Question for the military rotor guys...
 

Sorry if this is a bit off toppic but can anyone offer some advice?

Short background:
Im 18, just compelted my PPL(H) and really really want to fly turbine helicopters in the most challenging and difficult situations possible, quite simply because I like a challenge and enjoy scaring the :mad: out of myself.....I could take out an enormous loan and pay for the CPL stuff myself but then I wouldnt have much experience, no turbine time etc...

Now logically going into one of the services would provide adventure, challenge and the awsome flying that im after, but....which service does the most challenging and varied rotory flying?

And is it wrong that the only reason I want to join the services is because I want to fly helicopters and not because I want to fight for my country etc?

Any comments or advice anyone has would be greatly appreciated.

N.B....This is not an argument about which one of the services is the "best"...you all do a great job and wouldnt really work without each other!

With that reason to fly HM's finest wokkas, I suggest you stay in Civvy Street. Military flying is probably too much regulated for you.:ugh:

me too.:\






.

Tegwin - as I said on your thread on Rotorheads, the only service where you can be almost 100% certain of plenty of RW flying is the Navy. The RAF statistically will stream more people to FW, and the AAC officers don't fly for long. There is no direct entry from civvy strasse to the AAC NCO pilot cadre, AFIAK.

Get down to the recruiting office, ask for a potential officers visit to Culdrose or Yeovilton, and make up your mind.

But he did say
Surely that doesn't include sitting in the dip or circling at 8000ft with the AP on! :E

Sorry mate but if you are into scaring yourself then go and do it..somewhere else. You will "never" fly solo so that means you will have some poor sod with you or possibly in the back!
Yes. Thats why its called the MILITARY No one expects to fight but given the current climate what would you think?

So in the end all you want is a toy to play with and a cheap way to get some flying hours..........


Go and mature for a few years
Shaun

As a military pilot, particularly military, you will be expected to be a leader and provide inspiration to your crew.

Can't say I really want to follow you. Good luck with civvy street.

Wokka

Have to say I agree with the lines above.

I have done 27 years of RAF helicopters. I have been scared more often than I like to remember. I have several medals for turning up in silly places and I don't want any more. I have no medals for bravery and I want to keep it that way.

I believe my rearcrew support me in that approach.

Sven

If you get on my cab with that attitude, I'll shoot you myself.

"There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots... but there are no old, bold pilots."


And even fewer living thrill-seeker pilots (at least not living for long).

Absolute b@llocks.

Most of us joined with that attitude, and it is the duty of flying training to to temper that enthusiasm into exactly what we need.
What we need is a lot more people like him, and a few less health and safety conscious smug w@nkers!

And don't give me the "I joined to fight for my country " cr@p. We all joined to challenge ourselves and have fun, secretly hoping it would be a bit like Top Gun.

Seriously, the smug idiots on here need to take a look at themselves.
I would rather 1 person with this attitude joined than 100 wheezy, computer geek, unfit wannabies worried about OASC etc.

Tegwin, there are plenty of old bold pilots, they are too busy sh@gging girls half their age to waste time posting with the losers on here. Give it a go

I joined up for the challenge, but also because at that point in time I was idealistic and enthusiastic *shakes head* and believed in my country.

The point you're missing is that the challenge IS the fighting for your country. You'll do training in the UK, and aside from the odd bit of low level, nothing earth shaking.

When you go on Ops and the noise complaints are conducted with AK47's, life does indeed become a bit more challenging. It's why I'm still happy to go abroad. Though I agree with the above, I'll take the tin for being there, getting anything else just means it's all gone wrong!

Tourist I've flown with too many would be "Top Gun" wannabees. How many times do they have to overcook it before it all goes wrong..sod all to do with health and safety.



Shaun

Totally agree tourist
 

Must say, I totally agree with Tourist.

You are right chaps, we don't want fists full of nutbaggery in command of good military kit so they can break it and frighten the pax.....BUT we do need people with this level of enthus. so we can finish their long and difficult training with a chap who is still motivated (who probably maturer due to the experience).

Live on a different island to you but the requirement is the same. Have trained mil pilots for a while and wish they were as keen as this.

Cheers

:ok:

Shaun,

I am not saying they should still be exactly like that by the time they get front line, that is for flying training to sort out, but there is nothing wrong with the attitude before joining.

You may not like it, but Gung Ho people form the basis of any decent military force, particularly your own Royals!

See what happened recently in Iran. A shortage of gung ho in all quarters.
Contrast with strapping booties to the outside of Apache. If it had failed it would have been held up as an example of all that is wrong with gung ho boldness.

BUT IT DID NOT. And that is what makes the british military great.

Guys, give the kid a break. I was like that when I joined up, some of my rear-crew would argue that I still am. I am a little jealous that he can afford his own PPL(H) but we will gloss over that.

Although the tone of his enthusiasm is obviously going to rub the old and bold up the wrong we still, despite the best efforts of many governments, have a very effective training system which will hopefully contain and direct his energies in the right direction.

That being said, the points about the Army Aviation world are true from my point of view, the Lynx is dead, long live another Lynx; the RN don't get the chance to do anything really interesting not withstanding the boys in BAS so join the Air Force I say but then I am biased where by the time he is through training he will be ready for the invasion of Iran and may see more excitement than he hoped for. You have got to really want it though.

Good Luck.

Mate, go for it.

There are a lot of miserable old gits here who resent your attitude, maybe you do need to grow up a bit, but military flying training will get your attitude where it should be.

A lot of RW folks are failed FW and have a sad attitude to go with that, dont listen to them.:cool:

I fully agree that RN is the way to go if you purely want to fly, then RAF followed by AAC.

If you want to command people, consider the AAC first.

If you want to have lots of time off and wear chip bag hats, the RAF is the way ahead.:E

Hmmm,

Most FW are failed Rotary. Fact-In a number of cases I have watched them pack.
Most RN are failed RAF. If you want to fly, join a flying service. If your marginal, join a service that barely floats, and does a bit of flying on the side, as long as it's not too hot/not too high.
The taste is in the pudding.

Two RAF Personnel, captured in GW1. Had **** beaten out them...said very little.
RN personnel, taken hostage by the Iranians having put up NO resistance, said anything it took to get their Ipod back/Get the balti away from Turny's grazing.

good baiting, but unlike most loadies you are talking total cobblers

True, and perhaps not surprising considering they'd had appropriate training

Don't believe all you read in the Sun/hear on Al Jazeera. My info is that the RM lads said nothing, and it's likely that only two of the RN said anything. We were not at war with Iran, so they had nothing to hide.

Go for it Tegwin. Too many talk the talk but don't walk the walk.

Hmmm, thought I only mentioned the RN, not RM.
As your profile says you are here to kill and fly a boxkite, perhaps we should have launched you in an Eagle Claw attempt to free the balti munchers.
Or perhaps you could have painted them in their nice grey suits.

Too many give up walking the line, to take up talking a good line!