^
:lol

Seems like the landing gear didn't come out?

So there is a big rumor going around right now that 410 Squadron will be shut down by the end of this year. There will be no more newbie CF-18 fighter pilot training or courses after then, so bad news for you fighter pilot wannabes. Good news is, training will transition to the JSF for both the flight and ground crews, in what capacity, we don't know yet.

That seems a bit early! I wasn't expecting that so soon but with all the initial JSF training being outsourced to the US that rumour wouldn't surprise me. I've heard it's a 2 year course for the pilots and ground crew in Florida (versus the 9 months currently for the F-18). With Canada starting to receive their 65 jets in 2016 they have to have people ready to fly and service them immediately so it will be an interesting transition. Belka have you heard anything about 409? My rumour mill says the gun squadrons in Cold Lake and Bagottville are going to double in size initially until the F-18 is completely phased out.
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Yes it does seem early, but I guess someone thought that we have enough CF-18 pilots until the JSF comes online. Don't know how it will be for pilots, but for the ground crew all the training will be done in Canada on the fighter Wings. We've already sent down representatives to California to begin training on the JSF, they will come back and stand up a training squadron or school in each Wing.

I've also heard that there will be 4 fighter squadrons again, this is almost certain. This is a much better idea than having one massive squadron on each coast like it is now. NORAD and QRA duties can be split and the workload can be managed more effectively, this way flight and ground crews won't be over tasked and worked like we are now. 409 will be split (thank fucking god) into 428 Ghost Squadron and 441 Silver Fox Squadron. Don't know what 425 will turn into.

So would that mean I would essentially be shipped down to the states to learn how to fly the F-35 then?

Cuz by the time I got to the stage of either doing helicopter, transport, or fighter it won't be for some time. Especially if they make me do 4yrs at RMC.

woah...best of luck with that!

Unless someone has been selected and is already on their way to Cold Lake to fly with 419 and 410 then by the sounds of it noone else will be trained with those squadrons. I'm sure the two courses of students they cycle through a year have already been chosen, and they will be the last to fly the CF-18 and will probably do so until 2018-2019 while everyone coming after them will go to the F35.

Con: The F35 course is 2.5 times longer than the CF-18 course
Pro: That time will be spent in the Southern US instead of freezing Cold Lake :fullofwin:

Yeeeeeeeepie. Would you be in that boat too?

what happens to the current and training CF18 pilots in 5-10 years? the plane is being completely phased out once delivery of the JSF is complete, correct? from what Im gathering, since no new CF18 students will be accepted, all future pilot students will go to JSF. so with like 7 years of JSF trained pilots entering the system in the time until the CF18 is phased out, wont they fill the demand with the new pilots trained on the new plane? what happens to the current pilots once their CF18s are parked?

I already have a degree so I'm at least 4 years ahead of you but I haven't even done BOTC yet so yes, sounds like I will never get to fly the CF-18. Disappointing in a way actually. Having grown up around 3rd and 4th Gen fighters it will be strange never getting to fly them.

The last active fighter my dad flew was the CF-5 with 419 in Cold Lake. He was just about to go on the CF-18 course and take a command posting but opted to get out of the military instead. Would have been cool to fly the same stuff he did, and now the CF-18 guys are chasing him around in his Lear jet in training so he knows all the tactics. If I make it to the F35 I can't cheat and pick his brain :lol

EDIT - RRxtar: 8-10 years is the average length of a fighter pilots active duty. By the time the F35 is all Canada is flying more than 50% of the CF-18 pilots will have moved on to other duties within the Forces. The others will probably transfer over. I believe a posting is 3 years, so some CF-18 guys may do 1-2 postings before transferring. Depending on their age some may be considered too old to transfer, only time will tell. I'm just speculating.

EDIT - Did not edit RR's name before he noticed, dammit! :haha:

ah i see.


ps: thanks to you guys who are in the forces and/or training or thinking about it. i love hearing and reading the things you guys post. i like learning about what goes on. i was a cadet and always dreamed of what it would be like in the forces, but its not in my cards.


oh ya, and all that serving your country stuff too. thanks for that :p

True true, hopefully they pay for me to finish my current degree. Only 2 more years.

I hear ya on being a bit dissapointed, such a prominent and popular fighter. Although i'm sure they will keep them around for Air Shows and what not.

edit: Thanks RRxtar, got a long ways to go before I even have to make the final decision if i'm going to go that route or not. Still have a fair few elimination process' to go through. I have a list of medical papers to get filled out now haha.

so far you guys are 0 for 2 on getting my fuckin name right haha

Just reread Belka's post.... they're bringing back 441? Stalk And Kill baby!

http://www.rcaf.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/441squadron.jpg

JD, what part of the application process are you on?

GabAlmighty, just so you know, RMC is for people without a degree. If you have your bachelor's, they're not going to send you to RMC, you'll be considered "Direct Entry Officer Plan".

I'm in the middle of my degree. Two more years after this semester. I was talking to a friend who's a few steps ahead of me, he said they'll most likely just pay for my University to finish my current degree and then go DEO. We shall see. It makes more sense, they would save money that way.

Waiting on Aircrew Selection. I hope to swear in as soon as possible and go OJT at CFB Cold Lake once I've passed all my tests and am determined to be eligible for fighters.

Dad happened to be at CFB Cold Lake lastnight, says the rumour of 410 shutting down this early is highly unlikely as they wouldn't have enough guys to fly the F18 through until the end of it's service (2018-2020ish). It's likely that 410 may go away for a couple years during the transition phase to the F35 but it will be back. Only the first batch of pilots on the F35 will be trained in the US and the rest will be done here.

The Americans will train our guys and their own but they cannot handle all the pilots from other nations that buy into the F35. Canada may take on this responsibility! Word is that massive changes to the entire base will be taking place, a complete overhaul of the entire infrastructure.

someone is bound to put pedo bear on it...


"lure and trap"

So have you already completed phase 1 and 2?:S

aircrew selection is before everything, most people go through aircrew selection at the same time as their CFAT.

No I haven't even been accepted as a pilot yet. I still have to go to CFB Trenton for simulator testing and a major medical before I'm offered a job. Then I will swear in, do BOTC (Basic Officer Training Course), begin pilot training. I hope that will all take place this year.

So Aircrew selection they basically tell you what you're eligible to do? Ie, transport, helicopter, or fighter? Or all I guess?

Ah, icic. My friend is at the same step. Waiting to do that simulator thing and medical... I got some catching up to do haha. Pissed because I have to get a bunch of things filled out because I had laser surgery and my Optometrist isn't available for 2 weeks grrr.

Aircrew Selection is never done at the same time as the CFAT. Two totally separate steps. At selection they determine your basic ability to fly i.e. hand eye coordination, spacial awareness, ability to handle stress, ability to fly in the sim etc. During the medical portion they measure every aspect of your body to determine which aircraft you actually fit into from fighters to transport helicopters. That way you know what you actually could fly before you swear in and sign up for a minimum 8 years of your life. At 6'3" I will be within an inch or so on my hip to knee length. Any longer and my legs hit the instrument panel and I can't push the rudder pedals.

In the legacy CF-18 I don't fit, I sat in Donor's demo last year. But the new seats slide back farther and I JUST make it. F35 is apparently a much more spacious cockpit (thank god).

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/2...9829hf0025.jpg

Interesting, thanks for the info. Learn something new everytime I open this thread haha. I'm at 5'11 so we'll see what I can fit.


edit... Aaaaaaaaaaaand we need more blackbird. You wouldn't by chance happen to have a copy of Sledgedriver would you...?
http://www.vfp62.com/IMAGES_9/SR-71.jpg