"So You Want To Be A Pilot" Merged Thread 2002 - 2018

[Urban]

I agree with Bograt. Don't go in with a fighters only focus, don't dismiss helicopters or the multi off hand.

If you search for some pilot related keywords on the forums there are some real gems of information. I'm not saying that fighters wouldn't be cool, but from the accounts of people who have been there and done that I hear that helicopters get the coolest flying AND get to fly the most! Multi engine pilots also get some wicked flying, just look up some Aurora videos on youtube, you'll see what I mean. Jet pilots on the other hand get to sweat buckets, withstand withering, *painful* g-forces and you can't even notice your going Mach 1.8 unless you look at your HUD.

I know I'm painting a bleak picture of jets here, but I don't think I've unfairly represented anything here (to my knowledge, none of this is first hand info).

Also yes 20/30 vision is indeed worse than 20/20 vision, but still qualifies for the pilot trade.

 

[Teej]

Don't apply. The odds are that you will not become a fighter pilot.

2/3rds of applicants fail air crew selection.
BOTC takes its toll.
PFT fails about 25% of applicants
BFT takes its toll. Those who finish are streamed to jet, helo, and multi (25, 50 and 25 percent roughly)
Phase III streams people to Instructor school or Phase IV Fighter lead in Training.
410 OTU ends its share of fighter dreams.

So the stats are against you.
--------------------

Still interested?

Well good, focus on the immediate goals. Talk to a recruiter. It is a long, hard road ahead- but if it was easy everyone would be one.

Sounds brutal, and thanks a lot for the info. I was wondering though if I would encounter difficulties ABOVE AND BEYOND those encountered by someone with 20/20 vision (given that now the vision standard does accomodate me), and secondly, how far into this selection process can I drop out without further commitment to the CF? Thanks!

 

[Urban]

Sounds brutal, and thanks a lot for the info. I was wondering though if I would encounter difficulties ABOVE AND BEYOND those encountered by someone with 20/20 vision (given that now the vision standard does accomodate me), and secondly, how far into this selection process can I drop out without further commitment to the CF? Thanks!

Pilots are officers first and pilots second, keep that in mind.

I want to say that you could drop before you get your wings, but you'll want to confirm that. I do know you may be obligated to repay the forces for the training you received.

Edit: small grammatical correction.

 

[Teej]

I agree with Bograt. Don't go in with a fighters only focus, don't dismiss helicopters or the multi off hand.

If you search for some pilot related keywords on the forums there are some real gems of information. I'm not saying that fighters wouldn't be cool, but from the accounts of people who have been there and done that I hear that helicopters get the coolest flying AND get to fly the most! Multi engine pilots also get some wicked flying, just look up some Aurora videos on youtube, you'll see what I mean. Jet pilots on the other hand get to sweat buckets, withstand withering, *painful* g-forces and you can't even notice your going Mach 1.8 unless you look at your HUD.

I know I'm painting a bleak picture of jets here, but I don't think I've unfairly represented anything here (to my knowledge, none of this is first hand info).

Also yes 20/30 vision is indeed worse than 20/20 vision, but still qualifies for the pilot trade.

I see, well I'm an adrenaline junkie so when I think of "cool flying" I think of aggressive maneuvering, low and fast, full power vertical climbs, rolls, loops, stuff like that. I don't really feel truly "alive" unless the adrenaline's going. However, I'm not a pilot so I don't know what these folks consider "cool flying," but I'd love to hear about it. I don't see the excitement in flying a load of cargo from point A to point B, or picking up a downed pilot with a helicopter. I mean, sure it's more exciting than the vast majority of other professions, but I don't see  how it could be compared to the fighter jet experience. I'm not trying to sound like I know what I'm talking about, I just don't know any better and I'd love to hear about it. I've been reading the boards for a while and while I've heard this angle before, I haven't heard the justification other than the helo and multli pilots getting more flying time. Thanks!

 

[armyvern]

Well, I sat in the cockpit on the way back from Alert once.  :-\

Must say though -- my adrenaline rushed much higher when dropping into DZ Hodgson. 

(note to my fellow mod ... my adrenaline just may be higher in a whirlybird though!!)  ;D

 

[Zoomie]

I see, well I'm an adrenaline junkie so when I think of "cool flying" I think of aggressive maneuvering, low and fast, full power vertical climbs, rolls, loops, stuff like that.

