Found out I cant.....
Discussion
Join the RAF, flying is the only thing i have ever wanted to do in my life. I went to the careers office and they said I was too old to join, im 25. The cut off age is 24 and to join the Navy Flying core i need to be under 26 when i'd actually be in the navy which means I am about 6 month too old for that.
I went to join the RAF when I was 18 but chickened out due to me having pneumonia twice when I was young and thought I'd be rejected on medical grounds but I now realise that was the worst mistake of my life and I should have found out for sure.
Another thing that really bugged me was that you had to have perfect 20/20 vision, when i went to join at 18, my vision was perfect, but since i've started working at a computer 38 hours per week my eyes have now become very very slightly short sighted and i mean very slightly, but this may have been enough to stop my flying in the air force anyway, even if i had been young enough. this pisses me off due to the fact that this wasnt my chosen career and it could have potentially f
ked up my true career path. Ho-Hum
Anyway, what this is leading too is, I still want to fly, has anyone got their private pilots license? how much did it cost? how many hours flying did it take to pass. Are there any restrictions on aircraft you can fly? i.e can you only fly planes that go up to a certain speed or is it like a car license where you can pass it and if you can afford one, buy an F16 and fly that?
Also are the rules still the same that, when you pass, you have to fly a certain amount of hours per year to keep it? if so how many hours, it used to be 50 I do believe.
I would also like the same details for a helicopter please, if anyone knows.
ETA: mods can you leave this here until I get a few good answers
I went to join the RAF when I was 18 but chickened out due to me having pneumonia twice when I was young and thought I'd be rejected on medical grounds but I now realise that was the worst mistake of my life and I should have found out for sure.
Another thing that really bugged me was that you had to have perfect 20/20 vision, when i went to join at 18, my vision was perfect, but since i've started working at a computer 38 hours per week my eyes have now become very very slightly short sighted and i mean very slightly, but this may have been enough to stop my flying in the air force anyway, even if i had been young enough. this pisses me off due to the fact that this wasnt my chosen career and it could have potentially f
ked up my true career path. Ho-HumAnyway, what this is leading too is, I still want to fly, has anyone got their private pilots license? how much did it cost? how many hours flying did it take to pass. Are there any restrictions on aircraft you can fly? i.e can you only fly planes that go up to a certain speed or is it like a car license where you can pass it and if you can afford one, buy an F16 and fly that?
Also are the rules still the same that, when you pass, you have to fly a certain amount of hours per year to keep it? if so how many hours, it used to be 50 I do believe.
I would also like the same details for a helicopter please, if anyone knows.
ETA: mods can you leave this here until I get a few good answers
Edited by WorAl on Tuesday 28th July 14:09
JAR PPL allows you to fly single engine piston aircraft upto a certain weight. The curancy requirements are to hard to explain properly but basically 12 hours a year are minimum with one hour with an instructor every 2 years.
Cost wise £5-7k depending how good you are, weather and a million other factors. It can be cheaper to go to the states and do it one hit in a month.
Hours minimum of 45 hours. Or there is the NPPL which is 40 hours.
Or of course microlights, don't laugh, take a look at the WT9 dynamic.
Go to Pprune for loads of info.
Cost wise £5-7k depending how good you are, weather and a million other factors. It can be cheaper to go to the states and do it one hit in a month.
Hours minimum of 45 hours. Or there is the NPPL which is 40 hours.
Or of course microlights, don't laugh, take a look at the WT9 dynamic.
Go to Pprune for loads of info.
Have a look in planes trains and automobiles section, there's been some recent threads on both.
Most recommend going to www.pprune.com which is a website dedicated to eating fruit that make you poo a lot. Something you have in common when you fly and things go wrong apparently
Most recommend going to www.pprune.com which is a website dedicated to eating fruit that make you poo a lot. Something you have in common when you fly and things go wrong apparently
If it's any consolation, even if you had been 23 the RAF guy would have probably said "Why didn't you join earlier" and then canned you, and if not you wouldn't have got in because of your eyes.
Re. licencing aircraft - you get a PPL which entitles you, roughly, to fly "SEP" single engine piston aircraft up to 5700kg. You need to do extra training to fly 'compex' aircraft (eg pressurised cabin, tailwheel etc) but this is only a few hours for each feature.
You require CAA qualifications for "MEP" multi engine piston; "IR" instrument rating; night qualification; flight examination; "CPL" commercial licence allowing you to be paid to fly; "ATPL" commander of multi-crew aircraft.
Finally to fly any aircraft over 5700kg (or jets) you need to have a type rating for that aircraft or aircraft family. This is, obviously, serious cash and you'll presumably be doing it for commercial gain.
