How difficult is it to move up from air crew to pilot, anyone here had experience of this !!!

Hi James,

Hopefully I can provide some information on this for you. I have also invited Matthew Simpson (AAC) to add his thoughts and confirm any information below.

Rear aircrew (otherwise known as 'Aviation Crewman') is an exciting soldier role, that allows you to work in the back of a helicopter such as a Wildcat or Bell 212. Carrying out tasks such as navigation, reconnaissance, flight planning, operating the weapon systems, refuelling, to name but a few, you are a fully integrated member of the flying team working closely alongside the pilots.

Unlike the RAF and Navy, we do not offer direct entry into the role, so you will need to begin your career as an Airtrooper (private equivalent), either as a 'Groundcrew Specialist' or a 'Communication Specialist'. Once you have completed your training, you can submit an aircrew application through your chain of command, stating your preference to become an 'Aviation Crewman'. You will then need to pass flying aptitude tests (if you Google 'CBAT', this should give you an idea of what to expect), which take place over the course of one day at RAF Cranwell, and subsequently complete an aircrew medical.

Another prerequisite for this role is you need to be recommended Lance Corporal (it can take between 2-4 years for recommendation for your first promotion). With all the above complete, you are ready to begin flying training, which takes place at RAF Shawbury alongside RAF and Navy personnel, lasting approximately 8 months. You come out of training as a LCpl, receiving your coveted half wings.

So, going back to your question. Hypothetically, a few years have passed, you have qualified as an 'Aviation Crewman' and you decide you wish to become a pilot? This is possible (Mr Simpson might be able to clarify), and I know someone who has done this in the past, however there are a few things you might wish to consider.

Firstly, when you complete the aptitude test, you will receive scores for various roles, including pilot. Typically, if you have passed the mark for pilot, you will have the option to continue with pilot selection (even if you didn't initially express interest in this). Just some information for your awareness, this route includes completing an aircrew medical (as above), with the addition of something called 'Army Flying Grading', where you spend roughly 5 weeks flying a fixed-wing aircraft; the purpose of this is to assess your flying capabilities. You will also have a final interview/ assessment board, which you will need to pass.

If you wish to go down the route of pilot having already been a crewman, you will need to go through the pilot selection as above. If you didn't reach the aptitude requirement for pilot, you will need to ensure this is met. If you did pass, you might need to resit the tests due to the time that has elapsed (I know in the RAF, your aptitude expires after 3 years). You might also need to demonstrate why you opted for crewman over pilot first time round, and why your career path has changed. Becoming a pilot in the AAC is a very competitive career path.

Another point to consider is age. You need to be loaded onto your flying training before you turn 30. Going through your basic solider/ AAC training (~1 year), achieving recommendation for Lance Corporal (~2-4 years), going through crewman training (~1 year; you might need to wait for a course date/ allocation), completing minimum service post training as a crewman (I believe this is 6 years), completing any flying selection events (can take up to a year), allocation on flying training (again, there can be a wait for a number of reasons); there isn't a huge amount of room for manoeuvre, but it is possible.

I hope the above has helped answer your question. Good luck with your future AAC aviation career, no matter which route you decide to go down.

James,

There is very little that I can add to the comprehensive reply from Amie.

My advice would echo what Amie has already stated. Although It is possible to move from aircrew to pilot, the time frame would be hard to meet.

I wish you all the best with your application.