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

[Inch]

Macklinen, how old are you? I was 5' nuthin when I started highschool, when I was 15 I grew about 6 inches in what seemed like a few monthsr. My mom is 4'11" too.

Cheers

 

[Macklinen]

I've got a year left of high school, and I'm female. I won't be growing anymore than a couple more inches, if i grow anymore. Women generally tend to be on the shorter side of the spectrum.

 

[AmmoTech90]

Slightly off-topic, ref the US military and eye surgery.  Talking to a Marine down here in Haiti, they can be provided with it for free.  This is only if your supervisor/OC/CO/boss will sign off on you not being deployed for a year.  Not a bad perk, good vision and a break from their hectic deployments.
I understand the height restrictions are due to ejection requirements, do the different seats have different requirements?

 

[nULL]

The ejection seat measurement is the one for the trainer that everyone uses - I think I read that somewhere.....
I don't know what it is for Canada, but I'd imagine the requirements are fairly similar between Western nations that fly similar aircraft.

Height - minimum 163 and maximum 193cm.
Sitting Height - maximum 100cm.
Buttock to knee length - maximum 67cm.
Buttock to heel length - maximum 122cm.

4 feet 11 inches = 149.86 centimeters ---> you may be out of luck.

 

[Macklinen]

are the height req'mts the same for all kinds of pilots? or do they differ from multi engine, to helicopter, to fighter?

 

[nULL]

If I've read my info right (perhaps a real pilot can confirm) they all start out on the same aircraft. Everyone. From there they go off to specialized rotary, multiengined, and jet aircraft training - but the initial trainer is the same. The trainer has an ejection seat, so I'm guessing that aircraft is the "line". This is all going from what I've researched, but I'm pretty sure I'm right. PM Zoomie or the Sea King dude to be sure.

 

[nULL]

If I've read my info right (perhaps a real pilot can confirm) they all start out on the same aircraft. Everyone. From there they go off to specialized rotary, multiengined, and jet aircraft training - but the initial trainer is the same. The trainer has an ejection seat,so I'm guessing that aircraft is the "line". This is all going from what I've researched, but I'm pretty sure I'm right. PM Zoomie or the Sea King dude to be sure.

http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/equip/equip1o_e.asp

Here's the trainer.

 

[Macklinen]

Thnx nULL, uve been really helpful!

 

[nULL]

Just what I've read. To clarify, the measurements I posted are the base pilot requirements for the Australian Air Force, which I am only assuming mirror the Canadian ones. Also, I'm not sure if the trainer has an ejection seat - the jet trainer definetely would, but would a prop driven aircraft? Something to ponder. Anyways, you still have plenty of time to grow while you get your degree, which is something you WILL need.

 

[Macklinen]

Whats the best route to take, to get a degree through the force, and is one actually serving the RCAF while earning the degree?

 

[nULL]

http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/pilot/Pilot_e.pdf

clicking that link will allow you to download a PDF file that will have all the answers to your questions, in particular the entry plans.

 

[Zoomie]

nULL is correct in his statements.  The height requirement is based on our fleet of ejection seat capable aircraft.  If your knees stuck out too much, you would lose them when departing the aircraft (aka ejecting).  If you are too short (4'11" is too short - sorry) you would never be able to touch the rudder pedals and therefore never be able to recover from an inadvertant spin - this has happened in the past, lessons learned.

 

[Inch]

The height and other measurements are all based on the worst case scenario for all aircraft so to speak.  Leg length is important since if your legs are too long, as Zoomie said, you'll be a whole lot shorter if you eject.  On the flip side, if your legs are too short you won't reach the pedals in a chopper.  The pedals in the Harvard move quite a bit and I never had a problem reaching them, the Jet Ranger for basic helo school is a little different case, the pedals don't move as much and I had to use a cushion behind me to push me forward enough to reach them fully.  Of course there are limits to how many cushions you can use, 1 being the max. Sitting height is the same sort of thing, too tall = bad for ejection seats and Jet Rangers, too short is bad for ejection seats (your head won't rest on the head rest, which is very important) and you'll have trouble seeing out of the bigger airplanes. Even your reach is important, if you've got the inertia reel locked on your seat you won't be able to reach certain switches. So, being short isn't necessarily a problem flying jets since the seat and pedals move, but flying helicopters it's a problem since the seats don't move and the pedals are rather limited in the range of motion.  They only hire people that can do all jobs, it gives them better flexibility in sending you to the different communities after you finish Moose Jaw.

As for the CT156 Harvard II, it's got a Martin Baker Mk 16 ejection seat, the same one that's in the CT155 Hawk and will be in the Joint Strike Fighter.

 

[bobs28]

i was planning on going through rmc to get my degree to  become a pilot, does anyone know how tough it is to get in there, or is it based on what occupation you want to go into (like if they need one occupation you will get in easier)? are they still short on pilots, a year ago i was listening to the radio and the recruiter on a radio show said they were short something like 60 pilots out of the 90 they expected to join?

 

[rdschultz]

For what its worth, a couple guys posted on here that they were the only ones to pass aircrew selection, got offers for RMC, but those offers were for other trades.  From the CF's point of view, it takes 7 (I think?) years for an RMC applicant to get his/her wings, but 2 or 3 for a DEO applicant. 

I'll dig those posts up for you, if I can, because it'll probably mean more from their perspective, than from mine.

 

[rdschultz]

Here's one:  http://army.ca/forums/threads/1596.0.html

Here's the other one, just for shits and giggles.  It doesn't help though, because I just directed him to the the first one. 
http://army.ca/forums/threads/2090.0.html

 

[nULL]

It would take 7 years for a DEO applicant anyway. DEO's have to have a degree. Degrees usually take 4 years. Add 3 years to get wings, and there you go.

 

[rdschultz]

Right, which is why I said from the CF's point of view.  I can see how when they have a massive shortage of people, the DEO option is more appealing to them, so they probably rely on it more.

From the applicants perspective, there is no difference in timeline. 

Also, just to clarify,  I'm not trying to disuade bobs28 from applying for RMC, just trying to provide information so he keeps all his options open.  More or less I'm trying to point out that because there is a shortage, that does not mean that they're accepting lots of RMC/ROTP applicants for the Pilot trade.

 

[bobs28]

hmm so i guess if i dont get accepted for pilot for rmc, but someother moc, i should just try and get a degree elsewhere and try for deo after?

 

[rdschultz]

Thats something you'll have to decide for yourself.  Be sure to talk to recruiters too.  There are pro's and con's to either choice, so you have to figure out whats best for you.

There are a lot of other great trades in the CF that you might excel at, so don't rule out the possibility of trying something else.  But it seems that people who want to be pilots REALLY want to be pilots, so this probably isn't a very convincing argument.