And of course, the aircraft owner or insurer may stipulate extra rules (min. hours on type, x hours with an instructor, and so on) before letting you loose in their aircraft.
You can get a NPPL which is a "national" PPL, this has a lower hours requirement but you cannot extend it into MEP, IR etc.
Re. licencing aircraft - you get a PPL which entitles you, roughly, to fly "SEP" single engine piston aircraft up to 5700kg. You need to do extra training to fly 'compex' aircraft (eg pressurised cabin, tailwheel etc) but this is only a few hours for each feature.
You require CAA qualifications for "MEP" multi engine piston; "IR" instrument rating; night qualification; flight examination; "CPL" commercial licence allowing you to be paid to fly; "ATPL" commander of multi-crew aircraft.
Finally to fly any aircraft over 5700kg (or jets) you need to have a type rating for that aircraft or aircraft family. This is, obviously, serious cash and you'll presumably be doing it for commercial gain.
And of course, the aircraft owner or insurer may stipulate extra rules (min. hours on type, x hours with an instructor, and so on) before letting you loose in their aircraft.
You can get a NPPL which is a "national" PPL, this has a lower hours requirement but you cannot extend it into MEP, IR etc.
Edited by john_p on Tuesday 28th July 14:30
The MOD works in odd ways.
When I joined up at 15, I had for years wanted to be a Radio Operator, (In those days we had morse, and telex;s), I failed my spilling test horribly, and to this day, my spelling is crap?, to I was put in a seaman division.
However the first week in the Navy, the Commander came around to speak to us, and asked if we were all happy, so I said "No sir, I wanted to be a communicator", to which he replied "Put in a request to change", I did, and spent the next 10 years as a happy communicator.......
To old at 25, what utter bolex.
When I joined up at 15, I had for years wanted to be a Radio Operator, (In those days we had morse, and telex;s), I failed my spilling test horribly, and to this day, my spelling is crap?, to I was put in a seaman division.
However the first week in the Navy, the Commander came around to speak to us, and asked if we were all happy, so I said "No sir, I wanted to be a communicator", to which he replied "Put in a request to change", I did, and spent the next 10 years as a happy communicator.......
To old at 25, what utter bolex.
I tried to join the RAF when I was a wee lad. Went along, and passed their exams, etc, as RAF Sealand. It was only the medical bit at the end when I discovered I was colourblind was the boot thrust in full force, (I never had a test previously, and I thought I was just crap at colours before that). I was gutted!
WorAl said:
Join the RAF, flying is the only thing i have ever wanted to do in my life. I went to the careers office and they said I was too old to join, im 25. The cut off age is 24 and to join the Navy Flying core i need to be under 26 when i'd actually be in the navy which means I am about 6 month too old for that.
I went to join the RAF when I was 18 but chickened out due to me having pneumonia twice when I was young and thought I'd be rejected on medical grounds but I now realise that was the worst mistake of my life and I should have found out for sure.
Another thing that really bugged me was that you had to have perfect 20/20 vision, when i went to join at 18, my vision was perfect, but since i've started working at a computer 38 hours per week my eyes have now become very very slightly short sighted and i mean very slightly, but this may have been enough to stop my flying in the air force anyway, even if i had been young enough. this pisses me off due to the fact that this wasnt my chosen career and it could have potentially fked up my true career path. Ho-Hum
Anyway, what this is leading too is, I still want to fly, has anyone got their private pilots license? how much did it cost? how many hours flying did it take to pass. Are there any restrictions on aircraft you can fly? i.e can you only fly planes that go up to a certain speed or is it like a car license where you can pass it and if you can afford one, buy an F16 and fly that?
Also are the rules still the same that, when you pass, you have to fly a certain amount of hours per year to keep it? if so how many hours, it used to be 50 I do believe.
I would also like the same details for a helicopter please, if anyone knows.
ETA: mods can you leave this here until I get a few good answers
if you pull your finger out, do the fats tests and prep for aib, you should mske under 26 on entry at dartmouth. it shouldn't take 3 months to prep.I went to join the RAF when I was 18 but chickened out due to me having pneumonia twice when I was young and thought I'd be rejected on medical grounds but I now realise that was the worst mistake of my life and I should have found out for sure.
Another thing that really bugged me was that you had to have perfect 20/20 vision, when i went to join at 18, my vision was perfect, but since i've started working at a computer 38 hours per week my eyes have now become very very slightly short sighted and i mean very slightly, but this may have been enough to stop my flying in the air force anyway, even if i had been young enough. this pisses me off due to the fact that this wasnt my chosen career and it could have potentially f
ked up my true career path. Ho-HumAnyway, what this is leading too is, I still want to fly, has anyone got their private pilots license? how much did it cost? how many hours flying did it take to pass. Are there any restrictions on aircraft you can fly? i.e can you only fly planes that go up to a certain speed or is it like a car license where you can pass it and if you can afford one, buy an F16 and fly that?
