RAF Career (Pilot, and Avionics Technician..)

Hi there.

I am Dan, I have just signed up! I have read some other posts in this place and they are GREAT!.

Basically, this is a 2 part question, one for me, and one for my friend..

1) I am wanting to join either the RAF or Army as an Avionics Technician... I am predicted C and above in at least 6 subjects. I may even go onto study A Levels (if necersary).
What are the ups and downs of both the RAF and Army. I have done some extensive research into this, and I have my own opinions, but I want to double cross them with yours.

Now, for my friend.
2) He is looking to enter either the Army Air Corps as an Apache pilot, but he really really wants (his first choice) is to join the RAF as an Officer in Piloting. He is determined to join as an Officer because he thinks a 'grunt' (squadie) is too low ranks and hes in it for the money. He is getting pretty good grades, Double A* in Science. Now, to be an officer (my dad was in the Army, he knows) you need to be organised and good backgrounds etc. He has none anyway, this isnt about that.
He hasnt done much research and i have tried looking around for him, including these forums. But there are a few key things he would like to know.
He is only 5ft1 ! Now, is that too small to be a fighter pilot (or any pilot for that matter). I have not found this information anywhere!

Any other additional information you wanna give him, thats fine. He doesn't seem to care.

Thank you SOOOOO much for all your help (in advance!).
Thanks again guys and gals.

Any other info you wanna give me, thats fine.
See ya all
-_Amnesia (Dan)

Reply 1

js_atco

Hello;

- Your mate is too short to be a Pilot, tell him to grow a bit more!

- If he does want to be an officer, despite not being tall enough to be a Pilot, he should make sure the RAF don't find out it's just for the money... They'll smell a rat.

- Pilots have to be officers, there are no Pilot positions for Airmen or NC Aircrew.

- Officers need a minimum of 5 x GCSEs and 2 A-Levels

- Pros and Cons of RAF life:

Pros: Pay, cheap accomodation, training, adventure, travel
Cons: Detachments (up to 4mths), extra duties, nomadic living, always on-call, discipline. Also don't forget that you're in the armed forces, so you could get killed doing your job.

Reply 2

amnesia_180

OP

Ok thank you very much.
Could you show me a website or something that confirms that.. he wont believe it from me :smile:

thanks
-_Amnesia (Dan)

Reply 3

Greybadger

amnesia_180

Ok thank you very much.
Could you show me a website or something that confirms that.. he wont believe it from me :smile:

thanks
-_Amnesia (Dan)

Have you tried the rather obvious one of www.rafcareers.com?

Reply 4

amnesia_180

OP

thanks but it says "page can not be displayed" and yes I Have checked out the RAF page, but it has no indication

Reply 5

Greybadger

amnesia_180

thanks but it says "page can not be displayed" and yes I Have checked out the RAF page, but it has no indication

It has all the qualification requirements there by each job description. The rest (ie pros and cons) you will only get by talking to people in the RAF.

Reply 6

steve_nels

4 months? tell me im wrong buti was under the impression it was up to 6 months in most cases and even long (like 2 years) in other posts?

Reply 7

Vladek

js_atco

- Pilots have to be officers, there are no Pilot positions for Airmen or NC Aircrew.

not if he joined the army air corp though, I know someone who's training on apache's at the mo, he's not an officer.

Reply 8

Wzz

11

steve_nels

4 months? tell me im wrong buti was under the impression it was up to 6 months in most cases and even long (like 2 years) in other posts?

Postings are up to 3 years, normally, detachments are normally not that long. You can get posted to the Falklands for example and spend 2 years there, or as fighter aircrew get detached there for 6 weeks.

Reply 9

REME-Bod

1

Vladek

not if he joined the army air corp though, I know someone who's training on apache's at the mo, he's not an officer.

You can indeed become a pilot in the Army Air Corps as a Non-Commissioned rank, but competition is just as fierce as the RAF and I'm not too sure about the height issue.

If you want to fix the equipment as an avionics tech, then bear in mind that with the army your experience will be limited to helicopters. Having said that, you can join with minimal qualifications and your training will eventually lead to a BSc in Electronic or Aeronautical Engineering... all whilst being paid a healthy wage.

The promotion is pretty fast and comes with experience and passing courses, but be aware that if everybody gets promoted you end up with a lot of chiefs and very few indians. This results in Senior NCOs doing jobs that in other units woulds be left to Privates/Lcpls... but hey, I don't mind standing on guard duty for 33 grand a year.

IMHO, I'd opt for the RAF. Better conditions, better lifestyle, more scope of equipment, and altogether more modern.

Reply 10

steve_nels

Wzz

Postings are up to 3 years, normally, detachments are normally not that long. You can get posted to the Falklands for example and spend 2 years there, or as fighter aircrew get detached there for 6 weeks.

so as aircrew you dont have postings? you just go on detachments? or did i misread that ? lol (too early at the mo :-P)

Reply 11

Arch-Angel

steve_nels

so as aircrew you dont have postings? you just go on detachments? or did i misread that ? lol (too early at the mo :-P)

No, as aircrew (as any branch/trade really) you get posted from time to time - it's typically 2-3 years for officers and 3-4 years for non-commissioned but that can vary. Standard detachment time is 4 months, but again that can vary depending on where you work; sometimes your whole section will deploy in one group (rather like an army regiment), other times you'll go on your own and form a section with others who have "gone on their own".

Reply 12

steve_nels

ah i c, so what is the likelihood of postings?

Reply 13

Wzz

11

steve_nels

ah i c, so what is the likelihood of postings?

You're always posted. You complete training and are posted to a unit. Say for example you're a pilot. Each squadron has a certain established strength; and if they're short a junior pilot, you could leave training and be posted to them.

After 2-3 years, you'll finish your tour and be posted somewhere else.

During your posting, you might be detached; but this runs very differently to aircrew compared to other branches.

RAF Career (Pilot, and Avionics Technician..)

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