I wouldn't recommend 'trying the RAF' as a way to getting an airline job! You become an RAF pilot first because you want to serve your country doing what you love to do, and then an airline pilot afterwards.

I knew I wanted to be a commercial pilot from the outset, the military lifestyle didn't appeal to me and for that reason, they probably wouldn't have taken me anyway.

RAF training is the best in the world, and as someone pointed out, your time there may well be looked back on with very fond memories. But its certainly not designed, neither should it be, a cheap route into the airlines! :ugh:

Flightlevel001

I think you would be very,very surprised at just how many of our boys and gals in Green, light or Dark Blue flying around in our 'planes/helicopters from the cheapest bidder' have the opinion that what they are doing is a fun stepping stone to the retirement airline career.

The military lifestyle is what you make it. Myself and many former colleagues of mine had a whale of a time in the military and having such a marketable skill outside of the services cuts an awful lot of slack.

Airline flying is dull, very dull but it pays the bills hence I do it. My fun comes from flying helicopters on my days off and the knowledge that I had a blast in my previous life. Now, back to the ILS into CDG 29R, yawn.