DEFTS

[VFE]

Hi folks,

I see that they're advertising for civilian instructors again...

Does anyone know what they're like to work for as someone from a non mil background? I know that the salary looks enticing but I'd imagine that it's hard to get a look in, especially at a time like this. With over 2000 instructional hours would I be a likey candidate and if so what would you recommend I read up/brush up on in case I get an invite for an interview (assuming I were to apply)?

Basically, any info anyone has for the Barkston Heath job would be gratefully received! Anybody here an instructor there??

Regards,

VFE.

[S-Works]

They generally advertise in order to jump through the recruitement hoops although the jobs are already filled by ex RAF guys.

[VFE]

One suspected that may be the case.

VFE.

[Unusual Attitude]

Good friend of mine started with them earlier this year actually, he was an ex Army signals officer however with a Frozen ATPL, FI rating and about 1000hrs on a VGS flying the Grob 109B.

Regards

UA

[Whopity]

With over 2000 instructional hours would I be a likey candidate

The reason they originally set up their own FI Course was so that they could train their own instructors rather than have to retrain civilian instructors. They tend to prefer people with a military background as that's the environment you would be working in, and need to understand it. There is a marked divide between the Ex military instructors and the civilian instructors in the crew room, not necessarily a comfortable working environment. A good job if you fit in, but not a good place to be different.

[VFE]

A good job if you fit in, but not a good place to be different.

Although I can perhaps hazard a guess at the type of attributes a non-ex mil person who wishes to fit in might possess, but could you perhaps give me your opinion on what you think a non-mil instructor could do to help himself to make the right moves/noises in such an environment?

Many thanks!

VFE.

[S-Works]

Although I can perhaps hazard a guess at the type of attributes a non-ex mil person who wishes to fit in might possess, but could you perhaps give me your opinion on what you think a non-mil instructor could do to help himself to make the right moves/noises in such an environment?

Thats not an easy question to answer. When I joined the RAF I went through a number of selection panels and tests and the years of service after that were what shaped me. There is no single thing or even number of things that you could quantity that would make you fit. You either do or you don't' in my experience.

[Whopity]

I agree with bose-x, it used to take me 18 weeks to convert a non Military person to a Military person and that was after they had been through all the selection filters. I recall one parent who inquired how we had achieved in 18 weeks what they had failed to do in 20 years.

[18greens]

Don't listen to them. What you need to do is apply and see what they need.

If they are oversubscribed with sky gods you won't get an interview. If they are short anyone with a rating will get in.

Don't worry about the sky god / non sky god differentiation since there is an implied hierarchy within the sky god community ( red arrows, harrier , other fj, transport, truckie, rotary etc.... Not mentioning the tri service rivalry and they all hate each other as much as they hate civvies.)

When I was there it seemed a good place to work but no possibility of any steps up into anything else.

Good luck!!

[blagger]

Any link to the advert or salary details please? Thanks

[Neptunus Rex]

Whopity

I recall one parent who inquired how we had achieved in 18 weeks what they had failed to do in 20 years.

Priceless, absolutely priceless!

[BigEndBob]

Had interview and flight test in 95, was non too impressed with the place.
The chap who checked me out slammed the throtle back and fourth, couldn't land the aircraft in a crosswind properly, think back then it was a T67.
Remember one instructor moaning some heli jocky had cut acroos him in the circuit, demanding who had taught them to fly, you guessed right, they later came bounding into the instructors office saying they had started there a few years earlier.
At the end of the day i was asked to wait in the instructors office for the manager to see me, last person i saw was the cleaner, telling me they had all gone home.
Nuff said.