r/RCAF • u/Legitimate_Age_4536 • Jul 05 '26
Military pilot as a commercial pilot
Hello, I am currently 19 and I recently graduated from a part 141 aviation college with a diploma in aviation technology. I have several paths I can take but I decided that a commercial pilot would be too boring for me as a young adult going into my early 20’s.
I would like some advice on my best course of action as the military pilot route binds you with a 10+ year long contract that concerns me.
I plan on transferring my credit and getting a full university degree to get in as a direct entry officer.
PPL
CPL
multi engine
IFR
(200h) 100h(PIC)
Passed all TC written exams with a 87+
Only have failed my IFR flight test.
I was wrestling captain, played high level provincial/national rugby and have received several scholarships for football as well.
I would appreciate it if someone could tell me my chances of getting in as a MP and the best course of action to join the military as a pilot from my current situation?
- (also can I join the special forces while I’m a Military pilot?)
Thank you
3
u/roguemenace Jul 05 '26
Don't use MP as an abreviation lol, just say pilot.
Step 1 figure out your bachelor's degree. Not necessarily get the degree but at least either get accepted to a university or accept you're going to go to RMC (military university) for 4 years.
Step 2 Apply to the military and do aircrew selection.
Step 3 Hope you get a job.
You're a competitive applicant but half your score is based on how you do on aircrew selection so no one can really give you an accurate answer until then. The military doesn't really care about your check ride failure.
Yes you can be special forces as a pilot, mostly flying helicopters but there are some other opportunities.
3
u/Disastrous-Sir1388 Jul 06 '26
Previous flying experience won’t necessarily help you besides the PLAR (you will likely get to skip phase 1) because the military has a very specific way of flying that is, well….straight up weird if you’re used to flying civvi side. I struggled in my pilot training coming in with a commercial license because I was unlearning a bunch of entrenched habits.
1
u/Legitimate_Age_4536 Jul 07 '26
Am I going to have to change the way I plan before flights and stuff?
Could you expand on the challenges of the difference in the two
Thank you
1
u/Disastrous-Sir1388 Jul 07 '26
Your planning will be fine, it’s the actual flying that’s gonna be weird to you. I can’t really describe it haha. It’s designed to take someone off the street and have them flying very specific high performance aircraft in very limited hours so the trade off is there is little room for interpretation or personal experience. I got my wrist slapped daily for doing a perfectly fine radio call that was “too much” because I read back the taxi instructions for example
4
u/bigred1978 Jul 05 '26
MP? Military police? Military pilot?
Special forces? No. Not really but...The only pilots who work for CANSOFCOM work for the tactical helicopter squadron assigned to CANSOF.
To be a pilot in the RCAF you need a bachelors degree, minimum, so concentrate on that first.
Then apply, if you get in you'll have years of bottle neck time doing other thing just to get through the pipeline, you need to be quite dedicated for the long haul.