Air Navigator
 

Son (16)just passed his Air Nav course with ATC/RAF.He is intent on a carreer in the air,preferably with the RAF. Feed back from his course Squadron Leader (RAFVR) is more than positive. His air time apparently can be used toward a PPL. Is there any point in his going for it if he can get it RAF-wise?

Why spend the money and pick up bad GA habits if he can be trained by the best? ;)

I think you will find his air time cannot count for the minimum required to obtain a PPL. He has been mis-informed. For the hours to count, he must be on a structured PPL course on the recognised syllabus receiving instruction from a CAA qualified instructor.

Too right Dan.

Having said that, every hour of experience counts whether loggable or not (specially when you're as bad as me, hahaha! :\)

His flying may be credited towards a PPL only if conducted by a QFI. If it was conducted by some AEF pilot who was neither a current QFI on type nor the holder of a civil FI Rating, it is considered to by air experience passenger flying only and is not creditable.

If he has any gliding (or Vigilant motorglider) time, he can count 10% of any pilot-in-command time, up to a maximum of 10 hrs.

He is more likely to pick up bad habits from unqualified air experience pilots than he is from a civil FI!

Back in more enlightened times, hundreds of aspirant RAF pilots received 30 hours of PPL training at approved civil clubs under the Flying Scholarship scheme, then went on to join a University Air Squadron, receiving about 30 hours per annum with RAF QFIs.

But sadly, the beancounters have done away with Flying Scholarships and have reduced the UAS system to a shadow of its former self. Instead of arriving for formal RAF flying training with around 150 hours on SEP aeroplanes, the student of today will be lucky to have 30 - and no solo aeros, no solo off-aerodrome PFLs and not even solo glide circuits....

It's a ******g disgrace - like so much of the RAF of today, sadly.