Fighter Pilot

[shane_murphy1624]

I'm 17 years old and going in to my last year of high school and recently been looking in to joining the Air Force, specifically as a fighter pilot. I know it's a tough position to get and there is a lot of schooling which I'm completely okay with. But some of my concerns are that I've taken all College level courses throughout highschool mainly because I intended to go to college but on the forces website it says that a Universty degree is mandatory. But there's no way I can go to university out of highschool. Would I have to go to college first, then university? If so, what would I take in college? What do I do after gr.12? What is the life of a pilot in the military like? Thank you in advance.

 

[The Bread Guy]

shane_murphy1624:  Welcome to milnet.ca.

One of the things the military (not to mention a lot of other employers) looks for in candidates is the ability to use one's initiative.  In that respect, this site's been around a long time, and already has a ton of good stuff to help you out.  Try checking here, for example.  In fact, I'll be merging your question into that thread shortly.

Read some, search some, explore some, then ask any questions you haven't been able to find an answer to.

Good luck in your hunt, both for information and in your career.

Milnet.ca Staff

 

[habsman18]

Hey can anyone answer this for me? It has always been my dream to be a fighter pilot for the RCAF but my eyesight is not 20/20 vision. I noticed on the CAF website that I can still be a pilot with my vision but will they just send me to helicopter and transport planes or how much of a chance do I have at getting fighter pilot with my vision? I hope to get accepted into ROTP and RMC and take aeronautical engineering. My parents promised me that they will buy laser eye surgery for me when I graduate university but will it be to late by then? Any help will be much appreciated.

 

[habsman18]

Hey can anyone answer this for me? It has always been my dream to be a fighter pilot for the RCAF but my eyesight is not 20/20 vision. I noticed on the CAF website that I can still be a pilot with my vision but will they just send me to helicopter and transport planes and what are the odds of getting fighter pilot with my vision? I hope to get accepted into ROTP and RMC and take aeronautical engineering. My parents promised me that they will buy laser eye surgery for me when I graduate from university but will it be to late by then? Any help will be much appreciated.

 

[George Wallace]

habsman18


There is NO NEED to SPAM this site with the same identical post.  If you continue to do so, you will be BANNED.

George
army.ca STAFF

 

[habsman18]

Sorry didn't mean to I thought since this was an old post no one would see it thats why I re-posted it. Don't worry won't happen again.

 

[Loachman]

If one replies in an older thread, that thread will then reappear at the top of the list of recently-active threads.

As for your questions, read through older threads about those topics and use the Search Function. You will find answers to questions that have not even occurred to you yet.

The CF is not keen on spoon-feeding information to people. We expect them to show some basic effort and do their homework.

 

[ChicknBone]

hey
im also considering pilot as a career and ive got a couple questions for you
-are people who studied at the royal military colleges and universities much more likely to be selected as possible pilot candidates than people who completed their education as civies? Did you and most of the pilots you know study at RMC?
-What is life like when you are not on deployment? You said you only spend 3 or 4 months away from home. Do you have another job for the rest of the year?
-Finally, I know the pay rates aren't the greatest in the military. You probably dont live in a castle but can you still live a comfortable life?
An answer from anyone would be greatly appreciated
thanks

 

[Loachman]

Welcome to Army.ca.

Did you read my post immediately prior to yours? It does not appear so.

Start reading and searching. Also, please use proper capitalization.

 

[Roger123]

This question is primarily for current and former pilots of the RCAF with regards to pursuing graduate level education and their schedule. Glossing over some RCAF pilot resumes on Linked In such as Joshua Kutryk ( newly appointed astronaut with the CSA), I couldn't help but notice graduate level attainment while listing his occupation as a Fighter Pilot during the same time period. Is it reasonable to pursue higher education while also handling a full-tiime operational flying schedule, or is it likely the case that a period of time away from flying was granted while pursuing said education. Prior to initiating my application to the CAF, I researched a typical pilot workday. I came across numerous USAF pilots stating that they could reasonably expect to pull 12 to 16 hours at squadron. If this is the norm, I struggle to see how someone can handle to balance an active duty flying schedule and higher education simultaneously.

 

[dimsum]

This question is primarily for current and former pilots of the RCAF with regards to pursuing graduate level education and their schedule. Glossing over some RCAF pilot resumes on Linked In such as Joshua Kutryk ( newly appointed astronaut with the CSA), I couldn't help but notice graduate level attainment while listing his occupation as a Fighter Pilot during the same time period. Is it reasonable to pursue higher education while also handling a full-tiime operational flying schedule, or is it likely the case that a period of time away from flying was granted while pursuing said education. Prior to initiating my application to the CAF, I researched a typical pilot workday. I came across numerous USAF pilots stating that they could reasonably expect to pull 12 to 16 hours at squadron. If this is the norm, I struggle to see how someone can handle to balance an active duty flying schedule and higher education simultaneously.

