Yes that’s exactly what my OC said, I am wanting to apply as a Pilot as flying has always been my thing since the age of 12. I have my PPL and Civilian Wings but I’m not blind to the fact the selection process is going to be extremely competitive and they may stop recruiting for it altogether.
My backup civilian career is Law through my degree in History or a move into teaching (another passion I discovered through RAFAC).
I am studying History so the vast majority of my work currently is independent essays, readings etc so I have always found time to balance it as I am a bit of a workaholic and often crunch through all my work quite early. I realise it will probably step up as I move in 2nd and 3rd year however.
This time last year I weighed up whether to leave RAFAC in favour of UAS at the start of my Uni degree. I signed up for an “open day” of sorts on freshers week, spoke to current Officer cadets and attended their town HQ.
I could immediately tell it wasn’t for me, their “Town HQ” was almost 2hrs away from my current accommodation and the atmosphere seemed somewhat unwelcoming (if that makes sense), so in the end I decided to throw everything into RAFAC and went for CWO, every camp, every award and course I can.
I don’t think I’m alone in the feeling with the UAS either as a friend who is a year older and is now an APO in RAFAC got the same impression a year earlier.
University is only 24 weeks a year, plenty of courses you can get on.
That is true, I do currently have a lot of flexibility in when I work as long as I meet deadlines, often times I do my essays (history degree) as soon as they are set and I am currently left with a decent amount of free time even when considering my part time job as well.
Yep.
The RAF pilot path is open for recruitment at the moment; I don’t know current numbers required or how the trg system limitations might cause future issues - although quite a few people are on holding posts pending different areas of trg.
How about applying now?? (Noted that you are already at uni.)
It is a reasonable point to raise at the Wing board. It should be possible by planning ahead.
Even before they merged the courses, I was able to get on one a few months out. If you can be flexible about dates so much the better.
I get why you might have been put off by UAS cadets, but be aware of how this can be perceived. I made a very similar decision and was put off by all the ‘Hooray Henry’ types in the UOTC and decided to join the ACF as a CFAV, where I could almost immediately become a detachment commander, and then the TA (as the Army Reserve was known at the time), in which I was quickly promoted to lcpl with actual private soldiers to lead (rather than a bunch of officer cadets taking it in turns to be in charge).
To cut a long story short, I thought this would all look great when I attended the Regular Commissions Board (as AOSB used to be called) and it went completely went against me. The interviewing officer took the view that UOTC had been specifically setup by the Army for people just like me: so why did I think I knew better? He put it to me that I’d wasted three years playing at it in the ACF and training to be a private soldier / JNCO in the TA when the OTC would’ve taught me how to be an officer.
Edit to add the obvious statement that I didn’t pass and remain an NCO.
I have spoken to multiple careers advisors about when to apply and they have said that I should apply no earlier than January 2026 (I graduate September 2026), so that leaves at least 1yr 2 months until I even submit my application not considering delays and the process itself which I know will likely run for months.
I’m just not sure what to do in within that time, the responses so far are definitely helping clarify my options
What if pilot role is closed off then?
What careers advisors / where? RAF Careers?
Ask RAF Careers what is the current lead time for filter interviews / aptitude tests/ medical, etc? What is the current time frame (one yr?) to re-apply if initial selection is not successful? Factor these points into your thinking.
Yes I have spoken to RAF Careers both in person and online and they said the same thing, a January 2026 date.
Of course yes that is risk and if it is closed I will have to reconsider my options
Thanks for the response
Well, in the last few yrs, pilot role has been closed down / paused at least twice (?) that I’m aware of.
What would be the disadvantages (if any) of applying now? You said you were 19 now, say 19.6 months - applying in Jan 2026 = 21.10 months. If, by the time you get through the selection phases, you are unsuccessful, that could be another 6 (?) months = 22.4 months - wait one yr = too old (23) to re-apply.
Calculate on your exact age & see how it comes out.
I had a similar experience - I joined the TA at 17, and popped along to UOTC when I went to uni 18 months later: bunch of braying wretches in red trousers, I legged it on the second day as I’d rather have licked a tramps feet than spend another day in that baleful company.
Went to AOSB and was challenged in the same way - my response was that I was happy to serve before proposing to lead, that by serving on the TA I’d had the opportunity to get the experience of a tour which had cemented my desire to join the regular army, and that training officer candidates was RMAS’s job.
I was also pretty bolshie in return - I asked my interviewing officer if she thought that officers who’d been in the UOTC were better officers than those who’d only been to RMAS…
(My personal experience was that officers who’d been to UOTC were the most institutionalised, the least imaginative, and the most likely to close ranks around poor behaviour)
I’m not a fan…
My 21-year-old self was nowhere near that bolshie. Good for you though.