Also are the rules still the same that, when you pass, you have to fly a certain amount of hours per year to keep it? if so how many hours, it used to be 50 I do believe.
I would also like the same details for a helicopter please, if anyone knows.
ETA: mods can you leave this here until I get a few good answers
Edited by WorAl on Tuesday 28th July 14:09
commiserations mate, must be a stter. i must say though that if you knew you wanted to join at 18 but didn't know the age requirements then you would have needed a cat iron reason for your ignorance when quizzed on it. i was 23 when i went for the fleet air arm and had to work hard to convince them i'd always wanted to fly then.
as for medical requirements, a very good friend of mine is a RAF pilot and had an operation in his teens to repair a heart defect - a fact the RAF were fully aware of but had screwed themselves legally in how they obtained his medical records so they let him in.
tter. i must say though that if you knew you wanted to join at 18 but didn't know the age requirements then you would have needed a cat iron reason for your ignorance when quizzed on it. i was 23 when i went for the fleet air arm and had to work hard to convince them i'd always wanted to fly then.as for medical requirements, a very good friend of mine is a RAF pilot and had an operation in his teens to repair a heart defect - a fact the RAF were fully aware of but had screwed themselves legally in how they obtained his medical records so they let him in.
shirt said:
commiserations mate, must be a stter. i must say though that if you knew you wanted to join at 18 but didn't know the age requirements then you would have needed a cat iron reason for your ignorance when quizzed on it. i was 23 when i went for the fleet air arm and had to work hard to convince them i'd always wanted to fly then.
as for medical requirements, a very good friend of mine is a RAF pilot and had an operation in his teens to repair a heart defect - a fact the RAF were fully aware of but had screwed themselves legally in how they obtained his medical records so they let him in.
When I went at 18 to join I knew what the age requirements were to be a fighter pilot, 23 to pilot, 24 to co-pilot, now 25 was hoping that maybe they may be able to accept someone a bit older who has all their qualifications (degree etc) to fly their Helicopters. But it was a No, No. Also knew that the Navy was 26, thought this meant that 27th birthday was cut off day, but apparently not.tter. i must say though that if you knew you wanted to join at 18 but didn't know the age requirements then you would have needed a cat iron reason for your ignorance when quizzed on it. i was 23 when i went for the fleet air arm and had to work hard to convince them i'd always wanted to fly then.as for medical requirements, a very good friend of mine is a RAF pilot and had an operation in his teens to repair a heart defect - a fact the RAF were fully aware of but had screwed themselves legally in how they obtained his medical records so they let him in.
Like i said in my OP I think up until now I've been afraid of being rejected, but now its too late, I should have gone in and if they rejected my on what i feared then at least I could have said I tried.
I do feel better now though as my eyes are f
ked and I do have a medical history so they kind of confirmed it for me.Weapons system operator in a Tornado and apply to do a flight conversion once your in?
http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers/jobs/weaponsystemsof...
http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers/jobs/weaponsystemsof...
WorAl said:
When I went at 18 to join I knew what the age requirements were to be a fighter pilot, 23 to pilot, 24 to co-pilot, now 25 was hoping that maybe they may be able to accept someone a bit older who has all their qualifications (degree etc) to fly their Helicopters.
Having a degree doesn't make you any more likely to succeed as a pilot - all it would do in the Forces would be to change the pay you start at. A degree is only required for certain branches (engineering, medical,dental, ETM, etc). If it's all you wanted to do in life, why did you wait 'til 25 to get to the careers office? Even accounting for a couple of jobs after graduating, I still managed to apply for and join the RN just before I was 23, and I thought I was being late. OK, I didn't make it all the way through flying training and now find myself retraining again, but I am still grateful for the opportunity, even if I still wonder what could have been (especially when I hear what the guys I joined up with are doing - one of them is 22 and just over a year away from being Harrier qualified!).
I'd take wadgebeast's advice (he's not a WAFU, but knows more than enough about RN training) - make one last push for it, otherwise you'll kick yourself for not even trying in the first place. Worry about the civvy flying once you get a final verdict from the AIB.
