RAAF stuff
Hello Ritero,
Congratulations so far!
I've just read your first post months too late, anyway I'd already come up with some comments so I'll send them off anyway. Maybe useful for others...
First off, I've been there and done it all, sailed through the lot but failed the final ophthalmological examination (long story..)
Not in any particular order...
1.Don't be intimidated by the recruiting Sergeant.
2. Tell the truth. These people are trained to tell if you're lying. Example, I was asked if I'd smoked dope. I said yes cos I knew I'd look guilty as hell if I denied it. Asked to explain, I replied I'd tried it at Uni but didn't like it (bit like Bill, but I inhaled..) and moved on etc. That was fine with them.
3. Apptitude tests:
Basic mathematical skills,science knowledge particularly Physics, stuff lfrom years 10/11 (form 4, 5 for the British and Kiwi folks). English obviously. I actually failed year 12 English (lack of interest) but got thru the RAAF stuff no probs. (I have a B.Sc. which prob. helped..)
4. Pshyc. Evaluation (Pshyciatrist):
This one just keep it simple and straight forward. Be confident. Here they are looking for looney tunes. I was asked if I'd ever considered suicide...
5. Hand eye coordination test (stick/rudder pedals moving light, target). Don't know if they still do this test? I did it before the days of PC games! The main thing here is not to PANIC! For me and the others at the time it was WTF?! How the hell do you get the crosshairs on the target. Impossible!? The thing is, you do it twice, 5 minutes apart. They are looking for an improvement 2nd time around. Just make sure don't panic and give up. Couple of guys were failed on this when I did it......
6. Officer Selection Board:
Back to basics really, if you've got this far it should be in the bag. If you live,eat and dream aviation and read/browse aviation stuff fulltime and you really want it, it'll be a piece of p@ss. You ought to have lots of aviation general knowledge. Expected actually, no excuse if you don't. You wanted to be a pilot all your life right? I visited 1FTS at Pt Cook b4 the interview, showed I was keen (they asked me if I had)...
Actual flying experience, depends on your age I think. If you were 26 and hadn't done anything I'd be concerned if I was on the panel. If you were 18,19-early 20's and keen as mustard with no time I'd give you a tick. Just be confident and communicate your desire to become a RAAF pilot. DON'T say u want to learn to fly so you can get your ATPL and become a Qantas pilot!
End of the day they're trying to work out if you have the commitment and are worthy of responsibility of being let loose on a 50 million dollar aircraft or whatever they cost these days.
Don't forget you have to be potential 'officer worthy material'.... Whatever that is, ability in crazy drinking games is part of it from what I've heard from my mates..!
Hope this is of use, good luck to all who are trying. But at the end of the day, luck's got nothing to do with it.... CONFIDENCE
13Snoopy13, if you're still meandering, don't delay any more. Just do it now, you're running out of years. They don't want to spend millions training you if you can only return x years of flying service. RNZAF rejected me on this issue and at the time I was 2 years under the official max recruiting age. (would of failed the eye exam anyway if they were on the ball...)
Cheers
Octane