Fleet Air Arm Officers Association Gliding Scholarships for 2009

[airborne_artist]

Full info here and a link to the online application form is on that page.

A total of fifty-one scholars were awarded gliding scholarships in 2008 - 38 male and 13 female. Courses take place at Lee-on-Solent, Culdrose and Yeovilton in the Easter and Summer holidays. All attendees can then join the Naval Air Careers Initiative which awards places on powered flying courses on 727 Squadron at VL, further week-end gliding at Lee, and perhaps VL in 2009, and places on the Summer Camp at BRNC.

While I think all places were allocated in 2008, the courses are not heavily over-subscribed, so an application is well worth it. As an add-on, the course counts as a Duke of Edinburgh Gold residential course. The course is completely free - you even get a rail warrant for your journey, and you stay for free, fully catered, in the Wardroom while on the course.

PM me if you need any further info.

Mods - could this be made a sticky for the month of November? VMT.

[airborne_artist]

These scholarships are particularly aimed at those who are hoping to serve as commissioned aircrew in the FAA, so it's expected that applicants will have/be aiming at academic achievements in line with current officer entry standards, which as most will know are two A-levels with least 180 UCAS points. Since the minimum age is 16, there's no requirement to already meet the standard, just that you are heading in the right direction.

[airborne_artist]

Bumpety bump

[wannabe87]

Thanks for the link- I have just submitted my application.
Fingers crossed!

[Benjybh]

AA, Worth applying as 16 year old non-cadet with zilch flying experience to get my foot in the FAA's door?

[airborne_artist]

Yes - no flying experience is needed

[CirrusF]

And remember that learning to glide to a high level will serve you well in a subsequent flying career. Many of the best "hands-on" pilots I know are ex-glider pilots - including a large proportion of the Securité Civile pilots who fly the Canadair waterbombers here in France, which I reckon must be some of the most skilful hands-on flying there is.

[Benjybh]

Application in!

Two more questions for Mr AA (sorry!)

• Would the fact that I haven't attended an Cadet Service count against me?
• Roughly speaking what is the application/place ratio for the course?

All the best,

Ben

[airborne_artist]

• Would the fact that I haven't attended an Cadet Service count against me?
• Roughly speaking what is the application/place ratio for the course?

1. No
2. I don't have that info, but believe it is almost 1:1

[Benjybh]

Fantastic, Cheers AA!

[Benjybh]

I got my letter through today - I'm in!

Thanks for the help everyone, especially airbourne_artist

[Hangar_9]

Same Here

Although the letter i recieved reads:

"Further to the award of your FAAOA Gliding scholarship..."

I havent received an initial "well done" letter?
Just me or has more than one letter arrived in the wrong order?

I hope to god this isn't an admin error

Thanks,
Sam

[airborne_artist]

Well done, both of you

[Benjybh]

Don't worry, my one reads the same - I hope we are not both on the receiving end of an admin error!!

Cheers a_a

[airborne_artist]

Ask your D of E mentor about that. Well done on the solo - my daughter was on the first summer 2008 CU course - I think you only had four good flyable days?

[Benjybh]

Did you get my PM, a_a?

[Benjybh]

Just a quick update to say that I have created a Facebook group for everyone who was awarded a FAAOA Gliding Scholarship in 2009; PM me for the link of have a search for 'FAAOA Gliding Scholarships 2009'.

Cheers,


Ben

[nunquamparatus]

And the instructors are?

This is great stuff. The opportunities to do a wide variety of aviation are just as broad within the Royal navy as they are within the RAF or the AAC - perhaps more so in some cases. For young people to be given the chance to get a glimpse of aviation with an RN/FAA slant is a good thing - not just for the service but for them too. And if they do all of this and choose to be a bricklayer/plumber/C130 pilot at the end of it all, well, as long as they enjoyed the experience. I have only one question; which fearless aviator types are instructing then? I only ask as there used to be some interesting people instructing Joint Services Hang-gliding................God help these cadets if they find themselves strapped into a glider with Sch......... :

[Benjybh]

Thanks for putting my mind at rest...

[nunquamparatus]

Be restful in your mind.......

Ben,

Fear not! The chances of you being fortunate enough to be flown by that individual are few and far between I suppose. Shame though - with my limited knowledge of aerodynamics I suspect there is little hope of putting a glider into the hover-stop but I reckon if anyone could it would be him! Seriously, have a great time and always remember the two bucket rule.