Edited by Taffer on Tuesday 28th July 19:50
WorAl
You're not too old to join the Army Air Corps if you want to fly rotary. You'll need to pass Army Officers' Selection Board at Westbury and then do a year at Sandhurst, but it is possible to join Direct Entry as a commissioned AAC pilot. At some point in the proceedings you'll need to do aptitude tests & medical at RAF Cranwell, then 13 hours Flying Grading at Middle Wallop on the mighty Firefly. If you pass all that lot then there's a final AAC board then flying training once you are commissioned. The AAC can be a little more 'flexible' than, for example, the RAF when it comes to pilot applications, but the standard is still very high and as always it's a case of 'war fighter first, pilot second' when in the job. You could also go the non-commissioned route, but would need to join, work as a private/trooper/whatever until promoted to Lance-Corporal, then apply for pilot selection once recommended for at least promotion to corporal. This route can be a real ass-bust, particularly if your unit commander in your day job doesn't wanting you swanning off to the Womens' Auxiliary Balloon Corps.
It is also possible to be commissioned into another part of the Army, have a career as a tankie or whatever, then at some point apply for pilot training and do a flying tour attached to the AAC, after which you go back to your original job or transfer to AAC full-time.
You're not too old to join the Army Air Corps if you want to fly rotary. You'll need to pass Army Officers' Selection Board at Westbury and then do a year at Sandhurst, but it is possible to join Direct Entry as a commissioned AAC pilot. At some point in the proceedings you'll need to do aptitude tests & medical at RAF Cranwell, then 13 hours Flying Grading at Middle Wallop on the mighty Firefly. If you pass all that lot then there's a final AAC board then flying training once you are commissioned. The AAC can be a little more 'flexible' than, for example, the RAF when it comes to pilot applications, but the standard is still very high and as always it's a case of 'war fighter first, pilot second' when in the job. You could also go the non-commissioned route, but would need to join, work as a private/trooper/whatever until promoted to Lance-Corporal, then apply for pilot selection once recommended for at least promotion to corporal. This route can be a real ass-bust, particularly if your unit commander in your day job doesn't wanting you swanning off to the Womens' Auxiliary Balloon Corps.
It is also possible to be commissioned into another part of the Army, have a career as a tankie or whatever, then at some point apply for pilot training and do a flying tour attached to the AAC, after which you go back to your original job or transfer to AAC full-time.
Taffer
You don't have to be sponsored by AAC prior to Sandhurst, although it does help, and as you say, the sponsorship can be dropped if Sandhurst isn't going well, even if you do eventually graduate.
Quite a few officer cadets only make AAC an option once they are actually part-way through Sandhurst, and go through pilot-selection between terms, or exceptionally, once they have graduated. But overall, it is more risky than RAF or RN, as you say, when you're in the Pilot branch from Day 1. I've seen Officers commissioned in the AAC and then subsequently fail Flying Grading and suffer the humiliation of then having to go and find another Corps to take them in a different job (although I believe the AAC are now entertaining the idea of having non-pilot commissioned Officers in the Corps).
You don't have to be sponsored by AAC prior to Sandhurst, although it does help, and as you say, the sponsorship can be dropped if Sandhurst isn't going well, even if you do eventually graduate.
Quite a few officer cadets only make AAC an option once they are actually part-way through Sandhurst, and go through pilot-selection between terms, or exceptionally, once they have graduated. But overall, it is more risky than RAF or RN, as you say, when you're in the Pilot branch from Day 1. I've seen Officers commissioned in the AAC and then subsequently fail Flying Grading and suffer the humiliation of then having to go and find another Corps to take them in a different job (although I believe the AAC are now entertaining the idea of having non-pilot commissioned Officers in the Corps).
F355gtb2009 said:
ive got pplh helicopter well nearly done 30hrs now,in a r44,once i pass i can only fly the r44 unless i get tested on a new type rating of helicopter.
The CAA rules on helicopter type conversions are slightly 
which is why some heli pilots get a US licence instead, or as well as their JAR, as the type conversion procedures are a lot more relaxed.WRT the OP, suggest you try FW and Rotary and see what you prefer, as this might influence your decision making. Unfortunately, most helicopter schools operate Robinsons, which may not be the best indicator.
Taffer/Speedtwelve I see what you're saying but I can't join now, I am short sighted, all the money in the world couldnt get me in now.
It was all I wanted to do and I did go at 18, but being a bit younger and a lot more naive I was fearful of rejection so chickened out of it.
I chose the oil and gas industry instead and thought I was doing the right thing until I joined the company I currently work for, now regret not just going for it at 18. but hey ho, live and learn.
It was all I wanted to do and I did go at 18, but being a bit younger and a lot more naive I was fearful of rejection so chickened out of it.
I chose the oil and gas industry instead and thought I was doing the right thing until I joined the company I currently work for, now regret not just going for it at 18. but hey ho, live and learn.
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