Flying in the UOTC?

I know that the UAS is generally seen as the way to go if you want to fly, however I've seen that the URNU do Easter and summer flying camps as well. Any idea if the UOTC do any kind of flying as well?

Reply 1

Q_M

They don't do any. Unless your lucky enough to get some sort of taster ride in an AAC helicopter or Chinook on camp. No flying lessons.

Reply 2

Drewski

URNU flying is a bit of misnomer, yeah, it can happen, but it's a case by case basis, not guaranteed and generally a lot of faff.

There's no shame with being in one with the intention of serving in another, though. Lots of my friends from the UAS have gone on to apply for the RN as pilot [and not as a second choice because of medical or age reasons, too].

Reply 3

FiveFiveSix

At the risk of sounding silly, if you want to fly, join a uniformed organisation with military links that specialises in flying. If you want to dig in, rather than check in, join a uniformed organisation with links to the military that specialise in that.

Reply 4

PasserBy9

At the risk of sounding like I'm defending the OTC (and please can someone put me out of my misery swiftly if I ever do), but while you are in the OTC you can still take part in the full range of AT available to all - which includes Gliding.

Now, I know that Wzz and TPD will soon come on here and make a statement along the lines of 'Gliding isn't flying, it's just falling very slowly', but it is still something if you are certain that you want to join the OTC over UAS.

Reply 5

Wzz

PasserBy9

while you are in the OTC you can still take part in the full range of AT available to all - which includes Gliding.

Now, I know that Wzz and TPD will soon come on here and make a statement along the lines of 'Gliding isn't flying, it's just falling very slowly', but it is still something if you are certain that you want to join the OTC over UAS.

No, I won't say that, but I will say that civilian gliding in an AT sense is absolutely nothing like proper military flying taught by proper military pilots, like you'll get on a UAS.

Reply 6

onlinebacon

Ah was just wondering, any idea if you get to do a bit of green stuff in the UAS because it'd be good to see what it's like? I mean there must be more to it than just flying?

Reply 7

ProStacker

Yes - the UAS are now more focused on the whole of the possible career field and non-aircrew are more welcome than they were. Given the cost of flying and lack of resources, you'll do 'stuff' on teh ground too.

Reply 8

armyboy

There is no formal flying available as part of the programmed training in the OTC.

You may well get the opportunity to fly in the back of a helicopter on exercise, as indeed anyone in the Army might on an exercise.

The OTC I recently worked at had an exchange programme with the local URNU and UAS, whereby a small number of people from each unit got to visit the other units and- go flying, go on the URNU boat or go on an OTC exercise etc. However it was only a few people each year and does not run in every unit. Any such programme will be down to the staff at the time so don't bank on it running any particular year.

If you are in the OTC and are serious about a career in the AAC you can get in touch with the regimental recruiting team and can get a regimental visit like you can to other units in the Army, although the last time I checked they insisted you had passed the flying aptitude tests first. Details are on the AAC web site. It is possible to do AAC flying grading whilst still at university, indeed it is encouraged as it really takes a lot of your sapre time if you try and do it while you are at Sandhurst.

However if you join the OTC - there is no programmed flying. If you really want to fly at university then the UAS is the way forward.