Irish Air Corps Cadetship Information

benVSS

Hello my name is Ben Smith, I am 15 years old, passionate about becoming a pilot and also a proud irishman. I am looking for information on sublect choices in secondary school and possible collage courses after leaving cert that may increase my chances of being accepted. I am still slightly confused on the specifics of the process of applying but, I feel, information on education before I apply is more inportant at this time. I am willing to do anything to pursue a career as a pilot and I would really appriciate any information or help.

Peregrine

Your Leaving Cert subjects don't matter in the the Cadetship. As long as you have a minimum of C3 in 3 Higher Level subjects and D3 in 3 Ordinary/Higher level subjects with a pass in Maths, English, Irish and a foreign language, you're in. I can't see them giving you any bonuses for doing Physics or anything.

If you have a Level 8 degree however, you receive 10% bonus marks in the final interview and 6% if you speak English and Irish fluently(you will be tested in Irish). Then there are other bonuses for already being a member of the PDF or RDF. You can only get ONE of the bonuses.

LeftBase

benVSS wrote: »

Hello my name is Ben Smith, I am 15 years old, passionate about becoming a pilot and also a proud irishman. I am looking for information on sublect choices in secondary school and possible collage courses after leaving cert that may increase my chances of being accepted. I am still slightly confused on the specifics of the process of applying but, I feel, information on education before I apply is more inportant at this time. I am willing to do anything to pursue a career as a pilot and I would really appriciate any information or help.

If you are passionate about becoming a pilot then you need to think about the best way to getting there. If you want to be a military chopper pilot or marine surveillance then the Air Corps is the best way to go obviously...however if you want to be an airline pilot then you are barking a little up the wrong tree. The days of Air Corps guys leaving and walking into Aer Lingus and other airlines are well an truly gone. Many have to re-train on light twins at the same expense they would have done had they just perused commercial aviation in the first place if they want to be Airline pilots but a lot move on to be Commercial Heli pilots.

I know in my company there are many RAF fast jet pilots who are turned away for the same reasons anyone else is. Military flying has a little pull but not near as much as it did when you had to aim the munitions yourself.

As a cadet you are signing up for 10-12 years in the Air Corps and if you do not actually want to fly Helis(which a lot of them end up doing) then you can be a little trapped in.

It depends what kid of pilot you want to be?

benVSS

I was hoping to leave the air corps down the line and change to commercial but the main reason I even considered the defense forces was because of the cost of licences and training. Once I did look into it I realised that Iwould prefer a job that is slightly more challenging and that made a difference. However, I would be happy with any job in aviation. The main obstecle is still cost unfortunatly

benVSS

Also, when I comes to commercial piloting Iwould only be interested in fixed wing aircraft. If I did go into the air corps I am pretty sure that the decision between fixed wing and helis is further down the line.
Thanks for the help. I'm was struggling to get my head around a lot of it.

Peregrine

benVSS wrote: »

I was hoping to leave the air corps down the line and change to commercial but the main reason I even considered the defense forces was because of the cost of licences and training. Once I did look into it I realised that Iwould prefer a job that is slightly more challenging and that made a difference. However, I would be happy with any job in aviation. The main obstecle is still cost unfortunatly

What year are you in now? Are you doing Transition Year?

The Air Corps have a 1 week Transition Year work experience programme. You might be interested. It's like a 1 week tour of the base, their role and aircraft, you can get all the info about cadetship straight from an instructor there and ask questions.

I took down notes on my phone but unfortunately I had to reset and lost it all..

benVSS

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

Your Leaving Cert subjects don't matter in the the Cadetship. As long as you have a minimum of C3 in 3 Higher Level subjects and D3 in 3 Ordinary/Higher level subjects with a pass in Maths, English, Irish and a foreign language, you're in. I can't see them giving you any bonuses for doing Physics or anything.

If you have a Level 8 degree however, you receive 10% bonus marks in the final interview and 6% if you speak English and Irish fluently(you will be tested in Irish). Then there are other bonuses for already being a member of the PDF or RDF. You can only get ONE of the bonuses.

What degrees would I be looking at?

benVSS

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

What year are you in now? Are you doing Transition Year?

