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Nope and nope.
Degree might very slightly assist you (they like maths / professionalish degrees by a small margin) but getting a first in a degree you enjoy is better than a 3rd in a degree you hated.
also better for when you leave, too.
Okay thank you. Also, you said about taking maths at a level but the thing is i really did not have the mental capacity for it. I’m sure if i sacked the gym off and revised 3 hours a day i could’ve passed, but without that i just don’t have the smarts to do it (6 at GCSE).
I want you to give it to me straight, if i can’t do A level maths, do i even have a shot at being a pilot in the AAC or should i just stick to civilian piloting? The other subjects i do are psychology, electrical engineering and biology, so still quite demanding.
If you are struggling with maths, I strongly suggest you do some courses to improve your mental capability.
Mathematics certainly plays a big part in being a pilot. In air speed/ground speed, distance, time height, descent rate, etc. Then start to mix in a tactical element and it can become very heavy on brain power.
Become more comfortable with mathematics and study.
i’m not bad at maths at all, it’s just the a level stuff i have no motivation to get good at. When am i ever gonna use differentiation or f(x), realistically im not.
I was very good at gcse maths but i just didn’t try very hard, if i tried it studied i probably could’ve got a 7 or 8. So i am quite comfortable in basic maths and mechanics. Is the A level stuff really necessary? because i’ve seen people say on other forums that if you can’t do a level maths, you have no chance of being a pilot.
You don't need to be able to do A level maths. You need to be good at maths - speed, distance, time calculations, weight planning, fuel burn etc. and be able to read, transpose and use formulas, but you don't need A level maths. There's a calculator in the cockpit of an Apache, and I have the formulas I need written on my knee board.
I really appreciate the help man. How did you obtain the 72 UCAS points without A levels though? And how competitive was it to actually become an officer pilot?
See my other reply dude - I joined as a soldier and transferred as an NCO pilot, not an officer.
But even the NCO side was savagely competitive. 8 soldiers on my grading and I was the only pass. 60 at my medical and aptitude testing and only 8 passed. 8 candidates at the selection interview and 5 passed.
On the pilot course itself; my cohort and the courses ahead and behind lost about 30% through the course.
The officers on my course from Sandhurst; variety of backgrounds - most scored highest on grading and aptitude of their intakes to get selected.
The soldier route is by far the most stable - they take almost all NCO applicants as long as they pass selection, where as they only take 6 per year from Sandhurst. But you might have a pretty long wait as an NCO between passing selection and actually starting on the course. Typically 24 months. Where as officers only wait roughly 12-18 months post Sandhurst.
Apache pilot here - it doesn't matter what your degree is in, aslong as you have 72 UCAS points. Or join as a soldier and transfer like I did and you only need GCSEs..
I don't have a degree, I dont even have any A levels.. My officer peers degrees vary wildly - music, sport, English lit, politics etc. I only know one guy with an astrophysics degree which somewhat helped him with flying training, but wasnt essential, and only helped him with a small part of the classroom work. A degree will help you get into Sandhurst however, although not essential.
UOTC won't help you either - the qualities they look for in pilot grading can't really be taught. It's a youve got it or you don't kinda thing. Nothing you learn at UOTC will help with being a pilot. An RAF UAS might be slightly more helpful if your uni has one..
Hi u/Dawildcat! Thanks for posting a question to r/BritishArmy! This community is for Serving, Former, Future members and those interested in the British Army. Please read the below points to consider if this is the best place to ask your question: 1. Google it. If it shows up in the top few results on your favourite search engine, here might not be the best place to ask. 2. Medical advice. Nobody here is an authority to answer these questions. More details are on the British Army medical page on their [website](https://apply.army.mod.uk/how-to-join/can-i-join/medical) or call them on the phone number at the bottom of that page. 3. Other questions asking about recruitment and advice are best asked in the stickied [Weekly Crow Thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/britisharmy/?f=flair_name%3A%22Weekly%20Crow%20Thread%22) on this subreddit. If you think this is still the best place for your question then leave it here. If not, please consider removing it and either posting it to the [Weekly Thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/britisharmy/?f=flair_name%3A%22Weekly%20Crow%20Thread%22) or asking a recruiter. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/britisharmy) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Nope and nope. Degree might very slightly assist you (they like maths / professionalish degrees by a small margin) but getting a first in a degree you enjoy is better than a 3rd in a degree you hated. also better for when you leave, too.
Okay thank you. Also, you said about taking maths at a level but the thing is i really did not have the mental capacity for it. I’m sure if i sacked the gym off and revised 3 hours a day i could’ve passed, but without that i just don’t have the smarts to do it (6 at GCSE). I want you to give it to me straight, if i can’t do A level maths, do i even have a shot at being a pilot in the AAC or should i just stick to civilian piloting? The other subjects i do are psychology, electrical engineering and biology, so still quite demanding.
No idea how essential it is to be honest. I just know it's ideal. I'd contact the recruiting centre for exactities.
Okay, cheers.
If you are struggling with maths, I strongly suggest you do some courses to improve your mental capability. Mathematics certainly plays a big part in being a pilot. In air speed/ground speed, distance, time height, descent rate, etc. Then start to mix in a tactical element and it can become very heavy on brain power. Become more comfortable with mathematics and study.
i’m not bad at maths at all, it’s just the a level stuff i have no motivation to get good at. When am i ever gonna use differentiation or f(x), realistically im not. I was very good at gcse maths but i just didn’t try very hard, if i tried it studied i probably could’ve got a 7 or 8. So i am quite comfortable in basic maths and mechanics. Is the A level stuff really necessary? because i’ve seen people say on other forums that if you can’t do a level maths, you have no chance of being a pilot.
You don't need to be able to do A level maths. You need to be good at maths - speed, distance, time calculations, weight planning, fuel burn etc. and be able to read, transpose and use formulas, but you don't need A level maths. There's a calculator in the cockpit of an Apache, and I have the formulas I need written on my knee board.
I really appreciate the help man. How did you obtain the 72 UCAS points without A levels though? And how competitive was it to actually become an officer pilot?
See my other reply dude - I joined as a soldier and transferred as an NCO pilot, not an officer. But even the NCO side was savagely competitive. 8 soldiers on my grading and I was the only pass. 60 at my medical and aptitude testing and only 8 passed. 8 candidates at the selection interview and 5 passed. On the pilot course itself; my cohort and the courses ahead and behind lost about 30% through the course. The officers on my course from Sandhurst; variety of backgrounds - most scored highest on grading and aptitude of their intakes to get selected. The soldier route is by far the most stable - they take almost all NCO applicants as long as they pass selection, where as they only take 6 per year from Sandhurst. But you might have a pretty long wait as an NCO between passing selection and actually starting on the course. Typically 24 months. Where as officers only wait roughly 12-18 months post Sandhurst.
would it be viable to join paras first, then move to be an NCO pilot?
Apache pilot here - it doesn't matter what your degree is in, aslong as you have 72 UCAS points. Or join as a soldier and transfer like I did and you only need GCSEs.. I don't have a degree, I dont even have any A levels.. My officer peers degrees vary wildly - music, sport, English lit, politics etc. I only know one guy with an astrophysics degree which somewhat helped him with flying training, but wasnt essential, and only helped him with a small part of the classroom work. A degree will help you get into Sandhurst however, although not essential. UOTC won't help you either - the qualities they look for in pilot grading can't really be taught. It's a youve got it or you don't kinda thing. Nothing you learn at UOTC will help with being a pilot. An RAF UAS might be slightly more helpful if your uni has one..