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

[FlightPathUnknown]

Boom King,
i'm surprised that even though your application was in, and you had gone through medical exam(s), you still have to wait....then again i'm not sure how the system works, but I would have guessed that you would have a spot at least

 

[rdane042]

Hi Guys,

I am also on the same boat, recently completed my Medical and Interview, but was told that no spot was available and I should give them a follow up call on April 2011.
I am working as an engineer but, as aviation has been my passion since I was a young boy, I finally managed to get my PPL and CPL and I am currently pursuing my Flight Instructor rating.
I think besides continuing my boring desk job and trying to stay in shape, this can be a good excuse to keep up flying while waiting for a call from CFRC within next 8 to 10 months!!! ...

Good luck everyone!

 

[Folgers]

I have a question for pilots that have done or are doing OJT – I’m wondering how conducive the life is to keeping a steady place of residence within the city you are doing your OJT. Or do you bounce around enough on the various courses that a yearly lease on an apartment is not really practical? I realize that Moosejaw will require getting rid of my place, but given the training backlogs I hear of, that is still a ways away for me.

The reason I’m wondering about this issue is because I’m heading off to BMOQ for Sept 27th, and I have the opportunity to sublet my place until I’m back in Winnipeg (where I’d like to do my OJT) at which point I could move back in (saving me the hassle of moving stuff, etc). Or am I better off to save the hassle and just go clean slate right from the start?

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[MAJONES]

Odds are that you will be posted to one place for OJT and stay there for the duration.  I only know of one fellow that got his posting changed during OJT, and he had to talk very fast to the powers that be to make it happen.  That means that keeping a residence should be very little trouble.  I know that the short courses (Aeromedical Training and Survival Training) are all temporary duty which means that you don't pay quarters while you are there.  I'm not sure about the longer courses (PFT and BFT).  I know that some of the fellows on my course kept primary residences elsewhere and I don't think they got charged for quarters (but I do believe they had to pay rations).

 

[Flyer1987]

Hey guys, saw that some of you that got offer letters are starting course in September. I will possibly see some of you there in November since I was told that I only have to do BMOQ part II Nov. 4th-Dec. 17th. I have been in the reserves since 2005 while I was in university. My question is regarding part II and whether or not it is difficult to enter training half way through a course. Not really familiar with the transition between the two parts especially regarding the level of PT that will be involved and how someone would be injected into an existing course, if that is even the way it is done. Just wondering if anyone here had any knowledge on this. Thanks

 

[brian_k]

I’m wondering how conducive the life is to keeping a steady place of residence within the city you are doing your OJT. Or do you bounce around enough on the various courses that a yearly lease on an apartment is not really practical?

A few CEOTP OJT's on my wing bought houses even though everyone said they wouldn't be here very long. They are now really happy that they did since it has been 2+ years they are waiting. I'm not say buy a house but definitely keep your apartment. The only down side, albeit very small, is that for some reason you don't get Winnipeg for OJT.

 

[Folgers]

Majones and Brian K - thanks for answering my question!

 

[SkyHeff]

@Flyer1987: I just finished BMOQ and we had a bunch of UTPNCM's, BOTP'ers and guys that had Reserve BMQ join our course in Week 8. We lost about 5 of those to the Express Test as they failed to meet the minimum's at St-Jean for PT. All the rest had no real problems transitioning into the course, the biggest one was over having to get rid of the cap badges they earned and put the Corn Flake on. Once they 'adjusted' back into the CFLRS way of doing things, it was smooth sailing and we appreciated having them and their outside experience on course (especially reminding us that life outside CFLRS was vastly different, haha).

Edit: On a side note, while it may be different with DEO's than us low salaried ROTP's, don't remind us how much more you get paid with your reserve time than us 

 

[Zoomie]

the biggest one was over having to get rid of the cap badges they earned and put the Corn Flake on.

Funny enough - there is no reference that states the member must relinquish their cap-badge - it seems as though the course staff was imposing their personal beliefs.  I did BOTC 2 and never wore a cornflake, I wore it once before, many years before that and was never going to wear it again.

Joining mid-course is a no brainer.  You still have to live through the normal chicken-poop and really won't learn much more than you already know/knew.  Personally I found that I had lots of time to sleep and enjoy the Quebec countryside.