Likely those were done when he was on staff postings (on his time off), or during Aerospace Systems Program (which has a Masters option) or Joint Command and Staff Program (which is a Masters in itself).  Both ASP and JCSP are postings where you go to school.

 

[SupersonicMax]

Josh was never in a Staff job.  He did Test Pilot School which grants a Masters and JCSP which also grants one.  The other one was done on his own time.  You can do it, but there are consequences to your personal life.

 

[Journeyman]

....or  Joint Command and Staff Program (which is a Masters in itself).

He did Test Pilot School which grants a Masters and JCSP which also grants one.

Just for clarification, JCSP does not automatically come with a recognized academic graduate degree.

From the CFC website, "It is a professional one-year Master's Degree awarded by the Royal Military College of Canada" -- 'professional' means that it is a technical degree;  in most academic institutions, it is not recognized as a Masters degree suitable for advancement into a PhD programme;  the CFC website used to spell that out.

Also, the site specifies that

The degree of Master of Defence Studies will be awarded to JCSP students who successfully complete a programme of studies comprised of either of the following patterns:
blah blah blah [actual course content]...

And:
PR500: Directed Research Project

PR500 = You also have to do some research and write a coherent, defensible thesis;  the MDS (for whatever value) doesn't come automatically for having survived a few months along Yonge and/or Church streets.

 

[dimsum]

Just for clarification, JCSP does not automatically come with a recognized academic graduate degree.

From the CFC website, "It is a professional one-year Master's Degree awarded by the Royal Military College of Canada" -- 'professional' means that it is a technical degree;  in most academic institutions, it is not recognized as a Masters degree suitable for advancement into a PhD programme;  the CFC website used to spell that out.

Also, the site specifies that

The degree of Master of Defence Studies will be awarded to JCSP students who successfully complete a programme of studies comprised of either of the following patterns:
blah blah blah [actual course content]...

And:
PR500: Directed Research Project

PR500 = You also have to do some research and write a coherent, defensible thesis;  the MDS (for whatever value) doesn't come automatically for having survived a few months along Yonge and/or Church streets.

Huh, didn't know that.  Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Roger123]

Thanks for the information guys, really appreciate it and this community. This question came to me in the shower and I dont ever think I came across such a topic. Lets suppose you complete pilot training, get winged, moved to an operational squadron and carry out the length of your contract with a clean history. You decide at the time you want to be a civilian and get a job flying the friendly skies for an airline company. A year passes and your perspective changes and you miss the life you had for the last decade. Is the sign up process the same? ( Online application,CFAT, interview, medical, aircrew selection, competition list, selection). And if you do get in again, are you fast tracked to your former airframe and duties or do you get the opportunity to switch routes ( Rotorwing to Multi, Multi to Fast Jet, vice versa, etc)

 

[mariomike]

A year passes and your perspective changes and you miss the life you had for the last decade. Is the sign up process the same? ( Online application,CFAT, interview, medical, aircrew selection, competition list, selection).

Getting back in is discussed here,

Getting Back In/Re-enrolling Mega Thread
https://army.ca/forums/threads/294.75
37 pages.

As always,  Recruiting is your most trusted source of information.

And if you do get in again, are you fast tracked to your former airframe and duties or do you get the opportunity to switch routes ( Rotorwing to Multi, Multi to Fast Jet, vice versa, etc)

Not the same as getting back in as an experienced Pilot, but, you may find this of interest anyway, as it comes from a Pilot,

If you want wings, (like I've got), you'd better adjust that attitude.  The answer, is, and always has been, you'll go where the service can use you based on your abilities and the needs of the service.  That situation is so fluid that there is no point speculating on it until you're just about done BFT. 

 

[Loachman]

Lots of guys have come back over many years. Repetition of CFAT and ACS are not required. Many of the returnees have been posted into staff positions, however, before eventually getting back into cockpits.

 

[Roger123]

Interesting.I would expect that the contract length for returning aircrew would be less than for ROTP, DEO and CEOTP candidates without prior military flying experience in such cases.

 

[Rmcmomf18]

My son did extremely well in air crew selection and is currently at rmc. He wants to switch out of engineering. How many fighter pilots in the RCAF are not engineers? And does not being an engineer affect the selection process for the f18’s? Will he be at a disadvantage in his career as a flighter pilot regarding promotions, etc. ?

 

[Loachman]

This he can and should investigate himself.

He is an adult and striving to become an Officer. He needs to find his own way.

You need to let him do that, even if it is difficult for you.