ATPL - RAF
 

Hoping someone can put and end to my curiosity!

Has anyone every heard of someone training for an ATPL then joining the RAF after gaining the licence and succeeding as a fast jet pilot?

Strange question perhaps but i would like to know.


P.s. forgetting all age considerations.

Someone paying huge amounts to get their ATPL before they're 23 and then managing to get into the RAF would be a pretty interesting career path that's for sure.

That is true.

But even so,

It is possible?

Possible? - Yes
Likely? - Not particularly (I would guess)

just to clarify,

the point of this question is just to find out if someone who already has an ATPL, not planning on getting one, could succed as a fast jet pilot.

Bearing in mind the large sums of money owed by the person!

So the RAF wouldn't pay off any of the finance considering that the candidate is already a qualified pilot?

Lol. I think we see now.


I think the answer would be a no.

There was a guy from my era of training who claimed to have done such a thing. He also claimed a lot of other stuff as well and I'm pretty sure he ended up chopped at Linton or maybe made it to Valley.

He obviously had some interesting experience outside the military, but was a bit of an Aldridge Prior, so it was hard to pick fact from fiction.

Others may remember his name? Dave ......? Don't think he's still in.

Well the RAF (as I understand it) very much prefer to train Pilots from scratch, as then they will fly the way they want them to fly, not the way they already know. Also, the RAF wouldn't want to pay off the money as the training they undertook of their own accord is very much their own doing, and they frown upon Officers being unable to manage their Finances (although from the sound of things JPA makes this difficult for them to do :E).

Also, being able to fly a bus is no real indication of someones ability to manage a fast jet :p

Rudekid.

Do you mean the guy that had a South African ATPL at Church Fenton. If so, then I think he went to METS and managed to get chopped there. Dunno though could be a different guy.

However, now that I am in the bucket and spade brigade- it does seem that chopped ex- millitary pilots can make it as there are several that I have met over the last few years.


GB :ok:

Nearest I can recall to this was a guy at Oakington in the early 70s. He had previously just completed pilot training with BCAL, only for them to make him, and some of his course colleagues, redundant* due to changed staffing requirements. Civil pilot recruitment was in decline, so he joined the Air Force. After successfully passing through 5 FTS, he was posted to what was then 'The Queen's Flight'.
Some few years later, I heard that he had susequently re-mustered as a RAF Chaplain!



*Think I'm correct in saying that any training costs that would have been re-payable, were waived - and rightly so.

rudekid - I think I know the chap you mean. Was this about 13-14 years ago? Something like that? Was an airline pilot, F16 pilot etc etc? Talked an enormous amount of cobblers? Think he ended up as a SARboy......

Still dine out on the stories of his waltishness.....

SS

That's the guy! Could he spout some rubbish! I've remembered his last name now, but it's a bit rude to post it if he's still serving.... Still would serve him right for talking so much garbage in the first place.

Talked nearly as much rubbish as a Harrier Pilot then Hawk QFI, known as 'El Cajones' (Spanish for the bol***cks.) My dad owns an oil rig, no two, not to mention the one I haven't told you about.


:E RK

Explain in short, easy words why the RAF should hire someone who committed themselves to the £60K for a FATPL, then decided they wanted to fly fast, pointy things, and expects the RAF to pay for the totally useless (to the RAF) training they have already received.

Why not just join the RAF and have fun?

FWIW there's a guy on Pprune that went through BRNC half a term before me and became a Junglie pilot. He drove a London Bus before he joined the Navy :E

I do know of an a chap who was an ATC officer, did his CPL (mate had an aircraft for the hours), crossed over, became a Jag Pilot and flew the F16........and he's now a Wg Cdr

And a throughly nice chap too

Old Gregg,

I joined the RAF with an ATPL and then went on to be a FJ pilot, and I know of one other. My UAS instructors were keen to teach genuine ab-initio pilots so I was a bit of a disappointment to them :). The odd instructor through Tucano / Hawk / front line has treated my motives with suspicion, but what the heck, I'm still here and most of them have PVR'ed.

I have no regrets...it costs money to keep the licence going, but the RAF weren't recruiting when I fell out of university and I wouldn't have been able to get the loan for an Elise (which was the same price)!

Gregg,

believe there was a chap of at least CPL experience come through the system not so long ago. Not sure where he went but having any time in the air HAS to help in the initial stages IMHO.

It won't guarantee success, however, as there is a world of difference between the ATPL way and FJ way.

As for the RAF paying your debt: dream on!!! They don't even pay their own properly at the moment;)

Good luck whatever your 'mate' does:ok:

[B][U]RUDEKID

He is still in and boy did he go far, man I think he is an A2 QHI at a secret Shropshire training base. He is a bit loud but fairly harmless and I know he reads these forums so maybe he will get in touch!!:rolleyes:

Had a chap join us on 27 squadron in the mid 80's (Tornado GR1) who held a CPL prior to joining up. Mike M - Thoroughly decent bloke.

There was a chap with an ATPL a few courses ahead of me at Cranwell. Last I heard he got MASH'd and withdrew from training.

A friend of mine who had initially been turned down at OASC went off to do his ATPL before being recalled and offered a place as an RAF Pilot. He managed to complete his ATPL before IOT, and then subsequently went through JEFTS!

He is now a GR4 mate, believed to be at Lossie.

Do you frequent these boards UMIN? If so, get in touch!