 (after OASC at Biggin), first Chipmunk solo 19 Aug 68 (with the Navy - a long story!); first jet solo 22 Jan 69 (JP4 no Mk3 - part of same long story); first rotary solo 5 Nov 69 (Sioux), C Cat (Op equivalent) on first Sqn 28 Sep 70.

At which point the young Teeters was 21 and 3 months, and qualified P1 day/night on 3 types (JP, Whirlwind and Wessex) and P1 day only on another 2 (Chipmunk and Sioux), all with a grand total time of 402 hrs 35 mins!

And ye tell that to t'young folk of today ,,,,,,,,

[ExRAFRadar]

26er - great little story. Have a round of

[N2erk]

A man with guts??? We're British- would we actually say that??
Same ad in Air Pictorial Aug 62- but no such heading- just the piccie & screed. Much easier to see the registration # in Coff's version tho.
AL1: I take it back- the Air Pictorial picture is slightly different- 3 Frightenings, photo taken slightly earlier, the pilot is looking towards them- and the career description is quite different. Same salary though.

[CoffmanStarter]

Plenty more examples can be found here

Classic Aviation Ads: RAF Recruitment

From 1918 to 1980 ... Some cracking stuff during the 60's and 70's

Best ...

Coff.

[brakedwell]

Yours To Fly Hunter. That's the one that netted me in 1955. No wonder I was so pi**ed off when they scrubbed my Hunter Course and filled it with Indians after Duncan Sandys brought down his chopper

[nutnurse]

@N2erk

I dare say it meant someone who didn't honk his guts up when he was taught aeros.

[Herod]

I know it's only a helicopter, and single pilot, but I first operated as captain of a crew on 25th Aug '66, having joined the RAF on 7th Dec '64. I was still three months short of my twentieth birthday. I think I can even top teeters, being qualified on the same three types at twenty years and four months. Eee, we woz young lads.

[teeteringhead]

I think I can even top teeters

Indeed you can Herod.

I doff my cap and tug my forelock to you.

Eee, we woz young lads

One remembers driving the somewhat taciturn (then!) Son-and-heir to Uni a few years ago. In-car conversation thus:

S-a-H: You didn't go to Uni did you Dad?

Moi: No I didn't.

S-a-H: So what were you doing when you were 19?

Moi: Flying jets.

S-a-H: What! Big jets??

Moi: Nahhh. Little jets (Ok - it was only a JP) much more fun!

S-a-H:

[nimbev]

I did my OASC at Hornchurch in 61/62. Had numerous enjoyable/interesting holding postings, one of which was as a guinea pig at OASC which, by then, had moved to Biggin Hill. The RAF trained selection staff for a number of other organisations including the RN. Part of their training was to conduct assessments hence our little team of guinea pigs. One got quite blase about the whole thing and the exercises were much more fun when it really didnt matter and you had done them a number of times anyway. The most amusing thing was going through the interviews again and again. I remember a WREN officer who always seemed to make her questions have some sort of sexual overtone! Fascinating!

[teeteringhead]

JENKINS you old druid rascal! Are you trying to imply that I was General List!

Heaven forefend Sir! Teeters was "gutter entry" and proud of it - only ever intended to do 8 or 12 and pocket the gratuity. So how come I am still wearing uniform .......?