RAF vs. Navy Aptitudes

[MikeSierra]

Don't know if anyone has asked this before but here it goes...
Both RAF and Navy aptitudes are at RAF Cranwell eventhought the RAF requires you to stay there for 3 days while for the Navy it's one a one night-day job. (Right??)
Are the tests the same? i mean are they the same 'computer games', spatial awareness and hand-eye coordination exercises for both??
Anyone done them?
Thanx

MS

------------------
G-XX...finals and hopefully land!

[BreakRight]

RAF will want you to stay and do all the potential officer tests as well as the computer games. The Navy have their own POs tests and send you to cranwell only for the computer tests.....I think.

[Top girl]

Breakright's correct. When you attend Cranwell, the RAF will put you through part one of their selection proceedure, which consists of the aptitude tests, initial medical, and interview. The Navy simply utilise the RAF's aptitude testing facilities, and any successful candidates will be invited down to Dartmouth to attend the Admiralty Interview Board - the Navy equivalent of the RAF's selection proceedure. Couldn't comment on the standards required for the two services, although I think I'm right in saying that the Navy have lower aptitude demands than the RAF.

Good luck anyway!

[EGDR]

Here's the gen

1. When going to OASC for Navy aptitudes that is exactely what you do, aptitudes only. You are told there and then if you've passed,by how well and in what specs (they test for stick monkey (sorry pilot), thinking man (observer), and air tragic - er I mean air traffic.

2. The aptitude test involve all those for the Crabs (RAF) plus some aditional coordination stuff.

If you think the Navy ones are easier consider this - there are few places for a much more demanding role - flying at sea. Who's scores do you think need to be higher ? The Navy has 3 officer entries per year to BRNC Dartmouth with approx 20 pilots, 10 observers and a couple of ATC .


3. Then if you wish to continue, scores dependent, you attend the Admiralty Interview Board, at HMS Sultan - Gosport (Portsmouth) for 2.5 days of selection and medical.

4. You will be told there and then if you've passed and will then be considered and how likely it is you will be offered a place to start at BRNC Dartmouth, in sunny Devon.

FLY NAVY, EAT CRAB, DIG ARMY...........

THE TEAM WORKS etc etc.......

[Strobin' Purple]

Hey Eggy,

Eat me!
(Oh and don't forget to tell everyone about the compulsory 'Golden Rivet' classes and over-attentive 'Sea Daddies')

Luv

SP

[EGDR]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEat CRAB......

[str12]

MikeS

I did the Navy Flying Aptitude test at Biggin Hill in '91 and was told that to pass for RAF you need to be in the top 80 percentile but for Navy you need to be in the top 90 percentile. If you know what a standard deviation graph looks like then this is the thin bit at the bottom RHS.

It makes sense if you think about the following scenario: returning back to your carrier at night, low on fuel, sub in the area so the carrier is lights and radio silent, and has moved from expected location, and there's a big sea...

I'm not saying the Navy pilots are better, only that the minimun aptitude requirements are a bit higher.

I passed both Pilot and Observer and went on to get shortlisted, but was too old to apply for the RAF!

Good Luck.

[jimbo123]

Bit confused on the procedure following AIB. If you pass the AIB as aircrew, what kind of chance does that give you to be selected
1/ As pilot (taking into account aptitude tests as well as AIB score)
2/ As observer
3/ As anything else, eg Warfare Officer.
You'd think that the wastage from AIB would be minimal due to the fact that you do the medical after AIB but before selection..is this the case?

[This message has been edited by jimbo123 (edited 21 March 2001).]

[This message has been edited by jimbo123 (edited 21 March 2001).]

[EGDR]

Passing the AIB means you're in with a chance but does not guarantee selection and yes the medical is done after the AIB. Once you've been told that you've passed your name goes into a pool and then the Board will look at all the names in it and take the best ones.

Well the $64,000 question - what chance does that give you as stick monkey/observer/ fishhead.

At the moment the Navy cannot recruit enough fishheads, er Warfare Officers. So if something showed up in the medical, after having passed for aircrew you could still go forward for fishhead. But believe it or not some medical standards are higher for fishhead than aircrew. Aircrew can join with vision less than perfect but the standard is higher for an Officer of the watch. The other thing to consider for aircrew is that more ratio of people chasing places is higher.

The Navy has also had problems getting people to join as observers, however I think this is changing. Although the problem is really getting enough people in to get a sufficient number front line, since high numbers of observers fail at different stages of training. Be under no illusion observers don't just sit there and look, they have a very demanding and challenging role - no matter if it is ASW, AEW, ASuW.

The Navy also has a severe lack of SHAR pilots. This is not because they can't get pilots but that alot of those streamed for SHAR are failing close to the end of a long training pipeline, approx 4ys.It looks like the Navy will possibly look to recruit more pilots direct from school rather than graduates. Because the pipeline is so long they are finding first tourist hitting squadrons at 26/27 yrs.

If you have any more questions on this just e-mail me.


FLY NAVY - EAT CRAB - DIG ARMY

[Cruise Alt]

I don't know how they mark the aptitude tests but when I went to OASC I passed for RAF pilot but due lack of demand I did not get in then and due to age I did not get a 2nd chance. About 6 months later I applied for RN - the min age being higher. I did not need to resit the aptitude tests, the RAF results being used but I did not pass for pilot with the RN. I did however get offered observer. Read into that what you will. I have, however, enjoyed all my time in the RN.

[EGDR]

Cruise Alt - are you an observer ? Pinger ? Bagger ? or Lynx puke ?