Careers and stuff

Dukat

Resident Freddy
Joined
Jan 10, 2004
Messages
5,396
Hey all

I'm in college at the moment, studying for a HND and hopefully going on to get a degree.

I've always hoped to become a pilot in the RAF when I finally finish getting my education. I plan to go to an RAF recruitment center and find out exactly what I need etc next year when I will have a better idea of my results for my current course.

I've just been trying to sort a driving licence form, and got to the part about eyesight. This is one thing thats always been a concern for me about becoming a pilot, as with my eyesight I'm not sure if they'll accept me or not.

I dont wear glasses but I do have some around somewhere, they are not meant to be worn unless I need them, as my vision was always considered boarderline, with the glasses just being there incase.

I've never really worn them as my vision isnt all that bad, not enough to hinder me in the work I've been doing between college (labourer/brick layer). I suppose it might be a result of too many hours on computers, but there we go.

Does anyone know how good your vision needs to be to become a pilot? I've read several discussions about people with similar concerns, supposedly they do not let people who need glasses start pilot training, however I do know that you do not need perfect vision to be considered. I imagine they would give you an eye test to find out for sure. I intend to sort a visit to the opticians asap to have a word about it all.

I've been worrying alot about this lately, as becoming a pilot has always been one of those ambitions that you never really imagine being about to fulfill, but I've finally got to the point where I might just have enough to consider doing it, and the thought of having this dream crushed because my eyes aren't up to scratch is enough to make me sick :(

I guess the only way to find out for sure is to go to the recruitment center, but I really dont want to go there untill I know for sure that I'll have enough qualifications for them to even consider me.

I wouldnt mind flying the oldest, most beat up chopper they have in circles all day, every day, if only I could get the job :(
 

Outlander

Part of the furniture
Joined
Aug 14, 2004
Messages
3,069
i know a guy who is a pilot/engineer and he wears contacts, although I have no idea if he needed glasses when he signed up or if it was a bit further down the line. Can always get eye laser surgery if they say nonono :)
 

Ezteq

Queen of OT
Joined
Jan 4, 2004
Messages
13,457
my bf had the same thing he suggests going to the RAF recrutment place and asking them for the list of vision requirements if they dont know they will be able to assist you and give you a print out of the things you need which you can take to your optition and he'll test you to see if you meet the standards.

10 years ago when he wanted to join they wouldnt allow you to join if you had glasses or had had corrective surgery, i'd strongly recommend doing this and finding out now if you can join up before its too late so that if your dont pass (and here's hoping you do get through) you can make alternitave arrangements.

an option my bf's dad suggested (he was a flight instructor in the uk raf) was to look in to joining up with the canadian, new zealand or australian air force as they have different eye sight requirements.

hope this helps you buddy good luck with it, keep us posted on how you get on eh?

g'luck
/hug
 

tris-

Failed Geordie and Parmothief
Joined
Jan 2, 2004
Messages
15,260
i thought a pilot needed perfect vision without anything aiding it?

btw, dont wait for your exam marks or what ever it is, just go down and do the test thingies and tell them your predictions and what not.

i went into to be a communications bod, and they said i was best suited for building weapons! so you never know what they will match you upto anyway
 

Dukat

Resident Freddy
Joined
Jan 10, 2004
Messages
5,396
Cheers for the advice :)

I'll have to sort out going to the recruitment centre soon then, I'm a little apprehensive, I hadnt planned to go there untill I'm on the next year of the course and getting on with it.

The reason for this is because I always like to beable to have confidence and beable to back that confidence up with facts - meaning I'd like to go there knowing that I'll soon have a HND and potentially be only a year away from a full degree, rather than going there acting confident, then finding out I'm not even on the next year of my current course (I would retake the year but it wouldnt exactly look good with the recruitment people).

I'll probably wait for my exam results first, should get them any day now.

Tris; from what I've heard pilots don't need perfect unaided vision, the information I got was along the lines of:

"Visual function below the minimum standard is a frequent cause of rejection of applicants for pilot training. Vision in each eye unaided must not be worse than 6/12, and each eye must be correctable to 6/6. There are also other medical requirements."

Although this was from the army rather than airforce, I wouldn't mind going for army rather than air force if that allowed me to join up as a pilot though.
 

Deepfat

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Dec 25, 2003
Messages
294
Why not just join the US airforce? You're eyesight can be so poor that you can't tell a friendly target from an enemy one and they don't seem to mind...
 

Morchaoron

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
2,714
Here you cant become a airforce pilot of you have lenses or glasses...

you could go for 'lasering' but thats not a very good idea if you're still young since your eyes will be bad again in no time (usually)

another option would be lens surgery, where they simply replace your real (crappy) lenses with artificial ones which will be good for the rest of your life!
 

Commandment

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Jun 25, 2004
Messages
973
Deepfat said:
Why not just join the US airforce? You're eyesight can be so poor that you can't tell a friendly target from an enemy one and they don't seem to mind...

thats evul ^^
 

Dukat

Resident Freddy
Joined
Jan 10, 2004
Messages
5,396
Freezerburn said:
or just become a pirate. sounds nearly the same

:confused:

How do you mean??

I dont have an eye patch or a parrot :( or a ship for that matter, and my YARRRR!!! isnt good enough
 

TeaSpoon

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
Messages
554
Goodluck with getting in the RAF as a pilot - they're not recruiting right now, so my friend who is currently studdying for his PPL and is wanting desperately to fly so he's going for the Navy Air Division.
 

Huntingtons

Resident Freddy
Joined
Jan 19, 2004
Messages
10,770
Freezerburn said:
or just become a pirate. sounds nearly the same
and alot better. In fact, you have to drink while working - you have to charm your way to the ladies and you have to talk piratish... it be the best place around!
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom