muppetofthenorth

Further note to everyone. Sometimes pedantry's funny. Sometimes it's just chuffing annoying. Especially when it's from people who pertain to be those you look to for advice.
As for the coursework at Cranwell, don't fret, it's an absolute doddle.

Pontius Navigator

Spot on. Certainly at the AFCO stage and at your age you are not expected to have a suit etc. Smart casual should be clean, pressed, and properly worn. Button down collars should be buttoned down. Shoes clean and if laced properly tied. A tie should be properly knotted. The shirt should be inside the trousers which in turn should be round your waist not your bum.

If look at what I have said it is about how you are dressed not what you are dressed in. If you have shoulder length hair and designer stubble that is not a problem either provided it is clean and tidy. Again how and not what.

If you are accepted your flight sergeant will sort out the stubble and the station barber will sort out the hair

NDW

P_N,

Unfortunately some future candidates (hopefully me (again)) shouldn't have to worry about the hair problem as at the age of 20 with my horrific receding hairline, I've already cut it to number 1 length.

With long(ish) hair, I have a peak like count dracula and just look idiotic .

Off topic slightly ^.

Failed_Scopie

I think if I was his IOT Flt Cdr I would heve recommended his re-course by now!

I wish that my IOT Flt Cdr had been recoursed! He was this wr from the RAF Regiment who managed to impart in me a specific dislike of his Corps and a more general dislike of the Air Force. He was an out-and-out bully and the main reason why I left.

archiedawe

Hi, i'm 14 and looking to join some aspect of the forces, although still early stages, hopefully as a pilot in the RAF. But I was interested to find out whether the RAF still issue sidearms to pilots entering combat?

frodo_monkey

In a word, yes.

Pontius Navigator

and in another word, why?

BTW, I have always wondered why they issue side-arms. On the ground at home base yes, but lying in some desert, unless it is to shoot yourself, why?

Last time I heard of a pistol being uses was back in the 50s or 60s, in the jungle to attract the rescue party.

archiedawe

just out of interest really. Could it be used possibly for hunting animals/ survival?

NDW

Well if it had to be used in a survival situation I would have thought that it could be used for hunting.

Pontius Navigator

The only animal likely to come within range of a pistol will probably be dead. Of course it could be used to scare a polar bear except I don't believe they issue pistols in Canada which, AFAIK, is still friendly.

The only thing you will probably be able to hit with any accuracy is your buddy or yourself.

PS

You are unlikely to be in a survival situation on modern operations. You will either be rescued pdq or go into evasion mode. Hunting will be the last thing on your mind.

Personally I would have preferred a parang, machette, or a sterling SMG

Exascot

Congratulations Miss Wilson it is a good job you do not want to become a journalist.

Exmil

OK, so it was a few years ago, but sidearms were issued for the Balkans conflict. As other posts say, we were expected to be picked up by CSAR fairly quickly - and they would be heavily armed. The most likely use was probably against dogs which might have been used to hunt downed aircrew. I for one was a little envious of our American colleagues who carried a proper weapon (Colt 45 auto) that could do some damage; they carried these on exercises in Alaska as well. To quote a briefing: "Just remember if you eject out here you are not top of the food chain." The best option is not to use it unless you really have to. The usual joke was that throwing your Walther at the enemy was more effective than trying to shoot them.

everynowandthen

Many, many apologies if this plea for help has been made (many) times before. My son got his GCSE results today & thank god, got the necessary in order to apply for the RAF as a Weapons Systems Operator.

From what he gathers, it's a good idea to get some work done on the Aptitude Tests before the real thing. I appreciate there are some on the RAF website but does anybody have any pointers as to where he can find a source of practise papers?

Any other handy hints as to how he should prepare himself would also be gratefully received.

Many thanks.

Pontius Navigator

AFAIK the aptitude tests are largely computer based and really you have it or you don't.

One has to ask though, why is he limiting himself tp WSOp unless he does not plan to take any A-levels?

As a straight GCSE man he will be in competition with a fair number of more academically qualified applicants. That said, a 1st class degree in underwater basket weaving or mathematics at Cambridge does not mean an automatic acceptance.

NDW

Firstly, congratulations to your son.

There are many books around that can supply practice tests for the AST (Airman Selection Test) that your son would have to take as the first stage of his application. It would be undertaken at your local AFCO.

Have a look on google/amazon for any books. There are a few by Richard McMunn (some I have purchased myself).

