Pilot Perseverance

[Shinobi]

Good day everyone,

This post is about my experience and future ambitions in becoming a pilot. To start, I completed an ROTP application about a year ago but was told after my interview I was not competitive enough to proceed at that time. That was a bummer, but my determination to make it has not diminished in the slightest. I just transferred universities and as a result got to keep all my credits but my GPA was set at zero to start fresh. I am confident I will be applying (DEO) with much better grades.

Also, I am currently undergoing my BMQ for NCM infantry with the reserves. My plan has been to get into the reserves while I'm finishing my degree (about two more years) to give me an idea of whether or not the military is the right choice and also to make myself a more competitive candidate. I was wondering if anyone could advise me if this will significantly increase the appeal of my application or not?

Besides doing my best in school and training in the reserves I also practice karate regularly (including some teaching), rock climb, ski, lift weights and live an overall very active lifestyle. I am looking to start some volunteer work whenever I can fit it in with my busy schedule and aside from that I do not know what else I can do to help my application. Financially I cannot afford a private pilot license, however I am planning on saving up whatever I earn in the reserves and putting it towards basic flying lessons.

So that is my story and current situation. I am hoping for anyone with similar experiences to share their advice and if anyone else can contribute beneficial information it would be much appreciated. I know the road is long and hard but I want it more than anything and will do whatever I can to make it happen.

I look forward to hearing what you all have to say!

 

[Good2Golf]

Search for "previous flying experience" to get a better feeling for whether you want to spend available money towards flight training.  Otherwise, with the increased activity in the Reserves and the renewed effort academically, it seems that you are heading towards a balanced profile, which is a good thing.

Regards
G2G

 

[Shinobi]

Thanks for the timely response, your input is much appreciated. Doing the recommended search also helped. It seems I should just keep doing what I'm doing and leave the rest up to the CF to determine if they want me or not.

 

[Shinobi]

I was recently told at my home unit that being in the reserves is actually a bad thing if I want to CT to pilot. The reason I was given is that I have to complete the CT process through my home unit and usually it's a very lengthy and unreliable process. Additionally, once you're fully trained by your home unit you become an asset that they invested in so it is in their interest not to let you go. Can anyone with similar experience let me know if this is true and what I can do to increase my chances of successfully making the transfer when the time comes?

 

[Good2Golf]

Well, the home unit is not being accurate with you.  Let's give the unit the benefit of doubt, and assume it's through not being 100% familiar either with the CT process or what would set one up for success in the pilot MOSID.

1.  The CT application is actually sent to the D Mil C 7 section in NDHQ, the unit only helps you fill out the forms.  The process will likely be longer than an "off-the-street" application.

2.  The idea of "invested" is not the same in the reserves as it is in the regular force.  You could leave the regiment any time you wanted, the unit cannot "keep you to themselves."  If you were on an engagement contract and trained in a specific trade or occupation, the regular force CF would consider the resources spent to train you, but even then, there are cases where occupational transfer is permitted, even in expensive-to-train occupations like PLT, to another occupation, perhaps such as medical officer, dental officer, lawyer, public affaires officer, etc...

3.  Stick with the triangle of academics-sports-leadership and start working on French, and you will be as well set-up for consideration into the PLT program as you can be.

For what it's worth, I know a person quite close to me who was a hooked (trained) private infantryman in a militia regiment who CT'd to ROTP PLT.  The advantage of his CT, was that he retained vested pay rights to his PTE(T) pay rate and makes about twice what his fellow ROTP OCdts make.  You decide if that's something you want to consider next time you're talking to someone at the unit about a CT.


Regards
G2G

 

[Shinobi]

Thanks once again, your responses are most helpful.

 

[trampbike]

Financially I cannot afford a private pilot license, however I am planning on saving up whatever I earn in the reserves and putting it towards basic flying lessons.

Don't bother with getting a PPL. If you fail aircrew selection and want to try again, you'll have to get a PPL if you don't already have one (if you have one, you'll have to get the next license, the CPL$$$).

However, flying now and then is fun and could give you a lot of pleasure and satisfaction, and for these reasons, you might want to do it.
If you start flying because you think it will boost your application and give you an edge for PFT, you'll be a sad person.

If you want to learn to fly a little bit,  don't go to a big puppy mill FTU. They generally only take your money and offer a very low quality of training. Try to find a flying club where a good instructor (someone that instructs because he likes to instruct, not because he wants to get enough hours to move "up" to a FO position on a light twin) could give you a couple of lessons. You'll have much more fun, learn more, and save tons of money. Try to find a fun and challenging training airplane to fly (either a taildragger or something a bit nervous like a little Grumman AA1) instead of the usual C152 or C172.

