One last long shot....
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: UK
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One last long shot....
When I finished my degree (mechanical engineering), I wanted to be a helicopter pilot but had no desire to join the military.
However, as time went by and various friends joined and loved it, I gradually came round to the idea to a point where I now think I would absolutely love to do it but theres just one problem...
I'm 27. And a half.
Way too old for the RAF, a year and a half to old for the Navy but I have heard something about a possibility of joining the Army Aircorps as an officer and then having the possibility to become a pilot that way if you do well.
Is this true?
I think I might just have time to get in on the officer training but has anyone heard of people being successful through such a late entry and is it even possible to get a flying role?
I have one saving grace and that is that I am about ten hours away from getting my PPL(H), could this help? Have they ever been known to make exceptions?
I have spoken to the military but am looking for some personal experience from the army of ppruners.
Do I have ANY other options of military flying at this late stage? What about marrying an aussie and applying for their military?!?
Help!
I feel old!
However, as time went by and various friends joined and loved it, I gradually came round to the idea to a point where I now think I would absolutely love to do it but theres just one problem...
I'm 27. And a half.
Way too old for the RAF, a year and a half to old for the Navy but I have heard something about a possibility of joining the Army Aircorps as an officer and then having the possibility to become a pilot that way if you do well.
Is this true?
I think I might just have time to get in on the officer training but has anyone heard of people being successful through such a late entry and is it even possible to get a flying role?
I have one saving grace and that is that I am about ten hours away from getting my PPL(H), could this help? Have they ever been known to make exceptions?
I have spoken to the military but am looking for some personal experience from the army of ppruners.
Do I have ANY other options of military flying at this late stage? What about marrying an aussie and applying for their military?!?
Help!
I feel old!
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Read your post and it sounds almost exactly like me x years ago (I'm not a mechanical engineer). I did the trawls through the tri service careers office, too old for Navy and Air Force, but could join the army as something or other and then once in apply for transfer to AAC. Sounded too much hassel and not enough guarentees for me. Went back to the day job and saved for the commericals. That was more than 10 years ago now, but I'm now flying for a living.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Red On, Green On
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You have no other chance as far as I am aware.
AAC takes people up to age of (probably) 27 and 11 months on entry to RMAS, but you have no guarantee of being picked up by the AAC, though there is a process of registering interest. AFAIK all direct/graduate-entry officers to the AAC are aircrew, though there may be opportunities for AAC groundcrew SNCOs to be commissioned for Quarter-Master type jobs.
I've heard it said that you need to pass out of RMAS in the top 30% to get looked at by the AAC, but just being in the top 30% is not enough. They interview all prospective officers, and have to say they want you.
Contacts - British Army Website refers. Suggest you find their phone no. and get yourself a visit there.
PPL(H) won't make any odds or qualify you for exceptions.
AAC takes people up to age of (probably) 27 and 11 months on entry to RMAS, but you have no guarantee of being picked up by the AAC, though there is a process of registering interest. AFAIK all direct/graduate-entry officers to the AAC are aircrew, though there may be opportunities for AAC groundcrew SNCOs to be commissioned for Quarter-Master type jobs.
I've heard it said that you need to pass out of RMAS in the top 30% to get looked at by the AAC, but just being in the top 30% is not enough. They interview all prospective officers, and have to say they want you.
Contacts - British Army Website refers. Suggest you find their phone no. and get yourself a visit there.
PPL(H) won't make any odds or qualify you for exceptions.
