Visit to RAF base

[sylux]

I recently attended my Officer presentation yesterday at my not so local AFCO. The presentation was packed with information useable toward the interview and OASC. I spoke to the officer after the interview to see if I could get any more tips to maximize my chances of being selected as a Pilot. The main advice she could give me, was to visit a RAF base and talk for pilots and maybe if im lucky go up in the "vomet comet". I was wondering wether you know the best advice for getting into contacts with bases/pilots who are willing to have a chat and for me to visit. I have tried ringing AFCO and the main Air Force recruitment and they couldnt help. RAF bases phone numbers are hard to find. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Sylux

[sunshine band]

Find the name of your Air Cadet Liason Officer at the base you want to visit. Unless you are in the Air Cadets, you'll not get a flight- too expensive on insurance...

PM me with the base you are interested in if you have no joy... but, prove your worth with initiative and find it yourself. Failure is weak!

And get a book on which aircraft we have- the "vomit comet" is not on our inventory, although some people I've flown with could turn anything into it, even on IRTs...

SB

[airborne_artist]

Unless you are in the Air Cadets, you'll not get a flight- too expensive on insurance

AFAIK HMG does not pay for insurance in most situations - it's a self-insuring organisation.

Are you sure about the ATC bit? The RN runs 8 x Potential Officer Aircrew acquaint courses each year at each of CU and VL and there's not issue with getting them flying in whatever is available. The VL attendees get a full dunker course/run as well.

[WolvoWill]

Writing letters did the trick for me when I was hoping to visit a few places prior to attending OASC - I wrote to the station commander, and hoped it would be sent to the appropriate people. I wrote to Leuchars, Cottesmore and Waddington, and was invited to the latter two bases, though obviously it took a while for the letters to be passed through to the appropriate people (in my case people in Int/Ops), it worked out very well and I was pleased with the tours, advice and information I was given!

[TMJ]

It is probably a better bet to write to the Stn's Community Liaison Officer/Community Development Officer than the Station Cdr, as it should pass through fewer inboxes that way.

[ZH875]

Originally Posted by sylux

RAF bases phone numbers are hard to find.

Typical Aircrew Officer attitude

Have a look at WWW.BT.COM. enter "Royal Air Force Waddington" and "United Kingdom", and hey presto numbers for the RAF Base at Waddington. Just in case you are slow at reading, you can even have the number sent to you by text message.

Believe it or not, if you substitute Coningsby for Waddington in the above, you get a phone number for Coningsby. Other substitutions work, such as Cranwell, Lossiemouth, Leuchars, Odiham, Brize Norton.............

Just ring the number and you can ask the MOD Operator to put you through to units. Unless you are unlucky and get one of the blithering idiots on the switchboard...........better still forget it, you are bound to get a blithering idiot on the other end.

[airborne_artist]

Google is your friend.

For those who are too exhausted to click the link, just enter "RAF [insert station name] telephone", and as if by magic, it's all there for you

It's a sad state of affairs, really, that a 21 year old who thinks he's qualified to apply for a commission can't even find that out. Many of us were solo at the controls of one of Betty's aircraft well before the age of 21, with just a map and a radio. How ever did we manage?

[Airborne Aircrew]

How ever did we manage?

It's evolution coupled with high technology... Brains are becoming miniaturized...

[airborne_artist]

Brains are becoming miniaturized

I'm going to set this as a test for my two younger daughters - aged 17 (wants to join as officer aircrew) and 15, not remotely interested. I'll post up their results later.

[MG]

The usual response from people I see; sarcasm and 'the youth of today'. He's gone to the AFCO and now he's following it up. I see no problem with that. As for putting it down to 'typical aircrew', my response is unprintable!

[Wader2]

Originally Posted by airborne_artist

For those who are too exhausted to click the link, just enter "RAF [insert station name] telephone", and as if by magic, it's all there for you

It's a sad state of affairs, really, that a 21 year old who thinks he's qualified to apply for a commission can't even find that out. Many of us were solo at the controls of one of Betty's aircraft well before the age of 21, with just a map and a radio. How ever did we manage?

A_A's advice is rather better than BT.COM; I'll leave you to find out why.

21? Signed for 3 1/2 ton bucket of sunshine and then trucked 10 tons of bombs halfway round the world. I knew where Australia was and Libya, Sudan and Aden, never heard of the Maldives; luckily the other nav did.

[sylux]

Ah so that is why everyone has decided to hide thier age!? Well I did ring the Main Air Force Careers. Spoke to some idiot who thought I wanted a information pack to start my application. Whats with all the "typical aircrew attitude". This is a aircrew forum right? Thanks for the help from people who did actually help. I figured if the RAF recruitment could not help, maybe this forum would?

[Blacksheep]

never heard of the Maldives

The archipelago is a few hundred miles north to south. Out of all those islands, its lucky you bumped into Gan or you'd have been at the mercy of 205 Sqn and they'd only have found you if you were in a submarine.

[Wader2]

Sylux, that was only gentle banter as the information was easy to find but you were helped.

As for typical aircrew, absolutely spot on. Aircrew are usually tearing around with their ar~e on fire and expect to have all the information they need presented to them. The dig was not just at you, as a wannabe, but at all aircrew.

PS A_A, banter dear Sir

[airborne_artist]

Ah so that is why everyone has decided to hide thier age!

Well, for the record I'm 49 and a half on Sunday. My logbook shows that the first time the RN let me loose outside the circuit I was 19, but I'd already gone quite a long way from home in an aircraft quite a few times in the summer of 1977, just after my 18th birthday, during my Flying Scholarship at Luton.

Aircrew are usually reaing around with their ar~e on fire and expect to have all the information they need presented to them

Perhaps in the light blue, but in the Dark Blue I think a bit more nouse was expected

[ZH875]

Originally Posted by sylux

Whats with all the "typical aircrew attitude".

Don't you just love baby aircrew - In a few short years you will recognise the banter between aircrew and groundcrew.

Originally Posted by sylux

This is a aircrew forum right?

Wrong..... it is the

Military Aircrew A forum for the professionals who fly the non-civilian hardware, and the backroom boys and girls without whom nothing would leave the ground. Army, Navy and Airforces of the World, all equally welcome here.

Notice the bit about backroom boys and girls. Your groundcrew are your worst enemies and your best friends, this is what keeps the wheels turning, treat them well, and you will be treated well.......

[charliegolf]

It's a sad state of affairs, really, that a 21 year old who thinks he's qualified to apply for a commission can't even find that out.

Rather smart really, AA, the lad's got you working for him! As the dad of teenage daughters (me too), you must be familiar with the drill by now.

PS Mine's 24, earns potloads, and recently secured a hefty loan from the bank of Dad.

CG

[angels]

Charlie - Ah yes, I've heard of the Bank of Dad. I hear your interest rates are decidedly low.

Could I perhaps interest you in a rather interesting business venture here in the City? No risk (to me). PM me your bank account details now!