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royal navy to train as helicopter pilot

I am looking into joining the royal navy to train as a helicopter pilot to carry out search and rescue operations. Does anyone know anyone who has done anything similar?

Also I heard there is training required before they start training you for the role you want. Does anyone know how long the training takes?

thanks.
Reply 1
I'm not an expert but my guess would be that they would initially train you to become an officer and learn the duties that this entails first. As I read somewhere that you are an officer first and pilot second. (Don't quote me on that though).

Your best bet would be to simply phone up or go into your local AFCO and ask there. Alternatively you could have a look on the RN website to see if you could find anything there.

Unless I've just completely misunderstood and you were referring to training yourself in order to be ready for your AT and AIB. :dontknow:
Reply 2
Original post by tinshed
I am looking into joining the royal navy to train as a helicopter pilot to carry out search and rescue operations. Does anyone know anyone who has done anything similar?

Also I heard there is training required before they start training you for the role you want. Does anyone know how long the training takes?

thanks.


Search throughout this forum for information on RN pilots, there is lots available.

Key thing to remember is that you don't get to pick to be a SAR helicopter pilot. If you were successful in your application you'd go through Britannia and become a Pilot, where you get streamed and placed depends on their needs and your ability - it's highly unlikely you'll be able to pick to be in SAR*.



*especially when all the military's SAR is about to be massively drawn down as the contract for UK SAR is taken on by a private company in the near future.
Reply 3
Original post by Drewski
Search throughout this forum for information on RN pilots, there is lots available.

Key thing to remember is that you don't get to pick to be a SAR helicopter pilot. If you were successful in your application you'd go through Britannia and become a Pilot, where you get streamed and placed depends on their needs and your ability - it's highly unlikely you'll be able to pick to be in SAR*.



*especially when all the military's SAR is about to be massively drawn down as the contract for UK SAR is taken on by a private company in the near future.


To be able to do SAR with the coastguard I need experience in flying a helicopter. I hope RN can provide me with the training to be able to do that.
Reply 4
Original post by tinshed
To be able to do SAR with the coastguard I need experience in flying a helicopter. I hope RN can provide me with the training to be able to do that.


Even the coastguard will be getting rid of their SAR capability once the PFI UK SAR programme comes about.

If you got selected for the RN and if you became a pilot and if you became a helicopter pilot and if you got SAR and then once you finished your return of service, you'd have the requisite training.

Alternatively, you could apply direct to other helicopter companies and get the training yourself. With all the cuts the various forces are going through competition for any slot, let alone a pilot slot. News that you want out before you get in won't overly help your cause.
Reply 5
Original post by Drewski
Even the coastguard will be getting rid of their SAR capability once the PFI UK SAR programme comes about.

If you got selected for the RN and if you became a pilot and if you became a helicopter pilot and if you got SAR and then once you finished your return of service, you'd have the requisite training.

Alternatively, you could apply direct to other helicopter companies and get the training yourself. With all the cuts the various forces are going through competition for any slot, let alone a pilot slot. News that you want out before you get in won't overly help your cause.


Don't get me wrong, I would stay with RN provided that I can do the job I want to do. More than happy to serve but won't go into something that has nothing to do with what I originally had in mind.
Reply 6
Original post by tinshed
Don't get me wrong, I would stay with RN provided that I can do the job I want to do. More than happy to serve but won't go into something that has nothing to do with what I originally had in mind.


There's absolutely no guarantee of that.

What would you do in the hypothetical situation of you graduating BRNC as a Naval Officer but then failing flight training? They offer you another position within the RN that has nothing to do with flying... would you take it? Have to remember that in the Forces you're a serviceman first, your role comes second.

How about you do your training and instead of getting placed with SAR helicopters you become a Lynx pilot working off Frigates?

If you want total and complete control over what you do and when you do it, the Forces aren't really for you.
Reply 7
Original post by Drewski
There's absolutely no guarantee of that.

What would you do in the hypothetical situation of you graduating BRNC as a Naval Officer but then failing flight training? They offer you another position within the RN that has nothing to do with flying... would you take it? Have to remember that in the Forces you're a serviceman first, your role comes second.

How about you do your training and instead of getting placed with SAR helicopters you become a Lynx pilot working off Frigates?

If you want total and complete control over what you do and when you do it, the Forces aren't really for you.


this is exactly what I wanted to know - what are the chances of me doing what I want to do. I will be going to speak to them in person to see what RN is about. also SAR is what I'd like to do in ideal world but if I get to fly something else for a different purpose that's fine. if they offer me a role that has NOTHING to do with flying that would not be fine. you cannot expect someone to go through flight training and have an ambition to be a pilot and then be ask to take a position that has nothing to do with flying. I know what I want to do and it's a case of how to get there.
Reply 8
Original post by tinshed
this is exactly what I wanted to know - what are the chances of me doing what I want to do. I will be going to speak to them in person to see what RN is about. also SAR is what I'd like to do in ideal world but if I get to fly something else for a different purpose that's fine. if they offer me a role that has NOTHING to do with flying that would not be fine. you cannot expect someone to go through flight training and have an ambition to be a pilot and then be ask to take a position that has nothing to do with flying. I know what I want to do and it's a case of how to get there.


I seriously doubt they'd put you through flight training and then not let you fly. That sounds like seriously crap planning to me, and as far as I know(which is not as much as Drewski, take note), there are no cuts coming that the navy doesn't know about and thus hasn't planned for.
Reply 9
Original post by Planar
I seriously doubt they'd put you through flight training and then not let you fly. That sounds like seriously crap planning to me, and as far as I know(which is not as much as Drewski, take note), there are no cuts coming that the navy doesn't know about and thus hasn't planned for.


thanks for encouragement
Reply 10
Original post by tinshed
this is exactly what I wanted to know - what are the chances of me doing what I want to do. I will be going to speak to them in person to see what RN is about. also SAR is what I'd like to do in ideal world but if I get to fly something else for a different purpose that's fine. if they offer me a role that has NOTHING to do with flying that would not be fine. you cannot expect someone to go through flight training and have an ambition to be a pilot and then be ask to take a position that has nothing to do with flying. I know what I want to do and it's a case of how to get there.


There is absolutely no guarantee that you would make it through flight training though. What if you failed flight training and was offered another role or just release from the navy?

And yes they can. They can do what they like to suit their needs.
Reply 11
Original post by craglyboy
There is absolutely no guarantee that you would make it through flight training though. What if you failed flight training and was offered another role or just release from the navy?

And yes they can. They can do what they like to suit their needs.


If I fail flight training that would be my fault. I know how challenging it will be and if I thought I wont be able to put through I wouldn't apply in the first place.
Reply 12
Original post by tinshed
If I fail flight training that would be my fault. I know how challenging it will be and if I thought I wont be able to put through I wouldn't apply in the first place.


Before entering BRNC, you would undertake the AIB and a Flying Aptitude test for pilots at RAF Cranwell http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/Careers/Explore-Opportunities/Job-Finder/Roles/PilotOfficer so you would have a basic idea before you underwent Naval officer training.

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