The Air Corps have a 1 week Transition Year work experience programme. You might be interested. It's like a 1 week tour of the base, their role and aircraft, you can get all the info about cadetship straight from an instructor there and ask questions.

I took down notes on my phone but unfortunately I had to reset and lost it all..

I'm only in 3rd but that sounds like a great idea just to get a feel for what it would be like and get all the info. Is there much competition for it? How many are able to go?

Peregrine

benVSS wrote: »

I'm only in 3rd but that sounds like a great idea just to get a feel for what it would be like and get all the info. Is there much competition for it? How many are able to go?

They take in like 10-15 people a week and they run it for a couple of weeks(maybe 6).

That might sound like a lot but the places are always taken up by relatives of members of the Defense Forces. When I was there, there were like 15 of us and 13 knew someone in the Air Corps and one in the navy so I was the only one there without a relative. You have to get it really early, I did my placement in November when I was in TY but I remember ringing up a dozen phone numbers, sending out letters and finally getting it even before the Junior Cert.

benVSS

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

They take in like 10-15 people a week and they run it for a couple of weeks(maybe 6).

That might sound like a lot but the places are always taken up by relatives of members of the Defense Forces. When I was there, there were like 15 of us and 13 knew someone in the Air Corps and one in the navy so I was the only one there without a relative. You have to get it really early, I did my placement in November when I was in TY but I remember ringing up a dozen phone numbers, sending out letters and finally getting it even before the Junior Cert.

Is this casement aerodrome and where would Iget hold of these numbers/addresses?

LeftBase

benVSS wrote: »

I was hoping to leave the air corps down the line and change to commercial but the main reason I even considered the defense forces was because of the cost of licences and training. Once I did look into it I realised that Iwould prefer a job that is slightly more challenging and that made a difference. However, I would be happy with any job in aviation. The main obstecle is still cost unfortunatly

Well it comes down to money v time. You will be 10-12 years in the Air Corps unless the hitch has changed. By that stage you may be touching 30 and may have to gain further qualifications depending on the flying you did in the Air Corps and your currency on certain aircraft types etc. You are likely to come out of the Air Corps and find it far easier to gain employment as a commercial heli pilot than as a fixed wing pilot.

benVSS wrote: »

Also, when I comes to commercial piloting Iwould only be interested in fixed wing aircraft. If I did go into the air corps I am pretty sure that the decision between fixed wing and helis is further down the line.
Thanks for the help. I'm was struggling to get my head around a lot of it.

The decision is not your's though. Only the very best pilots in flight training will go on to fly fixed wing on a continuous basis. PC9 pilots have to satisfy almost impossibly high standards in flight training. Most pilots in the Air Corps will fly helis and as a result will end up less current on fixed wing aircraft than a lot of 250 hour wonders when they apply to an airline given that they may not have flown fixed wing for many years depending where they are stationed.

benVSS

LeftBase wrote: »

Well it comes down to money v time. You will be 10-12 years in the Air Corps unless the hitch has changed. By that stage you may be touching 30 and may have to gain further qualifications depending on the flying you did in the Air Corps and your currency on certain aircraft types etc. You are likely to come out of the Air Corps and find it far easier to gain employment as a commercial heli pilot than as a fixed wing pilot.



The decision is not your's though. Only the very best pilots in flight training will go on to fly fixed wing on a continuous basis. PC9 pilots have to satisfy almost impossibly high standards in flight training. Most pilots in the Air Corps will fly helis and as a result will end up less current on fixed wing aircraft than a lot of 250 hour wonders when they apply to an airline given that they may not have flown fixed wing for many years depending where they are stationed.

Does this 10 to 12 years include cadetship? If I was to go start flying helis then I think I would prefer to stay in the air corps as commercial heli piloting, besides the fact that there seems to be near to no good paying jobs, seems quite boring compared to the military.
The air corps at the moment just seems like the more interest/demanding job. From what I've read people seem to make it out to be impossible to get into in the first place. Is this true?

LeftBase

benVSS wrote: »

Does this 10 to 12 years include cadetship? If I was to go start flying helis then I think I would prefer to stay in the air corps as commercial heli piloting, besides the fact that there seems to be near to no good paying jobs, seems quite boring compared to the military.
The air corps at the moment just seems like the more interest/demanding job. From what I've read people seem to make it out to be impossible to get into in the first place. Is this true?

