Next Few Years Advice

[JAG3]

Hi

I thought I would start a new thread on what it takes from AS levels to RAF application to create a superb image of yourself. What I will do is list some of the achievements I have made for you to hopefully attribute new advice.

Bronze award in DoE
The 9 GCSE's (7B's, 1A and 1C)
President Award from Boys Brigade which just acknowledges leadership(couldnt get to my nearest cadets in Lisburn)
Play regular football and im in my badminton and golf club. Quite a lot of medals in squash, badminton and football
Works experience in Shorts Bombardier Aircraft manufacturer in Belfast which made the Tucano
Prefect In school
Part time job in supermarket and have been working in it a year
Ive been to RAF Aldergrove
And im doing A levels in Geography, History and Politics

I understand fully that I havent achieved that much so was hoping you could give some 'pointers' on what things I could try for next. By the way I will be aiming for Pilot, WSO and FC if that makes any difference. And I've been offered voluntary work at my BB for next year.

Thanks:ok:

[ratty1]

What happened to the asthma?

[JAG3]

Regarding the Asthma I am just going to wait until reasonably close to I apply because I feel there isnt much point in dwelling on it now. I feel that I will be able to get it misdiagnosed because I have confident backing from my specialist(but of course he isnt an RAF doctor). Not to stray away from the subject but I was wondering if you think I will be treated as a normal candidate if I get as far as OASC or IOT because people have been telling me that once they see misdiagnosis of asthma they will pick the next candidate over me because they havent got this burden.:ok:

[Rakshasa]

[QUOTE=JAG3]

And im doing A levels in Geography, History and Politics

QUOTE]

Give it thirty years and it'll be Air Chief Marshall, Sir JAG. :}

[Elmlea]

I'd recommend you spend the next few years enjoying yourself and doing things you like! There's nothing worse than doing things purely because you think they might benefit you in the future. I don't think many people at OASC think there're perfect candidates out there, so why bother trying to be one?

Any of the hundreds of OASC threads you can search for will tell you what things look good on an application form (AT, travel, cadets, voluntary work, charity work, team sports, etc etc).

What a horrible way to spend the last couple of years of your childhood before work though; slaving away trying to build a CV that the RAF will like? If you're only doing something to create a superb image of yourself, you'll never enjoy it and stick it out.

As far as being treated like a normal candidate at OASC goes, here's some advice. Stop asking and GO THERE! If you're concerned about your CV, worried about asthma or anything else, why don't you stop worrying about it, get yourself booked into an AFCO, and just apply?

That way you'll get to OASC, you can get a definitive answer about asthma, you'll find out how competitive you are, and it'll be done. What's the worst that could happen? If you get told to come back in a year, you've lost nothing. If you get told never to come back, chances are you would have been told that anyway and you've just found out for sure earlier.

[airborne_artist]

The first time I went to OASC for my flying scholarship assessment/interview I told them (truthfully) that I wanted to be a vet. They gave me a flying scholarship.

[theedmancometh]

To be fair, you gave another PPruner a bit of stick when he asked for some info. You seem to have a number of threads relating to quite similar questions.

What work did you do at Shorts?

[Pontius Navigator]

Elmlea is right, enjoy yourself but do it constructively.

"Play regular football and im in my badminton and golf club"

This is a double edge. Team player, solo player and follower. Or a dynamic leader?

Take golf. They could ask how good you are. What have you done to improve etc. For Badminton and Football, are you a player or an organiser? The latter can be perceived to be better than the former and both better than the couch potato.

Whenever you cite something that has leadership potential it opens up a door to ask whether you actually demonstrated that potential. If you are a casual, knock about sports player better to stay stumm. If you are the leading light, organiser, captain encourager etc then go for it.

Whatever you do enjoy it but do it well. It all helps.

[scottyhs]

Pretty much in the same boat as you mate.

Im currently doing my AS levels, but ive been to Cranwell for the 6 Form scholarship selection. At the interview, just relax stay calm and be yourself. Dont try to tell them what you think they want to hear, it doesnt work. Before you go learn about yourself. I made a point of writing notes on every major thing that occured to me in my life time.

As for your hobbies keep doing what your doing. Im in cadets myself if its not available to you in your area, no matter just keep busy. I play alot of sport Football Cricket and Golf and they seemed more intrested in that and how i enjoy my sport then any particular area of Cadets...

Good Luck with it. If you want i have a write up of my account at OASC i did for a cadet website. I can send you it if you like?

[JAG3]

Thanks guys for the superb advice and it has really helped me with somethings. Scottys it would be brilliant for you to send me your account so I hope you can do that. Regarding working at Shorts it consisted of me inside the Learjet and CRJ900(all private jets because the Tucano had all been produced) fixing and drilling screws, cleaning and painting some sort of glue(forget the proper name)- I more or less went there because I thought the fact that Im working on aircraft might help me even though I have not much interest in engineering. I think your right about me enjoying myself which is something I am definetely going to do all summer by playing golf every day to get my handicap lowered, and I think I will go for the voluntary work because I love my BB anyway for the craic.
Sorry about asking about the asthma but I sometimes think whether I should keep dreaming about aircrew if I havent got a chance because of my asthma situation.
Thanks:ok:

By the way Good luck to England fans in the World Cup because if you win we Northern Ireland Fans can say that we beat the World Champions which therefore means where World Champions....Ha Ha

[Elmlea]

I more or less went there because I thought the fact that Im working on aircraft might help me even though I have not much interest in engineering.

