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

[SupersonicMax]

I know in order to become an officer you require post secondary education, essentially, a diploma from a recognised university.

I have my Transport Canada Commercial Licence, aswell as an FAA Airline Transport licence, with experience in turbines, aswell as business jets. I have geared my life towards aviation, and never ended up getting a degree. Is there anyway that my experience can be credited as post secondary education? Would it be enough to justify allowing entry into the CEOTP (I know there is no demand for pilots in the CEOTP at this time)?

Any advice would be great.

Thanks in advance.

Bottom line is no.  It will not be considered post-secondary education (it isn't after all).  You will be exempt from doing Aircrew Selection and Primary Flying Training (wether it's a good thing or not is debatable).

My question to you:  Is it a coincidence that you want to join the military as a pilot during the tough economic times in the aviation and the layoffs/hard time to find a flying job?  If so, keep in mind that if you are accepted, you will have to do at least 2.5-3 years before you get your pilot wings.

 

[WannaBeFlyer]

Wait 'til closer to end of Fiscal Year...spots might open up.

I held on to that last year and later learned that there were only five CEOTP spots available to serving members. 1.5 years and counting.  :-\

 

[Elwood]

I held on to that last year and later learned that there were only five CEOTP spots available to serving members. 1.5 years and counting.  :-\

I went through basic (Aug-Nov 08) with 5 CEOTP pilots in my platoon alone. And there were other CEOTP pilots in other platoons too, so I don't buy the recruiting centre saying "there are only 5 spots open, so you might as not try." If you have a commercial licence, apply for sure. You'll by-pass BFT, which is adding huge wait times to people without commercial licences.

 

[Elwood]

And there are relatively few 2Lt pilots (OJT-ers waiting for BFT or PFT) that I met who were DEO. Most of them are either RMC, ROTP or CEOTP.

 

[lyncher]

Bottom line is no.  It will not be considered post-secondary education (it isn't after all).  You will be exempt from doing Aircrew Selection and Primary Flying Training (wether it's a good thing or not is debatable).

My question to you:  Is it a coincidence that you want to join the military as a pilot during the tough economic times in the aviation and the layoffs/hard time to find a flying job?  If so, keep in mind that if you are accepted, you will have to do at least 2.5-3 years before you get your pilot wings.

My experience isnt post secondary education, however my licences are. And no its not a coincidence, as my flight department isnt affected too much by the economy, for reasons Im not willing to discuss. I have a solid job right now, and the reason why I am asking about flying for the forces isn't to hop in an F18 or anything, I want to do something meaningful with my skills.

Oh and I read a thread earlier where someone stated that someones experience wasnt enough to get them into an aircraft that the CF flies, well I have a C130 type on my licence... So my experience is somewhat related to something.

 

[WannaBeFlyer]

Your best bet is to visit a recruiting centre. Good luck

 

[SupersonicMax]

My experience isnt post secondary education, however my licences are.

Depends where you got your licenses. If you got them from an acredited aviation college, you may be in luck. Otherwise, no matter how many hours you have, it is not considered post-secondary. 

I have a solid job right now, and the reason why I am asking about flying for the forces isn't to hop in an F18 or anything, I want to do something meaningful with my skills.

That's good.  There are just too many civilian pilots that think they can get a free ride in the CF during an economic downturn and they don't realize that they won't see a cockpit for at least a year after they enrol and they won't be out of the training mill for an other 2 after that.

Oh and I read a thread earlier where someone stated that someones experience wasnt enough to get them into an aircraft that the CF flies, well I have a C130 type on my licence... So my experience is somewhat related to something.

While your experience on the aircraft type is probably a good thing, you'll still have to go through the same training as everyone else.  There are skills we learn and use every day in the CF that you most likely never learned civi-side.  Plus, that experience doesn't guarantee success (as I said many times before, I know a guy with 3000+ hours fail the Basic Flying course) and it doesn't guarantee a slot on the C-130.

You are certainly not the first one to go through the CF pilot training with hours and licenses.  Nobody else got a free pass.  I had my Canadian CPL and I didn't get any exemption.

 

[Elwood]

Your aptitude test will be valid, however, I would write it again if I were you and not rely on the score you got when you were 17.

