RAF ground crew to aircrew
 

Can I join as a weapons tech and apply for aircrew later on in my career

No because;
A: There's no way you could work all those delicate switches with a hammer.

and

B: You can't fit an Uckers board in a cockpit.

You could do, but in my time it always seemed a hard task to do so, probably since they had already trained you and would need to replace you, I often thought the direct entry route seemed the quickest route, it also depends on what you go for as commissions were also harder to aquire from the ranks.

Plenty have though Nutty, including a fairly well known GW1 Nav. (OK not a pilot but the same procedure applies).

The aircrew selection board will want to know why you didn't apply directly. Have a good answer. If you don't have a good answer, apply directly.

p.s. Tash - he could apply as an Instie and transfer- they use very small hammers!

I know of a weapons tech that ended up as a VC10 captain, one that was a Jaguar driver and a Regt Gunner that became one of the Reds.

I would say if you have the ability to go aircrew go straight for that, the guys reminiscences are mainly from a time long ago with respect to them.
Speak to CIO they will have the answers.
The numbers are small for getting in so serving as a tech is wasted time if that makes sense.
Someone will probably put it better than me.
Fox3?

O-P, which Red would that be?

AP

Kxxxxn Txxxs. Did one or two F3 tours (23), after his creamie tour, I'm guessing he was on the Reds in the mid/late 90s.

I flew with a QFI @ Valley in 1974, who had been a Regt Gunner. He went to Cathay Pacific instead of the Reds.

Tash'
It is possible to fit an Uckers board in the cockpit. I recall seeing one modified to fit over the throttle quadrant on Albert many years ago. One the flight safety chaps and chappesses werent aware of i believe.

I flew with a Flt deck comprised of 3 ex-armourers (1 Pilot, 1 WSOP, 1 trainee)

Suffice to say, arriving back on terra firma was a pleasant surprise. ;)

Has anyone made it from airman to CAS. AFAIK only one guy in the Army (to CIGS) - Sir William Robertson during WW1

Quite a few have incl. 'moi' in the NCA world...a lot of loadies were ex rozzers and rocks whilst techies leaned towards Eng and AEOp.

As most have said...if you are qualified and motivated to go aircrew now then do so. It's not only the interviews and tests you have to do to cross over but some of the attitude change/adjustment that may occur from the ground environment that may prove difficult to overcome down route.

I knew quite a few dudes that went:

airmen - NCA - fast jets,

Including one fireman (when they were serviceman) and two leckys (the fireman went jags I think, the leckys went 1 jag 1 F4).

these were mates of mine...there were plenty of others.

That said, I agree these times have gone. Couple of years back i knew an air cadet that completed gold glider, ACPS, finished top 4, came back for John Cunningham Trophy, won that and still did not get in.

Its a tough gig these days - go for it out the box.

It was not uncommon to move from the ground to the air. A lot of Flight Engineers were ex Ground crew. However this option is not open now unless you can get a job on the BofB memorial flight.

Several of the Nimrod Wet and Dry ops were ex ground pounders as well.

I know of an ex Cosford Flight systems Apprentice who went on to become the station master at Waddington and became an Air Commodore at HQ Air. He was a Nav or WSO depending on when you srved. He did have the advantage of winning the Phillip Sassoon Flying award whilst at Cosford as one of the best apprentices. We both come from the same town and both are fathers worked at the same place. No more to say but some of you reading this will know of whom I speak. I do have an interesting story about the person concerned but may save that for another day. He is safely retired now and living in his home county.

So yes, it can be done, but the opportunities are less now than what they used to be.

1970s, CO @ Finningley "It is NOT my policy to promote from the Ranks" ... an absolute 'bar steward'!!! :mad:

It is possible to do , the majority of NCA are ex tradesmen.
However I would put in an app for NCA and visit 55sqn who do a fam visit the last thursday of every month. Your local AFCO should be able to give you all the info you need.

It's a funny question really. I'd imagine that most who take this route join with no intention of flying until they get a taste of service life and realise that the winged gods are actually just mortals like themselves.
If you already feel you may have the potential why first join the ranks?

If you filter out the selective memory and history so far in this thread, joining as a junior rank with the intention of becoming an Officer (never mind a Pilot) is ill advised. Very very few people ever make it. If you have the aptitude for Pilot, go for it. If you haven't, there's almost nothing about being an airman that will give you that aptitude. If you need to grow up a bit, go get a degree, join the UAS, apply for Pilot. If being an airman made you more suitable to be an Officer, it would be the route for all. It isn't.