Becoming a Pilot..

Okay so yesterday I did my CBAT and I actually passed the cut off including Pilot, my only problem is I don't actually have A Levels. My original choice was WSOp so I think I'm going to follow that road.

My question is, how would I go about going on to become a Pilot? Would I be able to do A Levels in the RAF whilst doing my specialist training? And as I'm already 22 now, would I have 3 years to consider this?

..............

I think that if you've served in the RAF as a junior rank or SNCO then that counts instead of A-Levels should you wish to become an officer (assuming you've got the correct GCSEs required for the role).
(I've just asked a friend who unfortunately failed his pre-IOT course & he believes this is still the case).

If you want to be a pilot from the start you'd have to have A levels before joining - they are the minimum requirement for the role, there's no way around that, sorry.

You could join, do your A levels while serving (would take a great deal of planning around WSOp training) and then see if pilot opportunities opened up* - even higher risk, but you would at least be serving and establishing a WSOp career.

Well yeah I understand it's the minimum requirement, that's why I asked if it's possible to do A Levels whilst I'm in the RAF (as WSOp)

The issue with that, as 3pd says, is that while it's technically possible, the opportunities for such a transfer are very rare.

If you're set on being a pilot you'd be better off getting the a levels first.

If you're ok with going in as a WSOp with just the slight chance of being a pilot, then give it a go. Just don't underestimate the work it'll take to do a levels on top of your training, you really won't have much time at all.

I'd rather have the slight chance of becoming a Pilot, my original choice was WSOp. As you can imagine, I'm fed up with dead end jobs and if I had to choose between a possibility of becoming a Pilot but risking being stuck in a dead end job for another 2 years (as by the time I got my A levels I believe I'd have to resit my CBAT) or just getting on with my career now through WSOp, I'd choose the latter all day.

Thanks for your responses anyway.

Cameron, by all means join up as a WSOp, do your A levels and try for pilot. It's not impossible to achieve that, but please be under no illusions that this is a difficult route! I was an AEOp (WSOp in new money) for over 30 years, and saw very few mates on my fleet (prob around 10) who commissioned as pilot. The defining feature of all those guys was that they were generally outstanding students with a natural aircrew ability - the rest of us may have matured into ace operators, but it takes a rare talent to possess that ability from the get go!

In terms of getting extra qualifications while in the RAF, again, doable, but all the training will sap your mental (and physical) capacity, and it may be some time before you've grown into your role and have freed up some brain cells to add extra knowledge.

Finally, your application for commissioning as pilot will be scrutinised very closely by several layers of Sqn management and you will need strong recommendations to try for it. Nobody will put their name to the application unless they are sure you'll make it. And of course another difference in applying from within the ranks, is that the poster will have to find someone to fill your WSOp job, while taking a risk that you may not get through to the front line as a pilot.

So, a major challenge. But if you have the drive and determination and ability to climb the mountain, then go for it mate. As with everything you'll never know unless you try.

It may be a major challenge but that's what impresses people - those who are willing to challenge themselves. After all, none of us get into this business for an easy time do we.

Quite right, and great attitude to have.

But people also don't go out of their easy to make something that's already hard much harder!

Think you're on the better path with WSOp, go with that. Focus on getting in - after all, that's not guaranteed or a walk in the park - and then see what happens.