Want the Whole Package
I am sure you are not the first to be told to look at the commissioning side of the job, and you won't be the last. For GD Pilot, I suspect the RAF is massively over-subscrbed, so can afford to be very picky. There are a few things you might want to consider here:
1. What happens if you don't make it as a pilot? Investment in you will have been significant by the time you get through Cranwell, and even greater as you progress throught the training system. The recruiters (DORAS?) are probably looking to protect the RAF's investment; they can't really know how good (or not) you will be in the air before you start, so maybe they are simply hedging their bets.
2. Contrary to some (albeit a minority) of the views expressed on this site, there is more to being in the RAF/a pilot than flying around all day and retiring to the bar for tea and medals. Like it or not, a large number of people will look up to you and the Service wants to ensure you can justify that trust. Additional, secondary and other activities will be a significant drain on your time and energy, especially as you progress beyond the training system. The Service is looking for people who can be trusted to carry out duties that are above and beyond the minimum required.
The following is the commissioning scroll issued when I went through Cranwell:
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Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God OF THE UNITED KINGDON OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND OF HER OTHER REALMS AND TERRITORIES QUEEN, HEAD OF THE COMMONWEALTH, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH.
To Our Trusty and well beloved Sir Toppam Hat Greeting:
WE, reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Courage and good Conduct, do by these Presents Constitute and Appoint you to be an Officer in Our Royal Air Force from the First Day of October 19XX. You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge your Duty as such in the Rank of Pilot Officer or in such other Rank as We may from time to time hereafter be pleased to promote or appoint you to and you are in such manner and on such occasions as may be prescribed by Us to exercise and well discipline in their duties such Officers, Airmen and Airwomen as may be placed under your orders from time to time and use your best endeavours to keep them in good Order and Discipline. And We do hereby Command them to Obey you as their superior Officer and you to Observe and follow such Orders and Directions as from time to time you shall receive from Us, or any superior Officer, according to the Rules and Discipline of War, in pursuance of the Trust hereby reposed in you.
GIVEN at Our Court, at St James's
the Twenty eighth day of November 1989 in the Thirty eighth Year of Our Reign
By her Majesty's Command
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Read through this a few times, and, despite the initial impression that it is all a bit out dated, you might begin to understand what they are getting at.
Whatever happens, I wish you the very best of luck!!!!