Scudrunners

[quote author=David MacRay link=topic=4862.msg12502#msg12502 date=1479164634]
When I was 20 something I wanted to fly fighters but was much too large.
[/quote]

I tried to make a go of military aviation when I was younger, didn't work out so well.

When I applied I was already a pilot, had a wall full of certificates in dangerous things and a hell of a lot more leadership experience than most people my age (courtesy of joining a search and rescue team at the tender age of 17).  They sent me off to CFB Trenton for aircrew selection, which I passed easily, then on to DRDC Downsview for a Canadian Forces aircrew medical which caused me no difficulties either.

I nailed my interview (you always know when you've nailed an interview) and after we finished the recruiter said "We want you in the Canadian Forces but...."  My academics weren't really good enough for the entry plan I was trying to get, and academics were rated as much more important than experience by the selection board.  It takes exponentially more effort to be a 95% student than an 85% student and I thought that my effort would be better spent holding down 2 jobs and working 6 days a week in grade 12.  The Canadian Forces didn't agree.  They did offer me a job a couple months later, Infantry Officer.  I took it, for a while, then decided it wasn't for me and quit.  Sometimes I still wonder if that was the right choice, or just my immaturity showing.  My life would sure look different than it does today.

If I had made it into the Air Force my top choice would have been tactical helicopter, and I would have pushed hard to get posted to 427 SOAS.  I also liked the idea of going down the fast jet path, but I also knew that those guys really didn't get to fly very much so I found that to be off putting.  I would have been happy flying anything that the military has to offer though.

I often toy with ideas of what I would do for a flying job if money was no object.

Helicopters are high on the list, especially in my part of the world (BC).  I ride around on helicopters quite a bit for my volunteer work and it never ceases to amaze me the places they can drop me into in nasty conditions for a toe in or a hover exit while holding that machine rock solid while I do my thing.  It wouldn't surprise me at all if some of the guys I regularly work with could pick your hat off your head with a long line without touching a hair. 

Airshow flying has its appeal too.  Flying exciting maneuvers in hot airplanes for a crowd would definitely be engaging.  I'd be surprised if that hasn't crossed every pilot's mind at some point.

Water bombing, definitely water bombing.  Getting to do real hands and feet flying in big airplanes at low level and perform an important service.  Especially if it were on a CL415 or something similar.

Last, and probably most realistic for me as a retirement job would be some sort of bush/light charter flying.  The local operators seem to see a fair bit of variety flying to different places and doing things like fire patrols, wildlife tracking, boat counts etc.  It probably wouldn't look too different from the flying that I pay to do now.  A step up from that, but in the same vein would be the sort of thing that Kenn Borek does up north and down south or what Susi Air does in the jungles of Indonesia.

As often is the case, hindsight is interesting.

Once I stopped at the recruitment center to ask what I needed to do. After talking about cardio and how if it was strong enough they might over look not being able to make the chart weight. They told me that you could never know what might pop up as that years new item to weed people out. Like a push up minimum.

I found it interesting that at that time, the guy in charge of trying to talk you into joining was doing such a good job of talking me out of applying. "Ok then. I guess this is probably not an option."

[quote]I also liked the idea of going down the fast jet path, but I also knew that those guys really didn't get to fly very much so I found that to be off putting.[/quote]
After moving on from any aspirations of Canadian Forces. I had a buddy tell me about his friend from high school who was flying CF-18s. He told me at the time guys were barely getting enough flight time to stay current. At that point I was single so even though it was just 172s and I was not flying every week, I flew at least a couple of times a month. So in a way I was probably better off.

I often had people find out how expensive flight training was ask, "Why don't you join the military and get it for free?"

It's a toss up between float flying in the Yukon and my current position for vastly different reasons. From a purely enjoyment of flying standpoint, float flying in the Yukon. For overall lifestyle: Current position. Unfortunately I'm not a liberty to discuss the current position on public forums, but it's a pretty sweet gig.

E

I would think the best flying job is flying without the job part  ;)

[quote author=DeflectionShot link=topic=4862.msg12595#msg12595 date=1479583871]
I would think the best flying job is flying without the job part  ;)
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good point, however I sometimes appreciate the random charter aspect to explore this world.
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[quote author=David MacRay link=topic=4862.msg12516#msg12516 date=1479209975]
I often had people find out how expensive flight training was ask, "Why don't you join the military and get it for free?"
[/quote]


You may not have to pay for it, but it sure as hell isn't free.


After leaving the military life has treated me very well.  Good job, airplane, houses, vehicles, travel etc.  I tumbled almost directly from there into the job I've had now for 11 years (that's probably the reason I never reapplied to be a pilot, it's tough to leave a solid, well paid job for Officer Cadet's wages).  I definitely feel a twinge of regret though when I go to an airshow and see the Hornet ripping around or the snowbirds doing their thing.  The thing that bothers me the most is that I'll never know if I was really good enough to fly that kind of equipment at that level.

[quote author=DeflectionShot link=topic=4862.msg12595#msg12595 date=1479583871]
I would think the best flying job is flying without the job part  ;)

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I fly entirely for fun and it's wonderful.  Sometimes it would be nice if my flying had a purpose to it though.  If money became no object for me I'd probably go find a challenging flying job somewhere just for that. 

[quote]If I had made it into the Air Force my top choice would have been tactical helicopter, and I would have pushed hard to get posted to 427 SOAS.  I also liked the idea of going down the fast jet path, but I also knew that those guys really didn't get to fly very much so I found that to be off putting.  I would have been happy flying anything that the military has to offer though.[/quote]

Army aviation would have been my first choice as well. But there was absolutely no hope for me getting into the RCAF (I wore glasses and surgical vision correction hadn't been invented yet). Besides math wasn't my strongest subject and I have a problem with authority so it wasn't a good fit  ;).

Unfortunately army aviation is the Cinderella arm of the RCAF. I get the impression that tactical aviation is the equivalent to a punishment detail in the air force where fighter jocks rule. That's a good argument for a separate army aviation component but that's not likely to happen in our lifetimes.