Mate, that's what you shouldn't be doing. Don't subject yourself to things you think the RAF might like. I'm sure there's no big list of ideal things that OASC tick off; "work experience with aeroplanes, check!" Doing well at work experience anywhere would look just as good as doing it with Shorts.

Believe me, when it comes to passing OASC, it's not going to come down to the bloke who did the most appropriate work experience.

[Pontius Navigator]

Just to put an historical perspective on the AS-level, A-level thing.

Met a chap, ex-RAF, ex-Monarch captain who flew with someone I know 51 years ago.

The friend was a 19 year old pilot on the Canberra OCU at Bassingbourn.
I was in Vulcans when I was 20. Vulcan captains were flt lt at 23.

True things take longer now with a longer IOT - 9 months against 4 - longer aircrew training - longer OCUs 6 months against 4 - and longer work up periods.

But in essence at 16 you are pretty close to being let lose in a jet.






Frightening for the old nav in the back though: :uhoh:

[5 Forward 6 Back]

Unfortunately there aren't that many 19 year old pilots on OCUs right now. The youngest guy on my courses going through flying training had his 21st birthday just before getting his wings at Linton; then a 6 month hold for Valley. After 208 he had another 6 month hold for tac weapons, so he'll probably be 24/25 before he's done with an OCU.

It seems with EFT to do as well, plus holds that are often longer than those for graduates, a recent DE might find himself as a sqn JP at 25 as a Fg Off when his graduate mate is the same on the next sqn over at 26 as a Flt Lt. Removing UAS EFT will level the playing field a bit, but there you go.

[gashman]

Back to the original point. When I went to university, I went to America to work in summer camps during the summer break. This was an excellent move. I didn't do it to get into the RAF, but it was a vehicle to get me onto another continent for 3 months with all the benefits that travel and work far away from home can bring. When I went to OASC for the 2nd time (the first after my trip), I found that those experiences had given me a perspective on life which allowed me to step back and not get phased by any of the challenges of OASC. In fact, I'd enjoyed my time in America so much that I was in the same camp the next year when I was rung up to be told I had won a Bursary. If any "wannabe" chaps and chapesses out there are interested, you could do a lot worse than checking out the Camp America or BUNAC websites.

GM:)

[JAG3]

Regarding the University subject-I was previously looking to go maybe to Queens but I changed my mind because NI doesn't have a UAS and I dont know if I could stick another 3 years of revising etc. I was thinking to go straight into the RAF after my A levels but I just personally think that I wouldnt be up for it at 18 and im maybe better waiting a year and gathering some 'life experiences.':ugh:

[Pontius Navigator]

Let OASC decide if you are ready.

You will either be accepted, rejected, or given advice on what to do.

Wait a year and you will either . . .

see what I mean?

Nothing to lose. Apply when ready and even before your results. Shows confidence.

[6Z3]

Just a small input. Interview boards really like Duke of Edinburgh Gold. Why not work towards that, it is not the chore you might imagine, you're probably going to be doing the activities anyway, just get them signed up in your DofE book. Did it 35 years ago and enjoyed the challenge. Watched my son a month or two back getting his Gold presented in St James' Palace, chatting to the Duke and feeling very proud of himself. Well worth the effort and I'd say its easily worth another A level to a quality University if you're thinking of that option.

[BEagle]

2 things that really help:

1. DoE Gold.
2. Air Training Corps - but with evidence of leadership, not just attendance time.

And NEVER use the 'newspeak' biz-talk of 'focused initiatives' and all that utter cr@p you hear those gits on 'The Apprentice' using.

Q. "Why do you want to fly warplanes?"
A. ..................?

(OK - it's the second question after that daft "So how old does that make you in years and months" one!")

[Pontius Navigator]

DoE Gold, yes good one.

Better, you don't have to complete it <g>. The upper age for completion is, I believe 25. At the time of your OASC you should be well in to it with the future activities planned. If you then get selected and sart training know one knows if you carry on or not.

The same applies to many other things too, like doing and OU degree. Good points in your CV etc that you are doing it but no one gives a toss, after interview, whether you perserve.

Some, with strong personal motivation will carry on regardless of training pressures, others will just bin in and focus on the next stage. I believe a DoE Gold counts for very little once you are in, mainly because you will nit be getting any career enhancing (or killing) OJARs until you are a flt lt.

Well, that's my take.

[Elmlea]

I dont know if I could stick another 3 years of revising etc.

... and you want to be a pilot?? I think I had my head stuck in training manuals and groundschool notes for more than 3 years through flying training...