RAF aptitude assessment and interview

[hekokimushi]

Hi there fellers,

I have been invited for a RAF aptitude test and interview. I have been thru some airliner's aptitude test. Any difference from RAF's? any information as to what i should prepare would be appreciated.

Best Regards,

Happy Flying,

nelson

[jollypilot]

How long do you have to prepare, and is it for a scholarship, or Direct Entry?
You are not supposed to be able to prepare for the aptitude tests, and in reality if its your first time sitting them (you are allowed to twice) then you cant really, at least for the hand-eye coordination and multi-tasking. Just read the intructions and take your time. I would spend a fair amount of time on mental arithmetic, mental reasoning and IQ style tests - plenty of good books in WHSmith!
The thing you can do is be up to speed for after the aptitude tests (assuming you pass)
Know the RAF inside out.
What is stationed where, and why?
What new a/c are coming? (not just the eurofighter!)
If you were to be selected, where would you go, and at what stage?
Why do you want to be a pilot?
Why do you want to be in the RAF?
They want you to be an officer first, pilot second remember.
Don't give the usual 'since I first saw an aeroplane' or 'to be the best' chuff - really think about it, because they WILL ask you.
Know yourself inside out aswell - take past experiences and tell them what they taught you, and the transferable skills you gained - leadership, teamwork etc.
Be fit aswell - if you can score an 'excellent' in the fitness test (I think its over level 10.6 in the bleep test) then its a big tick in the right box.

Good luck mate, if you keep a level head, stay focussed and portray yourself in a positive way you will learn alot from the experience, whatever the outcome!

JP

[Mobieus1]

Just a few things from what I can remember in addition to above

Make sure you are up on current affairs as well. Not just the UK but what is going on in the world. What papers do you read? If you read one particurlar paper who are the jornos, Editiors etc.

Enjoy the experience, if anything you will learn a great deal about yourself!

[hekokimushi]

thanks for the replies fellers,

will be attending a scholoarship interview. however, would such aptitude test be any different from an airline one's? I did the IQ, maths, eye-hand-feet co-ordination tests (CX's) with no problem. I am concerned with any other tests such as group exercises (which i didn't perform so well last time) or any other unexpected. As this is not a job interview I am not sure how one should approach this. I am also interested to know the RAF cadet selection process, as i also considered to join the RAF. but as i am at the age limit of 23. not sure if they would still take me. but if i perfrom to the level that they would expect during this occasion, while i am there, i shall enquire more info about a career with the RAF there.

Any affairs i should pay extra attention to apart from the rise of fuel price towards this interview? RAF related? or the scholarship parties activities and/or the sponsors?

thanks in advance.

regards,

nelson

[jollypilot]

Which Scolarship is it at age 23? It depends on the scholarship if it is the full battery of tests - for instance the Flying Scholarship tests are not the full ones - gives you a reasonable idea of how you will perform in the full ones though.

The computer (hand-eye etc) test are alot more indepth than any airline selection I'v been on - but who did you do yours with?

If you are going for 'cadet' i assume you mean you are at univeristy? In which case I don't think the 23 upper age limit applies - although that info will be clear in the reams of paperwork they give you beforehand.

Definately enquire about a career - you are there to show interest and put yourself ahead for a career with them - not just to get something for free!

All current affairs - obviously pay a little more attention to those defence related - as in MOD cutbacks - how will that affect the RAF's affectiveness? Also those international current affairs that have, or are likely to involve UK military intervension. Think back aswell - know about recent conflicts - back to Bosnia etc.
So concentrate on those events which affect the RAF but also spend time on other things -such as fuel prices (why are they so high...middle east tensions) to show a depth and breadth of knowledge and understanding.

Also - show you are cultured. That was my big black mark - everthing else was good except I was too narrow in my cultural interests - theatre etc.

As for group exercises, they are all well explained. Follow commands whilst part of the team, and put suggestions in a non-threatening helpful kind of way - do not undermime your 'commander'. There is little you can do for these other than to know the role your are expected to play in a given exercise - lead from the front but not authortarian. And know when to shut up when not leading!!

Hope that helps, post again if need more!