Our fighters don't do any of the above - they don't fly below 1000'AGL.  The rest of the stuff you mentioned is aerobatics - get yourself an aero rating and save 4 years of your life.

 

[pipstah]

Our fighters don't do any of the above - they don't fly below 1000'AGL.  The rest of the stuff you mentioned is aerobatics - get yourself an aero rating and save 4 years of your life.

Thanks Zoomie for making me laught so hard today! I think I'll write that down just to remember that and pass that on!

 

[dimsum]

I don't really feel truly "alive" unless the adrenaline's going.

Then, I think you'll feel VERY alive if you're a Sea King pilot trying to land on a deck in Sea State 6. 
Makes me shudder just thinking how they do it!  :-X

 

[Bograt]

Then, I think you'll feel VERY alive if you're a Sea King pilot trying to land on a deck in Sea State 6. 
Makes me shudder just thinking how they do it!  :-X

What other option do they have? It is amazing how death focuses the mind.

 

[Elwood]

Hey Teej,

Don't worry so much, especially if you haven't done ACS. On top of facing the 66% failure rate at ACS, not everyone who passes gets an offer for pilot. Out of the four who passed at my ACS, 2 got pilot, and 2 got their second choice. Being a DEO puts you at a slight advantage over CEOTP applicants, but it's not a huge gap.

Just apply and see how things go. Last year, a lot of pilots were selected between April and May, so you might want to get your application in soon if you haven't already!

Best of luck.

 

[Loachman]

It is amazing how death focuses the mind.

The potential for embarrassment focuses it even more.

 

[Inch]

Then, I think you'll feel VERY alive if you're a Sea King pilot trying to land on a deck in Sea State 6. 
Makes me shudder just thinking how they do it!  :-X

You forgot to add, at night, without NVG's, with a brand new copilot and two low fuel lights.

 

[SupersonicMax]

You forgot to add, at night, without NVG's, with a brand new copilot and two low fuel lights.

If you crash do you have a Reset button???

Teej, what I suggest you is to take it one step at the time (starting by ACS), keep your options open (you have the same wings in the end, wether you fly Multis, Helos or Jets), keep asking for what you want and nothing else (don't let people influence you if it's REALLY what you want) and work HARD.  Don't get discouraged even if things get hard. 

Max

 

[Ali G]

Biggest tip for ACS from what I've read:

Follow the instructions word-for-word.

 

[Strike]

Biggest tip for ACS from what I've read:

Follow the instructions word-for-word.

Ah yes...RTFQ.

 

[AeroFighter]

Since this thread is all about becoming a pilot I've got 3 months of highschool left and want to join up with the airforce. Now my marks aren't the greatest because I've been slacking too much this year but I'm passing everything and should finish with average or better marks. Anyway just wanted to hear some opinions on the best way to go to become a pilot. I'd prefer to be an F-18 pilot but wouldn't mind helo or multi aslong as I'm flying.

I'm also in the process of joining the reserves but I'm definantly going to talk to a recruiter about becoming a pilot in the reg force.

 

[Inch]

Since this thread is all about becoming a pilot I've got 3 months of highschool left and want to join up with the airforce. Now my marks aren't the greatest because I've been slacking too much this year but I'm passing everything and should finish with average or better marks. Anyway just wanted to hear some opinions on the best way to go to become a pilot. I'd prefer to be an F-18 pilot but wouldn't mind helo or multi aslong as I'm flying.

I'm also in the process of joining the reserves but I'm definantly going to talk to a recruiter about becoming a pilot in the reg force.

There are a ton of threads with very valuable info in this forum. Suggest you have a read since all the info has been posted before.

 

[Elwood]

Try to get into aviation college, or get a university degree and build up your flight hours.

With the recent amount of applicants for pilot, it seems that the determining factor is hours you log in an A/C.   

 

[Strike]

With the recent amount of applicants for pilot, it seems that the determining factor is hours you log in an A/C.   

Given that the hours someone has in their log book doesn't necessarily mean success on the course, I find that hard to believe.  I know more than a few who have shown up with zero hours and topped every aspect of their training, beating out guys with commercial licences.

 

[Elwood]

I know having flight hours before training doesn't mean much. Even I had only a couple hours when I went to ACS, and passed when a guy with a commercial lisence failed.

What I am saying is that you do get points in the recruiting process for having trade-related experience (hence for pilot, flight time). With so many applicants for the pilot MOC, a big determining factor is an applicants flight experience.