I want to become a pilot but I'm starting uni this September.

[Charlievil]

And I was wondering, what kind of waiting list is there to get entered for selection? I don't want to be called on during my uni course so I want to try and time it so I get called up for selection soon after I finish my course in three years.

 

[Stuck in a rut!]

I'm afraid it doesn't work like that. You register an interest on the recruitment website and when your trade/branch is recruiting you receive an email. That's when you get yourself down to the AFCO. You don't need a degree for pilot, but if its what you want join the university air squadron and look at joining towards the end of your course.

I have a little knowledge on recruitment but I'm not a recruiter so hang on for someone who does know exactly what they're talking about, think I'm pretty much there though.

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[Warwick Hunt]

I'm afraid it doesn't work like that. You register an interest on the recruitment website and when your trade/branch is recruiting you receive an email. That's when you get yourself down to the AFCO. You don't need a degree for pilot, but if its what you want join the university air squadron and look at joining towards the end of your course.

I have a little knowledge on recruitment but I'm not a recruiter so hang on for someone who does know exactly what they're talking about, think I'm pretty much there though.

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SIAR, that's not TOO far from what happens actually. What I will tell you is, for now anyway, we are NOT recruiting Pilots at the mo and won't be for the foreseeable (the current estimate is summer 2012). My advice to you is to join the UAS - it'll give you the opportunity to fly and get an insight into the RAF from the outside - and once you graduate, look at coming to us. The current upper age limit is to be in training by your 27th birthday so you have time, but we aren't taking them on for now. Also, as I advise ALL wannabe Pilots, competition for those slots is tough. Ask yourself 'do I want a service career or do I want to be a Pilot?' If it's the former, have a think about a career in another branch as well as it gives the selection boards something else to work with. As I said, Pilot selection is tough so give yourself as good a chance as you can of being selected for something.

Good luck.

 

[Charlievil]

SIAR, that's not TOO far from what happens actually. What I will tell you is, for now anyway, we are NOT recruiting Pilots at the mo and won't be for the foreseeable (the current estimate is summer 2012). My advice to you is to join the UAS - it'll give you the opportunity to fly and get an insight into the RAF from the outside - and once you graduate, look at coming to us. The current upper age limit is to be in training by your 27th birthday so you have time, but we aren't taking them on for now. Also, as I advise ALL wannabe Pilots, competition for those slots is tough. Ask yourself 'do I want a service career or do I want to be a Pilot?' If it's the former, have a think about a career in another branch as well as it gives the selection boards something else to work with. As I said, Pilot selection is tough so give yourself as good a chance as you can of being selected for something.

Good luck.

Part of the reason I'm going to university is that I didn't think new pilots would be being recruited for the forseeable future, plus I thought I would have a better chance if I had a degree than if I just had A-Levels. I'll be 19 at the end of the month and so I'll be 21 when I finish my course and 22 a few months after that so it's good to know about the 27 year old age limit as I thought it would be lower.

Thanks.

 

[Warwick Hunt]

Part of the reason I'm going to university is that I didn't think new pilots would be being recruited for the forseeable future, plus I thought I would have a better chance if I had a degree than if I just had A-Levels. I'll be 19 at the end of the month and so I'll be 21 when I finish my course and 22 a few months after that so it's good to know about the 27 year old age limit as I thought it would be lower.

Thanks.

One thing I will say is don't get bogged down thinking having a degree will give you any greater standing than someone coming in with just A levels. Aircrew is an aptitude-based position and regardless of how qualified you are, you either have the ability to be a Pilot or you don't. Plenty of candidates go to OASC with Masters degrees and fail miserably and plenty of candidates go with A levels and breeze the tests.

Something to consider.

 

[Stevienics]

Part of the reason I'm going to university is that I didn't think new pilots would be being recruited for the forseeable future, plus I thought I would have a better chance if I had a degree than if I just had A-Levels. I'll be 19 at the end of the month and so I'll be 21 when I finish my course and 22 a few months after that so it's good to know about the 27 year old age limit as I thought it would be lower.

Thanks.

They just fired a whole bunch of pilots in various phases of training as being surplus to needs. There is quite a bit of system workthrough before they get going again.

Make it an honours degree.

 

[Soon To Leave]

Get your first couple of years of uni under your belt and if you're still interested approach your local AFCO and see what the recruitment for pilots is then. That 2 years will give you plenty of time to consider other careers and joining your local UAS would be a good idea.

By the way.....

You don't have to be a pilot to fly with the RAF