As many will also say, Aptitude is one of those things you either have or you don't.

In my case, I didn't pass for WSOp first time but I am patiently waiting for the next time it will open for Applications.

As I'm sure you're son is aware that WSOp isn't recruiting at the moment and it doesn't look like it for the foreseeable future.

Get him to keep his fitness up, keep up with current affairs/world news.

The very best of luck to him.

Melchett01

everynowandthen,

As PN suggested, aptitude tests are largely about innate skills, but that's not to say you can't hone what skills you already have. No doubt there are books out there dealing with aptitude testing and they might be useful in terms of general mental agility. From what I can remember all those years ago, coordination was probably the bit I found hardest.

If your son has a games console, that might help some on the coordination front - I'm sure there has been plenty of research done discussing how games consoles can improve hand-eye coordination. But that is just one part of the tests. Many people find the maths and capacity tests hard - I found them to be easier, but then I had just come from a numerate postgrad science degree.

Your son should improve his ability to deal with speed / distance / time calculations - they are a big part of not just the aptitudes, but the rest of the selection procedure. There are short cuts e.g. x mph = y minutes per mile and knowing those off by heart makes life easier. Also knowing some maths short cuts will make it easier to recognise right / wrong answers in multiple choice tests e.g. odd no. x even no. = even no, X per cent of Y is the same as Y per cent of X etc. And the ability to cope with remembering increasingly long strings of random numbers will be a handy skill to have.

But don't just focus on aptitides; personal qualities are vital and without them, scoring off the charts means nothing. A friend of mine now flies civvie airliners out of London City because although he was a natural pilot, he wasn't considered to have the right officer qualities. The same applies for NCO aircrew - almost more so. They will come in half way up the non-commissioned rank range and go straight into the WOs' & Sgts' Mess at 20/21 whilst many others have had to slog their way through 20 years to make it there; therefore they will be expected to live up to the standards of a SNCO from the outset rather than learning and growing into the rank.

BIG MISTER

Good Afternoon,

I've not posted on Pprune for a while now and the search engine hasnt been much help. So I was wondering if there were any RAF Aux people on here that could give me a PM (or Post) on life in the Raf Aux and the pro's and con's of joining ?

I'm from the Gatwick area and as I have a CT background so I'm interested in an INTEL post with 600 Sqn.

Many Thanks !

BIG MISTER
........Still Missing the Christmas 'Gatbash's'....Pls bring them back ! ! ! !

camelspyyder

I don't mean to bring people down, but you guys should all stop waiting for WSOp to re-open.

1. The last round of Personal Training Plans issued to current WSOp trainees by 22 (Trg) Gp gave many of them an arrival date on the front line of 2018. These PTP are currently under review with the dates expected to move to the right...

2. There are no SENSOR vacancies because - All the flying posts on RJ, Sentry, Reaper, Shadow and Sentinel are full. It is also possible that Shadow and Sentinel wont survive beyond the end of the Afghan commitment (according to SDSR 2010)

3. There are no FIXED-WING (Truckie) vacancies because - Many of the crewman on RAF Merlins are now without a job and are transferring to C130 C17 etc.

4. There are no ROTARY vacancies because - The 50+ trainees referred to at point 1 are going to be blocking the pipeline for several years.


5. There are no NAVIGATOR vacancies either.


In summary - apply for Pilot. There is no other option for several years.

If you don't get RAF Pilot, why not try the RN or Army.

I say again - WSOp is shut TFN and you could go grey waiting.


CS

Tommmo

To further camelspyyder's post I have a friend who was in the WSOp trg pipeline and was offered either a 5 year hold before starting WSOp trg or rebranch to a ground trade. Funnily enough they took the rebranch.

So I can confirm he's not lying with the 2018 CR projection.

As for Pilot, the guys right at the back of the pipeline are looking at coming out of their OCU 2017-18, but due to the longer trg time it's looking like it shouldn't be too long before Pilot opens up again - within a year? That's my personal speculation, mind.

everynowandthen

Many thanks for your replies & also apologies for not saying thank you earlier. They've all been passed on.

He actually had intended to apply for Pilot but was under the impression that hell would freeze before that opened. He therefore is applying for WSOp with the intention of getting a few more academic qualifications from within the RAF & some experience, with a view to applying for Pilot at a later date. He was also (mistakenly it seems) under the impression that recruitment would be opening within a few months.

His alternative to all of the above would be ATC.