Military or Civil?
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Hertfordshire
Military or Civil?
Hi, I am a 17 year old Private Pilot. I plan on joining a flight school in September, after my A-Levels, for ATPL, CPL, IR etc. training. However, I am in a bit of a predicament; I really would love to fly in the army air corps. I am currently toying with the idea of completing commercial training then joining the Air Corps or joining at 18 then completing my commercial training after some time of service. Would it be worth completing my ATPL and various other licences and ratings to fly commercially and then joining the Air Corps after? Thanks, BOAC.
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: LE
If you want to join the AAC, then dont do your CPL beforehand, all of your flying training will be completed through the AAC, it makes no sense to pay for your own training. However, be mindful that you will not be joining the AAC, you will be an Army Officer first and foremost, and if successful you will be streamed as a pilot into the AAC. This means you need the determination and commitment to go through Sandhurst, do not take this lightly. I suggest doing a lot of research beforehand of what this entails.
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Hertfordshire
Hi whistla, I have researched it and know about the officer training etc. I was just wondering if getting the CPL and ATPL while young (18/19) and having a learning mindset would be better as I want to fly commercially after leaving the army?
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: London
Also bear in mind the fact that an ATPL will be much cheaper to achieve after service, as your hours (to some extent) will count towards an ATPL. The army will not expect you to have an ATPL nor will any civilian airlines expect you to have completed an ATPL before joining the military either. It just makes no sense as the two forms of flying are completely different.
Just remember not to mention that you’d like to fly civvy after your military career in the interview! They tend to like ‘army till I die’ folk!
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Hertfordshire
I don’t particularly understand what you want to do here - get a CPL / ATPL (H?) and then join AAC as a rotary pilot? The army will train you fully - for free of course - and it’s a different syllabus compared to the ATPL. If you’d like to do that and money is no object then I guess you can, but I’m fairly sure your ATPL will have expired by the time you leave the military so you would have to re-sit most examinations/check-rides anyway.
Also bear in mind the fact that an ATPL will be much cheaper to achieve after service, as your hours (to some extent) will count towards an ATPL. The army will not expect you to have an ATPL nor will any civilian airlines expect you to have completed an ATPL before joining the military either. It just makes no sense as the two forms of flying are completely different.
Just remember not to mention that you’d like to fly civvy after your military career in the interview! They tend to like ‘army till I die’ folk!
Also bear in mind the fact that an ATPL will be much cheaper to achieve after service, as your hours (to some extent) will count towards an ATPL. The army will not expect you to have an ATPL nor will any civilian airlines expect you to have completed an ATPL before joining the military either. It just makes no sense as the two forms of flying are completely different.
Just remember not to mention that you’d like to fly civvy after your military career in the interview! They tend to like ‘army till I die’ folk!
by civil flying, I want to get a fixed-wing atpl and fly for an airline after leaving that aac. I currently have a ppl (a).
