aircrew

[CommandoJ]

hi i read on the royal air force careers website that wso aircrew get 32k after training what does the royal marine aircrew get is it the same? Just if its the job i want to go into just the royal marines version. Can any one help me thanks in advance

c j

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

To become a Pilot/Observer aircrew in the Royal Marines, you need to pass Flying Aptitude Tests (FATs), Pass the Admiralty Interview Board for officer, much the same as Pilot/WSO in the RAF must pass FATs & Officer Selection.

Have a look at Royal Marines Officer Rates of Pay, scroll down then look at flying pay on the right. As a RM Officer as a Captain, you're on £34k anyway, as Pilot/Obs you get paid just under (UKP) 5k a year Flying Pay, which increases incrementally at around (UKP) 1k per year (ish) to a maximum of (UKP) 15k in addition to your own wage.

There are some Other Rank RM Aircrew, who also get Flying Pay, but are no longer recruited as NCO pilots, just aircrew ("Dopes on a Rope" malarkey). There are a few (ie: VERY FEW) RM rotary wing pilots with 847 Naval Air Squadron flying as pilots & navigators on Lynx helo's. There are some Royal Marine fixed wing (fast jet) which number less than the fingers on Anne Boleyn's starboard mitten.

If you want to be a fast jet WSO(RN Observer), the RAF have more vacancies- not that it's any easier. If you want to be a Helicopter pilot, the RN have more vacancies. Becoming a RM Pilot or Observer is probably one of the most difficult trades in which to specialise in numerical terms. If you haven't already, you need to talk to your local AFCO before you consider RM aircrew- it is most certainly not easy.

 

[bartzkingx]

You will pass out of CTCRM as either a lieutenant or a captain, at either £23,000 or roughly £35,000. You will then in addition get Fyling pay as it is deemed as a dangerous job which is a minimum of £4,500 a year.

So basically depending on what rank you pass out as you'll get an additional £4,500. Hope this answers your question

 

[GreyWing]

Before you go to the RAF, make sure those Nimrods are parked firmly on the floor.

Can't remember the last time I saw a politician doing a photo shoot at 30,000ft on one of them bad boys.

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

Before you go to the RAF, make sure those Nimrods are parked firmly on the floor.

Can't remember the last time I saw a politician doing a photo shoot at 30,000ft on one of them bad boys.

Spot on: When you think the Nimrod airframes (ex-BAC Comets) are over 50 years old, the last operational Supermarine Spitfires were still being built when the Nimrod first flew. The Nimrod was a replacement for the Shackleton which in turn derived directly from the Lancaster Bomber. Cutting edge stuff, eh?

 

[GreyWing]

Spot on: When you think the Nimrod airframes (ex-BAC Comets) are over 50 years old, the last operational Supermarine Spitfires were still being built when the Nimrod first flew. The Nimrod was a replacement for the Shackleton which in turn derived directly from the Lancaster Bomber. Cutting edge stuff, eh?

Too true Ninja,

I have always wondered why the Eurofighter is not operating in Afghanistan, I though it would be perfect to test the thing, after all it is only 13 years late, may aswell get some use out of the thing.

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

Not that I'm any expert on hairyplanes, but I saw a Eurofighter at Southport Airshow doing an aerobatic display, which was truly incredible.

I haven't researched this, but I suspect the Typhoon is still undergoing weapons acceptance trials (as the RN call them) and is therefore not yet ready to start dropping bombs/firing missiles etc., to be deployed operationally - happy to stand corrected but that's my guess.

 

[greenlid]

After RAF air crew finish there training they jump to the rank of sgt straight away thus the £32,000. After a few years you can then go on to become a jumps instructor teaching marines,paras, and special forces etc to jump and getting paid more. I think you need 5 A-C grade GCSE's inc maths, english and science to qualify for the job though. My dads an officer in the RAF and he tried to push me into do this job as it has "great prospects" :roll: Instead I want to join the marines much to his dissapointment :x

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

I may be mistaken, but I thought WSO was RAF officer aircrew, rather than other rank. Happy to stand corrected, however - every day's a school day :*text deleted*:

 

[Shiloh79]

If you join as a Weapon Systems Operator (WSO) crewman ... you go in at JNCO level and upon completion attain the rank of SGT.... or so i was told when i enquired about the option of joining the RAF many years ago due to my aeronautical engineering qualifications. Not sure if its changed though ...

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

Cheers Steve, you're probably right on that one- I thought it was the new name for Navigator (the guy in the back of the Tornado).

RAF recruiting isn't one of my strong-points I'm afraid.

 

[Shiloh79]

Cheers Steve, you're probably right on that one- I thought it was the new name for Navigator (the guy in the back of the Tornado).

RAF recruiting isn't one of my strong-points I'm afraid.

Ha ha the RAF wasnt for me either ninja ... just something i looked into when i was younger when i'd just got my qualifications.

 

[greenlid]

Yeah its got a stupid name, think there similar to load masters on hercs, or chinocks. Yeah not for me mate, Bootnecks all the way

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

Ah, this explains the confusion:

Weapons System Officer (WSO) which is the one to which I refer & which offers nearly £32k after training & Weapons System Operator (WSO) crewman, which offers over £32k after training.

Conveniently they are both WSO (nice one RAF!), but one is the Officer Navigator of old with the standard required officer qualifications, the other is a SNCO Crewman (Winchman) which equates roughly to RM Aircrew (Dope on a Rope). The RAF version needs 5 GCSE’s (inc Maths, English & Science) but the website doesn’t tell you how long it takes to reach £32k as a WS Operator, which is rather misleading as it takes a lot longer than suggested to become a Senior NCO, regardless of trade.

For RM, Aircrew pay: Ranges from £2,469 on qualifying up to a maximum of £6,783 a year- this is in addition to your Basic Pay bearing in mind you will need to be a Corporal or higher to do this job.
However a RM Pilot Officer (a very rare beastie) gets between £5k raising to £15k for driving the thing in the same way RAF pilots get the SAME flying pay.