Anyone know an army pilot?

[shags_j]

Hey guys,

 

I know I keep asking questions about this but I was wondering if anyone here is an army pilot or knows one.

 

What I want to know is what do they do every day when they go to work?

 

Basically I want to pursue the army pilot training and am progressing through the selection process acceptably however my current employer is really pushing me to stay here (Increased salary, better job etc). I think that the deciding factor will be the question raised above so any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers,

 

Shags

 

 

[Tomo]

Army Pilot? or Airforce Pilot? Forgive me if they aren't the same, but if you want, my cousin is in the airforce....... nearly finished his engineering course at ADFA, then he's off to Tamworth for the REAL stuff....!

 

 

[icebob]

Hi Shags j,

 

it is common basic training for all the services, that is they all go to the same course, if you want Army you go to Army recruiting and do the tests, if you pass them and get through all the other screenings then off you go, so there will be new/prospective pilots from all three forces doing this training (ADFA plus basic flying) then after that are split up to do specalist training dependent on the ADFA marks and flying abilities. Hope that helps.

 

Bob.

 

 

[Simonflyer]

Hi Shags.

 

I work with a bloke who was in the Air force for a long time, and he loved it.He was a pilot in a Hercules, and did all sorts of stuff from aiding areas after natural disasters to moving troops into places where the sh*t had hit the fan.

 

Lots of moving around, lots of time away, lots of different kinds of flying conditions etc.if you dont mind a challenge keep going, but if you like to be reasonably settled, look for something else.

 

..

 

 

[shags_j]

Thanks guys. Basically I'm getting through the testing now etc. What I am really chasing is once all training etc is done, what exactly does the pilot do every day when he (or she) goes to work? How often do you fly?

 

Speaking to my GF, mum and brother in law last night I have decided to stay with army entry and pursue that if possible but it would still be nice to know this kind of info.

 

Cheers all,

 

Shags

 

 

[Matt]

G'day Shags,

 

The recruiting team should be able to put you in contact with one of the squadrons to be able to have a chat with one of the aircrew...I'm surprised they've not already done that.

 

I'd suspect that the "average day" for Army aircrew is much like the Air Force or Navy, when you're not flying you're training (sim, reviewing procedures & manuals), planning the next flights and reviewing the last flights. There's also the "Defence" aspects of life such as physical training, secondary duties as an officer, military skills etc. Most Defence pilots will fly "around" 500 hours per year - some more, some less depending on platform.

 

 

[Guest blakey36]

G'Day Shags why don't you talk to the guys up at Oakey I'm sure they'll be more than helpful...Like every pilot they have to practice too and think you get paid for the pleasure all us buggers have to pay for such fun...As an ex RSM...Goodluck son.

 

Bryan

 

 

[shags_j]

Thanks heaps guys. Might get in contact with my recruiter to get a contact number. I think I will definitely go for it.

 

 

[Yenn]

I wa never aa pilot in the army, unless Centution tanks count, but the usual day is "hurry up and wait'

 

 

[icebob]

Hi,

 

the issue with us RAN guys was taking on any and all jobs to keep up the hours(was a minimum of 20 hours per month) so you got your extra flight pay.

 

It was fun watching 3 or 4 junior pilots fighting over a test flight and the CO walks in and takes it anyway, ha, ha.

 

Bob.

 

 

[HEON]

If you get accepted as a potential pilot for the three services one course of action is 3 years at ADFA (tri service) where you do a degree. Can involve another year post grad at ADFA for some degrees (engr).

 

For Army,then year at RMC Duntroon to become Lt. Then flight training.

 

Another way is 18 months at Duntroon to Lt, but unsure of requirements for education for pilots.

 

Talk to recruiting. Note the age limits on entry.

 

Ask what happens if unable to complete pilot training, or fail.(I personally would whant in writing). Used to be a return of service obligation of number of training years, plus one. The "new"army may be different.

 

RMC Duntroon Class of 1971

 

 

[icebob]

Hi,

 

Wow HEON, makes me feel old, RAN class of 1966, we did not have ADFA then, I joined with a degree and CPL and did the "knife and fork" course at HMAS Creswell.

 

The RAN failed pilots have on the most part been sent to small ships as navigators/stores officers and the like,as the return of service obligation, the old thing, the smaller the ship the junior the ships officers standing and the lower the promotions chances. The return for service was up to a few years ago one year service for each year of training plus 20% of total time up to a maximum of 6 years.

 

Bob.

 

 

[Vorticity]

You dont have to do the 18 months at RMC to become a pilot, you can become a Specialist Service Officer by completing a 6 week course. You wont become a LT until you get your wings at Oakey.

 

The day of an army pilot is quite varied, there are probably very few 'standard' days. The closest thing would be Physical Training in the morning, Flight prep, fly, debrief, other duties (you may have other responsibilities such as unit security etc), afternoon orders/parade and then home. Other days may start at 1am for the right moon conditions to train under night vision goggles. Your posting locations will be Darwin (Armed Recon), Townsville or Sydney (troop lift). Make sure you are happy with these locations because that will be it for at least the first 4 years.

 

Army aviation is going pretty nuts at the moment, there are new Tiger and MRH90 helicopters coming into service and more chinooks, on the news the other day they announced that the Tiger will be ''made available'' to go overseas soon, the chinooks and blackhawks are already doing rotations overseas...very busy but very rewarding if that is what you want. Remember though, if you cannot see yourself flying a helicopter looking through night vision goggles with people shooting at you, jetstar maybe a better option.

 

 

[icebob]

Hi Vorticity,

 

how the "system" has changed, when i joined i guess i had a leg in the door already, or so i thought, those who did the full course all ways appeared to get the promotions just that little sooner even though others of us had had the seniority in rank?

 

Still i guess we had the "rush" of carrier landings.

 

Bob.

 

 

[HEON]

Did not know SSO was an option for pilots; in my day this was rearly only medical (MD, dent, and RN).

 

If you are looking at what happens after your flying days a RMC grad has much more potential for higher promotion...fact of life!

 

 

[shags_j]

Thanks heaps guys.

 

Yeah I'm joining as an sso pilot. I have decided to continue the application and work was happy to wait to find out if I get in or not (awful nice of them).

 

Cheers again,

 

Shags