Im looking for information regarding the most deployed / active units as a Pilot in the RCAF. Im currently going through training as a pilot and have to formulate my selection preferences. Open to all communities with a lean toward helicopters. Would Special Ops be my best bet for exercises, deployed operations, time actually flying an aircraft. I want to make the most out of my military career in terms of actually flying, operations, actually doing the job.
Most Deployed/ Actively Flying Units in the RCAF
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armrdsoul77
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Check out the Pilot Project Podcast. He talks to pilots from all the different communities in the RCAF. Very good insight.
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Maritime Helicopter.
200 days at sea/year is not unheard of.
200 days at sea/year is not unheard of.
How much are the helos actually up on a normal deployment?
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There’s a difference between “deployed” and “active”.
You can potentially be gone away from home a lot, but not fly as much as an airframe (like SAR units) that stay home but fly a lot, either for training or operations.
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It depends, I was on a deployment on a last run for a Sea King, and they were flying as much as they were allowed. Aside from some breaks for maintenance they were consistently up every single day. A few times it was actually the resupply of JP5 that was the limiting factor.
Other times something happens and they are down hard for maintenance, but at least they are still out and about and get the port visits. Not flying and sitting in Shearwater or not flying and stopping in Greece, Hawaii, whatever seems like a good alternative.
But they aren't on the ship for giggles, and if they aren't flying they are just ballast (and start getting tagged for other duties to stay busy), so they go a lot..
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Generally daily, baring days in port. Serviceability is generally better at sea than at home base (there are logical reasons for that, but the explanation gets long-winded).
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