 

[SupersonicMax]

I went through basic (Aug-Nov 08) with 5 CEOTP pilots in my platoon alone. And there were other CEOTP pilots in other platoons too, so I don't buy the recruiting centre saying "there are only 5 spots open, so you might as not try." If you have a commercial licence, apply for sure. You'll by-pass BFT, which is adding huge wait times to people without commercial licences.

I have met only 1 CEOTP pilot during my training. 

Little correction, you'll by-pass PFT vice BFT... 

 

[Zoomie]

Do you how long the CFAT is valid for? I wrote it in 2002, when I was thinking of joining the reserves. I don't remember them giving me a score, but I could have picked any NCM trade/occupation at the time.

Plan on doing another CFAT since this time you are applying to be an Officer.

Keep in mind that you do require post-secondary education to be a Pilot in CF. CEOTP is not always open for all trades in the CF - AFAIK they are not accepting any CEOTP Pilot positions at the moment.  You need a degree, if you don't have one.....

 

[aesop081]

Plan on doing another CFAT since this time you are applying to be an Officer.

Makes no difference. I did not have to redo the CFAT just because i applied to go officer.

 

[Zoomie]

Sounds like you want an "easy button" solution - the only one that comes to mind involves you moving to Winnipeg and being a Reservist.

The precedence has been set in the past whereby high-time civi-fliers have been accepted into the CF as a Reservist and posted to the Dash-8 squadron in the Peg.  They bypassed PFT, BFT and went direct to the multi-school.  Their employment in the CF is limited to only flying the Dash-8 as a Reservist.  If anything more was requested, that person would have to (a) get a degree, and (b) go to MJ and get BFT under his/her belt.

 

[Zoomie]

Makes no difference. I did not have to redo the CFAT just because i applied to go officer.

I guess it all depends - because contrary to your experience, I sat the CFAT when I was transferring to the RegF as an Officer.

 

[aesop081]

I sat the CFAT when I was transferring to the RegF as an Officer.

Yah but that was when Christ was an LAC 

 

[lyncher]

Im in no way looking for a free ride. I realize I will have to start from the beginning. Civilian pilots have bad habits and lack SOPs, Im simply looking for a way in, and was hoping that my experience could possibly be the way in.

 

[helijamie]

This is my first post.

I am 43 and have 20/20 uncorrected vision. No medical problems. Low time commercial helicopter pilot. Approx 250 hours.

I am an orthopaedic surgeon and have an interview this month with the local recruiting office. I am planning to join the Health Services Primary Reserve List. I hope to fulfill the basic requirements before the end of the year and become deployable.

I am curious. Am I too old to be trained as a military pilot? How long does it take? What is the age of retirement?

Thank you.

 

[C1Dirty]

Jamie

Can only tell you what I know, which happens to be very little.  I wouldn't think that you're too old and can tell you that training to Wings stnd takes between 3 to 5 yrs.  At one time there was a reserve rotary wing pilot program that you could look into but I think it may have gone the way of the dodo.

My guess, though, is that you are far more valuable as a surgeon than as a pilot.  I've heard of a number of pilots cross training to doctor but not the other way around, but why not?  I'd rather fly than do real work, too.

 

[Zoomie]

I am an orthopaedic surgeon and have an interview this month with the local recruiting office. I am planning to join the Health Services Primary Reserve List.

Need a few more details from you.  Do you want to be a doctor or a pilot?  You can't do both on a professional basis.  If you want to become a CF Pilot - you must join the RegF, take a huge pay cut, wait up to 3-4 years making low pay.  If you really want to put your skills to work in the CF, join as a Surgeon, go overseas and really make a difference.

 

[PMedMoe]

Agreed.  The CF is crying for doctors.  Yes, they need pilots too, but the waiting list is long (read competitive) and only so much training can be done in any given year.  Join the Regs as a doctor and do the flying as a hobby.  You'll get one heck of a signing bonus, too!

 

[Loachman]

If you want to be a Reserve helicopter pilot, you need to live within reasonable commuting distance of a Squadron, have about 250 more hours and an instrument rating, and apply for the HELICOP programme. Do a search on the site for more info regarding that.