 

[Shinobi]

Good call. My old room mate is a civi pilot in training so I've been talking with him about going up, paying for fuel, and getting some quick lessons on whatever he can teach me. I'm definitely approaching it from the perspective of just having fun and getting some flight experience. It's something I look forward to without a pilot career in mind.

 

[Zoomie]

My old room mate is a civi pilot in training so I've been talking with him about going up, paying for fuel, and getting some quick lessons on whatever he can teach me.

I'm sorry, but in my opinion that sounds like a recipe for disaster.

 

[Shinobi]

Haha I can see where you'd draw that conclusion. I should have clarified that he has his private pilot license, instrument rating, etc. He's definitely qualified to fly solo and takes people up with him all the time. I'm not planning on using him as an instructor but rather just go flying with him and take over the controls for some basic manoeuvres for a brief and controlled period.

 

[MAJONES]

I'm not planning on using him as an instructor but rather just go flying with him and take over the controls for some basic manoeuvres for a brief and controlled period.

If you want to go flying with your buddy, that is all well and good, but look at it as fun and not preparation.  If you are set on getting some civil instruction the best bet for your money is to do some time in the local flying school's simulator.  Book it for an hour and tell the instructor that you want to learn a basic instrument scan.  That will be of more use to you at ASC than any manouver you will learn in the real airplane.

 

[2010newbie]

If you want to go flying with your buddy, that is all well and good, but look at it as fun and not preparation.  If you are set on getting some civil instruction the best bet for your money is to do some time in the local flying school's simulator.  Book it for an hour and tell the instructor that you want to learn a basic instrument scan.  That will be of more use to you at ASC than any manouver you will learn in the real airplane.

This is great advice. In addition, when using the sim, make sure you're using the yoke to actually fly the sim and not just using the auto pilot controls. When I was practicing for my multi-IFR, the instructor would always suggest using the auto pilot because the sim was way more sensitive than the real aircraft. Getting used to the sensitivity helps when preparing for ASC.

 

[AGD]

If you want to go flying with your buddy, that is all well and good, but look at it as fun and not preparation.  If you are set on getting some civil instruction the best bet for your money is to do some time in the local flying school's simulator.  Book it for an hour and tell the instructor that you want to learn a basic instrument scan.  That will be of more use to you at ASC than any manouver you will learn in the real airplane.

Interesting. I've never actually seen anyone who wasn't working on a license go to my club and rent sim time. There's no harm in asking though.

It does make complete sense from a cost standpoint...

 

[Good2Golf]

...It does make complete sense from a cost standpoint...

...and also from the perspective of "flying" something similar to what one will "fly" at ASC.

 

[ChrisG]

Most of the advice on this thread is excellent but I'd add a couple of cautions.

Entry procedures seem to change all the time.  (I have monitored  five very closely.)  It was certainly true that having a PPL made no difference,  however when pilot entries opened about two years ago  after a long  hiatus  we were suddenly told that PPL pilots would receive preference. We had a serious dilemma,  get the PPL and be stuck with gettinbg a CPL if he didn't get in or risk not getting a slot at ACS.    We sent our offspring to Florida for  Jan/Feb  for the PPL and he was accepted that Spring.

Go talk to you local recruiting office.  Be a regular there (not too much,  but enough) and make friends.  Ours gave excellent advice all the way through.  Real hand holders and good people too.

Be aware that the ACS people don't necessarily look for "The absolute best performance"  though I guess they couldn't turn you down if you were an absolute ace.  What they are looking for is basic co-ordination and learning ability.  (It's a little more complicated  but that is the prinbciple.)

 

[estoguy]

Most of the advice on this thread is excellent but I'd add a couple of cautions.

Entry procedures seem to change all the time.  (I have monitored  five very closely.)  It was certainly true that having a PPL made no difference,  however when pilot entries opened about two years ago  after a long  hiatus  we were suddenly told that PPL pilots would receive preference. We had a serious dilemma,  get the PPL and be stuck with gettinbg a CPL if he didn't get in or risk not getting a slot at ACS.    We sent our offspring to Florida for  Jan/Feb  for the PPL and he was accepted that Spring.

Go talk to you local recruiting office.  Be a regular there (not too much,  but enough) and make friends.  Ours gave excellent advice all the way through.  Real hand holders and good people too.

Be aware that the ACS people don't necessarily look for "The absolute best performance"  though I guess they couldn't turn you down if you were an absolute ace.  What they are looking for is basic co-ordination and learning ability.  (It's a little more complicated  but that is the prinbciple.)

Chris, do you know what the current situation is?  I'm applying as a DEO, no previous flight experience.