Getting out before return of service is up
 

Does anyone know what kind of penalties there are for a pilot leaving an air force (particularly the RNZAF but any info appreciated) before your return of service is up?

Does it depend on the length of time left to serve?

Cheers,

Dupre.

In the RAF, it depends upon a combination of the time to go until the end of the return of Service and the remaining length of Service (and you'll need a bloody convincing reason).

My personal experience.....
 

Your Air Force has paid a lot of money for your expensive training and they expect a return on their investment. As a result they will use ANY means necessary to keep you from leaving. They will stop you leaving early because of the precedent this will set.

My advice is to get a good legal-type with experience in the field to find out if it's been done before. Be careful about talking to your Air Force as they WILL LIE to you and if you don't get out it will count against you.

This may sound pessimistic but it happened to me.

:suspect: Now here's an exercise in honesty and integrity!

According to his profile, Dupre isn't even in an air force, and yet appears to be planning on getting out of one earlier than he presumably will agree to before being accepted!:confused:

Ha! You’ve got me there Samuel! I’m not in an air force, but I am considering applying to the RNZAF.

10 years is a long time, and before I apply, I’d like to get the scoop on what the deal is. Maybe it’s “no worries after 5 years if you give them $50k”, or maybe it’s “not possible at all”. This is what I’m trying to find out.

Rest assured if I sign on the dotted line (that’s a big if – they haven’t even offered me the dotted line yet) I will have considered all the options, and I’ll be prepared to commit for that time.

Cheers,

Dupre.

A mate of mine said if you want to get out, go and see the psych and say "Sometimes, at low level, I just feel like pushing the stick forward."
Works, apparently, but might hurt your chances of employment outside.
Hint to Dupre: if you are unsure about serving in Her Majesty's (various) Air Forces for the required time then the military probably isn't for you.

"I am considering applying to the RNZAF"

So let me see if I've got this right;

You have/have not applied for pilot training, and have/have not been offered a dotted line to sign on, but will/will not make the necessary commitment they most definitely will advise you of if they accept you?

Perhaps you should be aware that anyone who flies in the military has to have commitment; truckloads of it.

Have you actually asked the RNZAF any questions at all?

Stop wasting our time and get out of this forum you numpty!! Anybody asking these questions before applying doesn't deserve a letter of response let alone an interview!

Well said Max!!! However, if it is the thought of joining a shoddy air force that scares you and not the commitment to the military, then consider applying for the RAF instead - it worked for me!

I have not yet applied to the RNZAF. They have not offered me a position.

I am trying to decide between two very different, but challenging careers (aviation (commercial or military) and academia). I am extremely passionate about both, hence the difficulty in deciding!

I would rather go into the force knowing that the 10 year commitment was concrete, than go in under the impression that it is possible to leave before that time. Why? Because I believe in calculating risk before taking action, not relying on blind faith (that I will love my career just as much in 10 years as I did on day one). I would have thought most military people think the same way.

This is a great place to ask the question as people here may have first hand experience of it. What I have gathered is that it is NOT an easy thing to do – my question has been answered, thankyou!

Dupre.

Some pretty harsh judgements on here, team. I think that it's probable that the tone of the original post was misunderstood, perhaps.

I don't know about the KiwiAF, but in the RAF there is now a significant recruiting and retention incentive for all FW pilots which gives very significant credit towards the JAR ATPL(A) for 'heavy' pilots (no doughnut/pie jokes - OK?) and the CPL/IR for the FJ mates. But you need a minimum of 2000 military hours to qualify....so if you stay in long enough you can leave with a shiny civvie licence ready for an airline job!

Good to see your nice new Kiwi 757 at the Covert Oxonian Areodrome last week - smart colour scheme as well. How did you get that one past The Woman?

Unfortunately the shiny new B757 is already suffering from some impact damage!
Parked at St Johns, Canada, it was ‘nudged’ by a de-icing truck that backed into the nose.
:mad:

That's a shame! Seems like it got Newf'd.

Which makes me ask why, when the boat went thud against America, did anyone in their right mind turn right to the land of ice, horrid biting insects, trees by the zillion and blubber eating weirdos when they could have turned left to sun, fun and babes?

I'm toast if Her Ladyship reads this - she's Canadian!

Thanks for the compassion Beagle! I was certainly not asking “can I get free training, then skip the air force?” nor “If the air force isn’t good enough for me, can I escape?”. Apologies to anyone who may have got the wrong idea.

As for the 757’s, I would guess that The Woman will have to do less airline flying (as apparently the 727-100’s were restricted from many international airports due noise). Maybe a brand new VIP kit-out for one of them as well? If these are true, I’m sure The Woman would love to let the taxpayer fork out for new equipment!

Dupre.

Actually the 727s are finally being retired because their nav/comms gear is so old now that it doesn't meet civ regulations for Europe or North America.

It got past "The Woman" (if you can call 'her' that) because she wants something flash to ride around in, befitting someone of her exhaulted status. She had to come home from Oz a wee while back in an Orion because the Ansett unions had blocked her Air NZ plane and the RNZAF didn't have anything else servicable.

I wouldn't worry about the 10-year committment if Herr Helengrad and friends hold sway Dupre, we won't have an Air Force at all by then. You might get a job with the Republic of Aotearoa Lesbian Socialist Peacekeeping Service Air Transport Division....as long as you swear allegience to Maori and Pacific cultural dominance, and don't admit to liking guns.

You might have saved yourself a bit of embarrassment Dupre if your first post had been a bit clearer! Just do it!

Blue Wolf has said it all really. The 727's, three of them [one was reduced to spares] were originally purchased second hand from Boeing, who had traded them form United. They were quite high-cycle when we bought them but they have done well for over twenty years. They engines exceed noise restrictions at many airports, and the comms fit is ancient. The range is a bit of a problem too!

I heard a rumour that Gp Capt Al Lockwood is in fact a Kiwi, and did his Initial Flying training at Wigram; a common practice once upon a time! He apparently saved the UK taxpayer something like 20 million pounds when he took those 75 and 2 Sqn pilots to the RAF!

Can we haveome of it?:ok:

Going off topic slightly, what has Helen the Lesbian let you guys keep?

A squadron of Bell 412s? Some 727s? Anything else?

Helen removed three Squadrons, all to do with fat jet training: Nos 2, 14, and 75. The aircraft are still in storage awaiting an approved buyer. Most of the aircrew went offshore to the RAF/RAAF, most of the techies did likewise. The RAAF did very well out of the ground trades. The woman is an idiot! She is also not alone in her cabinet.

What is left? From memory, four Squadrons, 3 with the Iroquois soon to be replaced [Blackhawk?], 5 with the P3K Orion soon to be given a major upgrade electronically, 40 with the C130H which is also to be upgraded, especially in the Nav equipment area. [the "J" has been ruled out it would seem],and 42 with King Air B200's for multi-engined training in transition to whatever! Flying training now leases the more powerful CT-4E, and the 727's have been replaced with two 757's. The RNZN has new Sea Sprites.

I shoud point out the King Airs are leased... and yes, Al Lockwood is a Kiwi