You sign up for 10-12 years of service as a flight officer.

In commercial aviation especially as a young guy the money is not really the worst. If you have no commitments like kids and wives etc then you are ok and money is not the worst. Once you get enough hours from the less than magnificent jobs there are some very well paid jobs available out there...you just need experience for them.

In the Irish Air Corps things can get very repetitive in relation to other airforces...it's mostly shuttling someone or something to somewhere else.

Yes it is hard to get in to....I think it's 3 a year they take on or something like that.

benVSS

LeftBase wrote: »

You sign up for 10-12 years of service as a flight officer.

In commercial aviation especially as a young guy the money is not really the worst. If you have no commitments like kids and wives etc then you are ok and money is not the worst. Once you get enough hours from the less than magnificent jobs there are some very well paid jobs available out there...you just need experience for them.

In the Irish Air Corps things can get very repetitive in relation to other airforces...it's mostly shuttling someone or something to somewhere else.

Yes it is hard to get in to....I think it's 3 a year they take on or something like that.

Thing is Iwas hoping that after those 10 ish years Iwould leave and be able to go into a job that ment Iwould be pretty much sorted in terms of finances for there on.

How many cadets do they bring through the different stages of training though?

Peregrine

benVSS wrote: »

How many cadets do they bring through the different stages of training though?

Like LB said, around 3 cadets a year get accepted

LeftBase

benVSS wrote: »

Thing is Iwas hoping that after those 10 ish years Iwould leave and be able to go into a job that ment Iwould be pretty much sorted in terms of finances for there on.

How many cadets do they bring through the different stages of training though?

After whatever amount of years you spend in the Air Corps you will still have to take a low paid Ryanair type job and pay 30k for the Type Rating anyway. It's the heavy jet time that will get you the good jobs not the light prop or heli time.

As far as I know they select 3 pilot cadets per year to train.

benVSS

LeftBase wrote: »

After whatever amount of years you spend in the Air Corps you will still have to take a low paid Ryanair type job and pay 30k for the Type Rating anyway. It's the heavy jet time that will get you the good jobs not the light prop or heli time.

As far as I know they select 3 pilot cadets per year to train.

What types of 'promosions' would be available if I were to stay in the air corps amd what would the pay be like?

LeftBase

benVSS wrote: »

What types of 'promosions' would be available if I were to stay in the air corps amd what would the pay be like?

By promotions I assume you mean rank..start at 2nd Lt and get promoted to 1st Lt, Captain and so on.....but that doesn't really help towards commercial flying. Money is somewhere in region or normal public service pay

benVSS

LeftBase wrote: »

By promotions I assume you mean rank..start at 2nd Lt and get promoted to 1st Lt, Captain and so on.....but that doesn't really help towards commercial flying. Money is somewhere in region or normal public service pay

Rank...couldn't think of it.

Am I missing any other avenues besides air corps to becoming a commercial pilot that don't mean you have to sell your house or vital organs?

LeftBase

benVSS wrote: »

Rank...couldn't think of it.

Am I missing any other avenues besides air corps to becoming a commercial pilot that don't mean you have to sell your house or vital organs?

You'll have to shell out large sums both ways......you'll just do it after 10 years if you go the Air Corps way

benVSS

LeftBase wrote: »

You'll have to shell out large sums both ways......you'll just do it after 10 years if you go the Air Corps way

So is there any benifits to going through the air corps from an airliners point of view?

LeftBase

benVSS wrote: »

So is there any benifits to going through the air corps?

Not enough to justify doing it for 10 years if your goal is fixed wing commercial jet stuff

benVSS

LeftBase wrote: »

Not enough to justify doing it for 10 years if your goal is fixed wing commercial jet stuff

Fair enough. Thanks for all the info. Really helped!

benVSS

On the military.ie website under qualifications to says " Graduates must possess an Honours Bachelor Degree (Level 8 of the National Framework of Qualifications) or equivalent and have attained    as a minimum Grade D3 in the following Ordinary/Higher level subjects:
Mathematics.
Irish or English
Any four Matriculation subjects not already selected."
Does this mean that you can choose for them to only look at 6 of your 7 leaving cert subjects and can the subject you leave out be your 3rd language?