Help me decide Navy/Air force ADFA/External

[eelliioott]

Hey guys I am currently in year 12 and ill be 17 in 4 weeks. I live in Sydney and I want to become a pilot:
Anyone here know whether i should join the Navy, or the Airforce?
Fixed wing or rotary?
Im an Aussie and Im not sure whether i should do a course at ADFA and become a pilot like that or whether I should do a direct entry to the forces or even do a course thats outside of the forces, Any opinions?
Whats the money like being a pilot?
As i have dual citizenship (Aussie and U.K) which country should i join?
Is there more demand for fixed wing or rotary?
Which is more fun to fly?
Also, what degree's if any does one need to fly a plane in the forces and is it better to do a degree in say Aviation/aeronautical Technology?
Thanks,
Elliot

 

[Blapto]

A lot of your questions will be answered by your careers office, they will be in the phone book I'm sure. I can only tell you about the British system.
You do not need a degree to fly. At the moment, it would appear that it's encouraged to go straight in aged 18 with two A-Levels or equivalent, and then if you want do a degree whilst in training/service. However, a degree may serve you well when you leave the forces.

You've given a huge variety of options, civvie pilot, military pilot, with/without degree, rotary/fixed/multiengine.
In the RAF you don't choose what you fly. Everybody is streamed fast jet. Those who aren't up to the pace switch to multiengine, then to rotary, and then get chopped and offered another job/sent home.
In the RN you have more choice over what you want to fly, but it's still not free will.
The best way to game it is that in the RN you're more likely to fly helicopters if you want to.

There are huge lifestyle differences between the navy and the air force. The RN are obviously more likely to work at sea than the RAF are, so you've got to decide if you'd like that.

Lastly, all the information I can give you is through my own careers research. I'm not serving, and I can promise you that for the British forces at least there is a wealth of information out there.

Another bit of advice is to have a backup plan. Do you want to be a pilot, or do you want a military career? It's very very tough passing selection courses for a military pilot, and it's very expensive to become a civilian pilot.