Originally Posted by
peterpilot88
Don't stress about your age mate. I applied when I was 17 after wanting to be a fighter pilot since I was 6, I advised that my high school OP was 23 and promptly told this wasn't a career for me as my file was closed in front of my crushed acne ridden face. I then tried to join as an Avtech hoping to move across to pilot internally. They offered me a position in the Navy, however, I decided to come back a little more competitive. I went away, redid grade 11 and 12 at TAFE as well as an external physics course which bumped that 23 up to a 6 equivalent. From there I started uni and completed a Bachelor of Aviation. On the side, I joined Crimestoppers, the SES and completed a number of leadership roles at uni. I have also completed my commercial pilot licence and multi-engine command instrument rating as part of the course too.
I reapplied, started the YOU session from scratch and was deemed competitive. I received a call to attend the FSP, however, my medical hadn't cleared. Apparently I have a condition known as mild Thrombocytopaenia, essentially a low platelet count. The normal range is 150 - 400, my results were 148. I was told I could not join any service in any role because of this. Many many emails, phone calls, verbal and written 'no's', specialist visits to oncologists, and even a bone marrow test later, I finally was approved to join. As ecstatic as I was, they quickly informed me my YOU session had lapsed and I would need to start the entire process for a third and final allowed time.
I completed the whole process yet again and have had to wait nearly another year since then while they have worked out this transition from FSP to ASP. I turn 30 in August, though I will be doing the ASP next week. While it's been a long road, persistence does pay off.
My cousin was in the RAAF for 23 years, he was a fighter combat instructor at 2OCU, he had seen 28-year-olds come through there.
Good luck with it, just remember that if it is really what you want, you'll get there.
G'day Peter,
Just wanted to ask how long your wait was from completing your assessment day to being offered a spot at ASP?