Navy/Army Pilot
 

Hi everyone.

I'm 31, considering going back to school (TAFE) for a year to get great grades and applying for the defence force.

I hold a PPL and by the time I apply will have all the CPL subjects done (I know that means nothing ha ha)

What's the likelihood of the ADF taking a 32 year old in for pilot training?

And how many pilots a year roughly does the ARMY/NAVY take?

I look forward to hearing back from you

Radiodude.

I've been out of the system for a fair while now, but I note it says here General Requirements | Aviation Corps Officer (SSO Pilot) - Defence Jobs Australia you have to be between 17 and 49 years of age on entry, so age shouldn't be too much of an issue.

The RAAF says maximum age 43 with a preference of maximum 27.5 - not sure why they've gone the half-year there!

Anyway, do a bit of research and give it a crack. Good luck!

The question should be rephrased as "How many 32 year olds does the ADF actually accept?" I think the clue is what their preference is. Age can't be used to discriminate hence the age range on their recruiting information.

Spoke with a defence guy yesterday and apparently they're very short on rotary wing pilots. As an aside apparently Oakey will be wrapped up within 3 years and those operations will then take place in Nowra in a joint Navy/Army 'school'. Interesting times.

D:ok:

Chances are very high for Army aviator. Army is screaming for pilots!

2009 I sat in an ADF Pilot Officer Selection Board, they asked which of the three services I was interested in. I said basically "I'm here for Air Force, I'd consider Navy and I have no interest in Army". The army guy quizzed me a bit and I ended saying "Respectfully sir, I don't want to be in the Army, it would be a disservice to myself the the organisation if I did."

Two weeks later the ADF rang and offered me a position. As an Army Pilot!

It's good to know they need pilots. Does anyone know of anyone 32+ being accepted into the ADF as a pilot?

Also how many pilots start training with ADF each year?

Any advice from current/past pilots?

What Squadron are you in now mate?

so, whats wrong with Army aviation?

The hotels aren't comfy enough.

As we used to say,

Army sleeps under the stars, Navy navigates using the stars, RAAF use the stars to figure out which motel to stay in.......

Stiky
:ok:

not from what i have seen! nice hire cars, off they go, leaving everyone else in the dirt.



surely, and yes, im calling you surely, that alone cant be the reason army aviation is not attractive?

Motel? Sir does not stay in a "motel"!

Ah, how I miss my piss-stinking roofless corner of a wrecked airport terminal in Bacau or the gunpits I dug in various corners of Hervey's Range, those were the luxurious RAAF days!

All the information you need to know at this point can be found here, here and here. If you have any further questions, then may I suggest reading the Military Aviation section of this forum, especially the sticky thread for RAAF Flight Screening. A lot of military personnel frequent that forum more often, a number of which are in the Australian Armed Forces.

Ah yes, UL,

As you know I am a fan of ADF aviation and in fact, I have some good friends, both former and current drivers of aircraft where the wings move faster than the rest of the airframe, in both the Army and Navy. No matter where you go it'll be a good gig!:ok: As for the RAAF, as you also know I am a bit biased there for some historical reason or another :ok:

Joe,
Sir prefers motels to hotels in the bush, because sometimes whilst beekeeping, there are not to many secure places around hotels to park the vehicle, hence the motel.....Arm out the window is correct also!!!:ok:

..and speaking of Arm out the window, that reminds me of once when I had to stay 2 nights in a 3 star motel where the only thing in the bar fridge was water!!! I was not a happy camper. I don't know how I managed however it would appear that with the passage of time I seemed to have got over the experience....

Stiky
:}

Everyone knows that the RAAF are civilians in uniform.

Army is far more hard-core and you will sleep under a log at some stage.

Sorry I'm not smart enough to re-size this image; if I was, I'd be in the RAAF.

https://airforcechat.files.wordpress.../air-force.png

Didn't know the USAF operated off carriers :confused:

air force? try Naval aviators.

radiodude

Dancing Dog is on the money :ok:

Look at the lifestyle involved with being a military aviator. Talk to some current soldiers if you can find them. More importantly, talk to some EX-soldiers and ask them why they left.

Same-same for the Navy.

But in answer to your question:

IMHO, 31 isn't too old. But much older than that and you're going to have to have something extra for you to be considered competitive. I did my assessment up in Tamworth in 2005 (at age 42) and was accepted. But I was most likely accepted because I was a current serving member (Chokkos) was very fit and had an extensive and varied army background. (I declined, but that's another story).

DIVOSH!