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

[Van Gogh]

Since I was a little kid I always wanted to fly. I had great grades in high school and with job prospects/money into consideration I completed my university degree of Bachelors of Commerce specializing in finance. I got 78% gpa and landed a great job as a credit analyst. It was soon that I realized that it just was not for me. Somewhere along the line I did not follow my dreams of becoming a pilot. I am 21 years old and unhappy, although making good money / full benefits and promising future. I now decided to enroll in the army and would really enjoy being a part of something. (team environment) instead of sitting at my desk 8-5.

-I decided today to join the army
Here is my question, on my application I chose Pilot but I am not sure I can qualify with a bachelors of commerce.

Would appreciate advice on how I can be successful on my application.

Topgun13

Biggest factor for success - patience.
The recruiting process is gonna take a looooooong time and if you still are just as motivated to join the forces by the end of your recruiting process, than you are successful I would say !!!

 

[brihard]

If you want to be a pilot, you will be Air Force, not Army. All of our pilots are Air Force.

A commerce degree is acceptable for pilot. No specific degree is needed for that job.

You will still spend most of your career sitting at a desk- but others will come along who can speak to that better than I.

 

[Sf2]

You will still spend most of your career sitting at a desk- but others will come along who can speak to that better than I.

18yrs in, 4 operational tours....no staff tour yet (knock on wood )

 

[Good2Golf]

18yrs in, 4 operational tours....no staff tour yet (knock on wood )

…you may have just jinxed yourself, SF2. 


TG13, a BCom is fine, like Zoomie says.  Once you're in the system, you can state your desires as to which stream of the RCAF you would like to be in, but that won't mean that such desires will come first.  You may also find yourself in one of a number of various 'sub-Air Forces' within the RCAF: fighter, training, search and rescue, transport, maritime long-range patrol, maritime (Naval) aviation, tactical (Army) aviation and special operations aviation.  Each has a unique character and some often characterize them by their primary association (tac avn as 'Army' aviation, etc…)

Brihard, that's it…I'm not coming up to visit you…I'll be sitting behind a desk… 

Yes, later in a pilots career, is it likely for them to be assigned to a staff job or another posting where there is more paperwork involved than earlier in their career.  Is that a bad thing?  No, the administration of the business of delivering airpower doesn't happen without people doing more than just strapping in for a few hours then Timex-killing afterwards in the mess..

:2c:

Regards
G2G

 

[Loachman]

All of our pilots are Air Force.

Some are SOFCOM.

And, when deployed, some are CJOC.

And some of us are very green (or dark blue) on the inside, regardless of the unnatural organizational structure of the CF today.

 

[Journeyman]

All of our pilots are Air Force.

Yet they wear green flying suits -- social climbers.....wishing they were Army aviators.  op:

 

[topgun13]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the great feedback. I don't mind sitting at a desk doing admin work if that's what the job requires. I would just like to spend the rest of my life doing something I enjoy. Life my dad used to tell me: "if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life". That being said I know the Pilot program is very difficult. Anyone know the success rate? (I am leaving a high paying job with benefits).

Topgun13

 

[Loachman]

One in eight hundred applicants makes it to Wings standard, or so I was told three decades ago.

 

[Gunshark]

One in eight hundred applicants makes it to Wings standard, or so I was told three decades ago.

Thanks for the encouragement, Loachman

 

[trampbike]

A bit more encouraging: failure rates for PFT have varied from 0% (PFT 1305) to about 50% this year.

 

[Good2Golf]

It varies, and I can't speak for ratios of applicants to recruitment offers, but post CFRC, here's what I saw during my training.

Pre Flt trg - 40% pass rate (basic trg, etc...)
Ph 1 - 25% pass rate
Ph 2 - 60% pass rate
Ph 3 - 85% pass rate
A/C  - 100% pass rate (I was 1/1 )

Total = 0.051:1 probability, or 20:1 odds against, once you get through the Recruiting Center.


Regards
G2G

 

[Gunshark]

Thanks G2G. What is the future like for the other 19/20?

 

[Gunshark]

...or 20/21 I should say, I suppose.

 

[Journeyman]

Thanks G2G. What is the future like for the other 19/20?

The Land of Misfit Toys -- Intelligence, Public Affairs, Training Development.  op:


.....or Influence Activities if you switch to Army Reserves

 

[theforcewithin]

The Land of Misfit Toys -- Intelligence, Public Affairs, Training Development.  op:


.....or Influence Activities if you switch to Army Reserves

The sad part is, those are the 3 trades I applied for, without even failing pilot selection. *sigh*

Influence Activities sounds like a good backup plan, though.

 

[Loachman]

Well, as you seem to have plenty of time on your hands before a slot in any of your preferred occupations opens up for you, you may as well attempt to fail Pilot training in the meantime.

That may even speed things up for you.

 

[theforcewithin]

Well, as you seem to have plenty of time on your hands before a slot in any of your preferred occupations opens up for you, you may as well attempt to fail Pilot training in the meantime.

That may even speed things up for you.

Sounds like a good plan! I'll have to check whether or not the PLAR has to be done before I can add pilot, though...but add it, I shall.

At least I'll succeed at failing!

 

[dchan3154]

Hey there im currently a Mseop in the primary reserve hoping one day to be a pilot. Would it be wise to become an officer as soon as i graduate my post secondary and finish my pilots licence before i try to do a CT to reg force pilot? and suggestions are welcome. Thanks

 

[Loachman]

Achieving the required medical standard and CFAT score and passing Aircrew Selection will count for more than Reserve time at any rank.

Nobody cared about my Reserve time or rank (Lieutenant) when I applied for Pilot, and I doubt that that has changed much.

If you want a Pilot Licence in order to have a Pilot Licence, then get one, but it won't make a significant difference either way, in the end.

People with no flying time at all have made it through, and people with piles of hours have not. Candidates are taught what they need to know when they need to know it.

I had sixteen years as a CF Pilot and well north of 3000 hours before I ever had a licence.

The whole system is designed to select candidates who have a reasonable chance of success and give them the means to achieve that success, if they are capable.

 

[Loachman]

At least I'll succeed at failing!

Or you may surprise yourself and fail at failing.

Whatever you decide to do, want it enough and be prepared to work very hard.