JP

[hekokimushi]

JP, please check PM

[PPRuNeUser0172]

As for the aptitude tests you will get the usual battery of hand-eye coordination etc type stuff plus lots of speed/distance/time type stuff.

Part 1 Consists of Aptitude, medical and Interview. The interview is in two halves, first half is about 25 mins all about you, your background, what opportunities you have had and what you have done with them, second half is about your knowledge and commitment to the military. All about the RAF, its fleet, where it is, why? why you want to be an officer, what makes a good officer etc. You will also be expected to demonstrate a good knowledge of current affairs and from your previous post this appears to be where you should concentrate your efforts. Know about 5-6 International topics of interest/relevance (ie not big brother) and learn all about them. Back issues of the Economist are a good bet in your local library. Know about 5-6 UK topics of interest and do the same with those. If you have a very sketchy knowledge on current affairs you are likely to fail the interview.

Part 2 is to do with group work, lots of exercises challenges and discussions. Just be yourself and think things through.

If you are 23, then you are close to the limit for pilot. You need to be 23.5 ON ENTRY TO TRAINING!!! which means starting IOT. When you say scholarship do you mean Uni sponosorship or what?? Do you know anything about the 24 week IOT course you will have to do, if you dont, find out!

Good luck

DS

[scameron77]

Buddy sat mine a few years ago and passed the computer based stuff but failed officer selection. Here's the advice I can give you for the computer bit. At home play computer games like a bugger. When you get the make sure you have some change there is a vending machine and you get a break halfway through, you'll need it and you be gasping its bloody hot in the room.

When you get to your station make sure you do anything you need to make yourslef feel comfortable, I took off the tie and undid the top button, took my shoes off and turned my joystick round 180 degrees, I was used to playing games and stuff at home with the opposite to what it was set. Basically mate do whatever you have to make yourself at easy and comfortable.

You are not expected to complete all of them however some are designed to determine your accuracy and others speed.

Keep the dot in the square, using the joystick for vertical and peddals for horizontal motion. It changes form one extreme to the next on a few occasions so watch out.

Next is the beep beep beep annoying one, keep your circle over the others dropping down the screen, its the same path each time so they are looking for an improvement from the first pass to the third. Avoid going away out for a lone one when you have a lot more in the centre.

From what I remember you have number recall they show you a 5 digit number for 5 secs then it disappears and you have to retype it. It then increases up to 6, 7, 8 etc.

They show a row of diagrams showing sequence ie a dot top left, two dots top right, one dot bottom right etc and wan toyou pick from a 4 options what the next one will be in the sequence.

Nest of Cube is in there too, it shows a 3D cub showing 3 sides with symbols and shading on them and you have to identify the net (the flat cross shaped piece of card which would make up the cube if folded).

There is one where you are posed with simple mental arithmetic, memory recall and cancelling out the colours in the background as they pass through the same colured panels all at the same time. Its a bugger.

There is another where a symbol pops up and you have a selection of about 30 below, you have to identify it and type in its co-ordinates on the keypad.

Also is the identifying 3-D aircraft from the instuments showing pitch, artifical horizon, compas etc. (everyone in the room will be using their hands to work this one out)

There are more but there isn't much you can do for any of these except pay games on the computer and practice memeory techniques. Also keeping stuff in your short term memory, ie turn a pack of cards over and arrange the deck into 6 rows, turn two cards over and turn them back until you get a pair. thats pretty good.

But don't get worked up and don't go down stairs and tell eveyone how you've mucked up, they are in the same boat and it gets boring.

[jollypilot]

Just to add something - for your scholarship I dont think you would sit the full RAF pilot aptitude tests.

As a guide - how long are you going for? Just one day, or potentially more (if you pass!) If its one day they wont be the full ones.

[hekokimushi]

cheers guys.

going for a full day i think. arriving on a Sunday afternoon and require a stay overnight. not exactly sure what the format is like. i shall find out more.

thanks :-)

nelson

[tarbaby]

Group Test
I took the syndicate to the nearest pub and explained how easy it would be to make everyone else including me to look an incompetent fool and so we would all fail. If we all worked together, making all look like superb leaders and masters of the universe we would all pass. There were 105 at the selection procedure, we were the 5 that passed. Lesson over.