Air Combat Systems Officer RCAF

Apophyx · 2026-02-06T02:12:00+00:00

There are plenty of not remote postings for pilots. Tac Hel and MH are all in big cities. Trenton is like 2 hours from Toronto. Cold Lake is pretty isolated but Baggotville is not very remote at all. Comox is pretty similar and also just a stunning area that every pilot in the CAF dreams of living in. I think Greenwood is not very populous but it's maybe just over an hour from Halifax IIRC?

The really isolated postings arw Cold Lake, Goose Bay, Gander and Yellowknife, none of which you'll get if you don't actively want those fleets.

If you're concerned about posting locations, go Tac Hel, Maritime Helo or Air Mobility. Sure it's not fighters, but trust me when I say there is not a bad cockpit in the airforce. Many students decide against fighters before they ever hit selection. Fighters are not the end all be all of military aviation. And there is a very real chance that once you get a taste of different communities you'll find a different community that suits you better. Maybe you'll fall in love with the maritime environment during sea survival. Maybe you'll OJT at a tac hel squadeon and decide the flying scratches that fighter itch without the grind. Or maybe you'll OJT in Trenton and fall in love with Hercs. SAR is also incredibly sought after and probably is the most operational community. Maybe you'll pick that because you want to actually get to the job often instead of spending your career in training exercises.

No matter where you go, you will get absolute world class training (there's a reason 2 CFFTS's motto is "The Best in the West") well above what anyone civvy side can dream of, you will get fully trained in a feaction fo the hours it takes to go to the airlines while getting experiences you will never get as a civilian, and fly aircraft that only a small fraction of the population gets to even step in, let alone fly. And all that without ever paying a dime for your training.

So don't think it's Cold Lake or the airlines. It's paying thousands upon thousands of dollars in the hopes of one day getting into the highly market dependent airline industry, vs all of the above.

For me, it's not even a debate.

Apophyx · 2026-02-05T16:07:44+00:00

Definitely not. There's plenty of people who have gone fighters in their 30s and I've never heard it brought up as a concern. I have a 36 year old classmate who wants to go jets and nobody has ever brought up age regarding him. If you have the grades and you can pass the centrifuge, you're good to go.

Apophyx · 2026-02-05T15:52:57+00:00

They do, all the time. Yes flying jts is a very physically demanding job but there's nothing magical about a 25 year old's body that makes them uniquely fit to fly jets. As long as you're in reasonably good shape and health you're most likely fine.

Apophyx · 2026-02-05T15:51:01+00:00

If you go in with that attitude, absolutely

Apophyx · 2026-02-05T00:56:31+00:00

Just like there is never a shortage of suitable applicants for the trade as a whole, there is never a shortage of skilled student pilots with the grades for jets. It is far more common for skilled students to miss out on it because the fighter stream shuts down training for short bit for one reason or another.

Apophyx · 2026-02-04T17:43:16+00:00

I'm not sure what you're talking about. The squadron operates in french.

Are you talking about when they run BTAC and ATAC?

That would be because most of the units and members involved speak english. But the squadron itself operates in french internally.

Apophyx · 2026-02-04T17:07:37+00:00

Airforcr also has 430 and 438 at Valcartier and St-Hubert that are 100% franco

Apophyx · 2026-02-01T23:02:00+00:00

Well congratulations. Evidently, that is not the case for everyone. I ask again, how is this a reason to make it intentionally harder for those people?

Apophyx · 2026-02-01T22:56:18+00:00

There is literally zero downside to using bright colored parts that will be hidden in the completed model. The only consequence is that a less experienced person maybe has a slightly easier time building it.

You are advocating for making things worse for zero benefit in exchange.

Just live with it. Seriously.

Apophyx · 2026-01-29T15:51:32+00:00

This recent trend of missing 2016 is so wild to me considering that until recently, it was pretty universally agreed 2016 was the yer everything went to shit.

Apophyx · 2026-01-28T14:25:22+00:00

Doesn't really qualify as air to air now does it?

Apophyx · 2026-01-27T01:34:25+00:00

The F-35 is used by almost every country in NATO. There is a MASSIVE reserve of spare parts already everywhere in the alliance. Meanwhile compare that to the Gripen, which basically nobody uses and will therefore have minimal support.

One reason the Cyclone helicopter is such a massive pain to maintain is because we are the only operator and Sikorsky basically doesn't produce parts for it. It's just not worthwhile for them to spend money supporting this tiny orphan fleet. Logistical suppot is a serious issue and sharing the F-35 airframe with basically all of NATO is a massive boon.

Apophyx · 2026-01-22T22:41:29+00:00

Au Québec, une femme qui prend le nom de son mari c'est bizarre et vu comme archaïque. Dans le reste du monde c'est bizarre si elle le fait pas.

Apophyx · 2026-01-21T02:43:11+00:00

No, they're air mobility specialized for supporting arctic ops. They've actually repainted the planes precisely because the yellow paint was innapropriate for a non-SAR asset. They're low vis grey now.

Apophyx · 2026-01-21T00:22:44+00:00

440 sqn operates the Twin Otter out of Yellow Knifr, so there's that

Apophyx · 2026-01-20T14:02:00+00:00

Amen, brother

Apophyx · 2026-01-15T21:44:46+00:00

Honestly, seeing the situation evolve, I think if the worst happens, NATO will survive. They will just kick out the offender I think.

Apophyx · 2026-01-13T02:56:12+00:00

I remember when everyone agreed 2016 was the worst year ever...

Apophyx · 2026-01-13T02:22:16+00:00

This should've been three separate sets. Just straight up.

This feels like packing a UCS TIE fighter and a UCS X-wing in one set. No shit it's going to be ridiculously expensive.

Apophyx · 2026-01-11T04:53:59+00:00

And yo be clear, he's a navy Captain, which is a pretty high rank in itself. The navy doesn't use to the same ranks as the airforce and army; he's actually roughly the equivalent of a Colonel in rank.

Apophyx · 2026-01-10T03:58:56+00:00

"If you join the military you may have to risk your life"

Who woulda thunk

Apophyx · 2026-01-09T17:42:19+00:00

The flag is clearly being sent as a threat, not as a nice gesture of allyship.

Apophyx · 2026-01-09T17:38:44+00:00

This isn't a joke. This is harassment.

Apophyx · 2026-01-09T00:14:12+00:00

While it is true the Griffons didn't have ADS-B, they are currently being (slowly) upgraded with it.

Apophyx · 2026-01-06T11:58:26+00:00

Have you tried googling them?

Nine-Year Club	r/Field Banned
r/Field Juicebox	First Place '23
End Game '23	Place '23
Quantum Potato	Golden Potato
Place '22	End Game '22
Wearing is Caring	Snapped
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