 

[SkyHeff]

@

Funny enough - there is no reference that states the member must relinquish their cap-badge - it seems as though the course staff was imposing their personal beliefs.

This one actually came down from the CO of the school at the time. I remember our staff saying 'if you guys don't like it, then please, feel free to go talk to the Sergeant-Major about it' lol.

@

Personally I found that I had lots of time to sleep and enjoy the Quebec countryside

On that note, the two guys in my pod that came Week 8 did get an extra hour or two a night. They'd call it after duty staff came by.

 

[brian_k]

Here is a little update for those that are interested.

I am finally going to Moose Jaw, Hurray. My course date has bounced around a lot but it seems like the theme was a large push back of the date then a gradual shift forward. It would be a couple zero load courses in the winter that move everything back then slowly move up. This latest shift moved me from Feb 2011 up to this November =). My total wait was less than expected. I thought the wait for BFT was going to be 2+ years but it turned out to only be 1.7 years. The Moose Jaw wait seems to be getting short but that being said there is still a decent wait for PFT if you are CEOTP or DEO. They just bumped a bunch of people from PFT this winter and moved them back to probably July. Anyway, I thought I would just share the OJT times will hopefully shrink with time. Good luck to everyone.

 

[DesertFox]

brian_k,

When you say your BFT wait of 1.7 years, is that from being put on the list after SLT or 1.7 years after PFT?
Thanks

 

[brian_k]

When you say your BFT wait of 1.7 years, is that from being put on the list after SLT or 1.7 years after PFT?

I was ROTP and got luck and managed to do PFT between 3rd and 4th year and I didn't have to take SLT. My wait started after graduation in April 2009 and I will be starting course in Dec 2010. Are you CEOTP or DEO?

 

[SupersonicMax]

My total wait was less than expected. I thought the wait for BFT was going to be 2+ years but it turned out to only be 1.7 years. The Moose Jaw wait seems to be getting short but that being said there is still a decent wait for PFT if you are CEOTP or DEO. They just bumped a bunch of people from PFT this winter and moved them back to probably July. Anyway, I thought I would just share the OJT times will hopefully shrink with time. Good luck to everyone.

So all that bitching for no reason!

 

[TimBit]

Well, seriously... 1.7 years (what does that even mean anyway??? 1 year 8 months???) is still a long time. For DEO`s, this still looks like 4-5 yrs if not more to Wings-time for me. That is a LONG time.

 

[DesertFox]

I was ROTP and got luck and managed to do PFT between 3rd and 4th year and I didn't have to take SLT. My wait started after graduation in April 2009 and I will be starting course in Dec 2010. Are you CEOTP or DEO?

I'm DEO, heading off to BMOQ in January. So for rotp you are added to the bft list after graduation I assume. For DEO is it after SLT or PFT that you're added to the BFT waitlist?

 

[Zoomie]

For DEO is it after SLT or PFT that you're added to the BFT waitlist?

You will be moved on to the Phase 2 waiting list upon successful completion of Phase 1.  Don't fret too much about the whole DEO vs ROTP - most RMC grads are not attending PFT in between school years - they are being loaded upon graduation.

 

[brian_k]

So all that bitching for no reason!

Yeah, I was pleasantly surprised by the latest schedule update. Instead the expected early to mid 2011 date I got bumped up to Nov 10. I think that was about the happiest one person can be from looking at an excel sheet.

 

[Silentstriker01]

Hey all, sorry for resurrecting such an old thread but I didn't want to start a new one. Today I went in for medical (I'm applying for pilot). For the eye test I received 20/20 in one eye left and 20/50 in my right eye. Needless to say this hit me like a ton of bricks as I have never, ever experienced problems with my vision in my life. They referred me to their optometrist who faxes the result of his exam to the medical office. I go on Tuesday. Am I disqualified from being a pilot with one eye 20/50? The physicians assistant who conducted the exam didn't know.

If I see a 20/20 eye chart, I can read it no problem with both eyes open. If the optometrist (who knows the requirements because they send all their pilots to him and they pay him) says I'm okay, will the 20/50 score in the office DSQ me? I am hoping that was just a freak result because I had 20/20 in my both eyes in a test earlier this year.

Any comments are appreciated even if their bad news, at least I'll know and I won't have to stress.

 

[Corey Darling]

Unless they have changed the rules again, you still qualify for pilot. I have worse vision than you and I was accepted.

Cheers and good luck