airborne_artist

FT - I'm sure there are other aspects of your life/experience that point towards team skills. An arrogant **** who happens to be good at team sports will still come over as an arrogant **** - I can think of plenty of centre forwards who I wouldn't put in charge of a Brownie patrol, while the drive, determination and ability to pick yourself up that comes with being good at preparing/training and competing in individual sports is something that OASC will respect, if it's put over in the right way.

antonr

Hi all, I am currently serving as an INT AN in the RAF and am seriously considering my commission. I want to go for pilot/WSO but am looking at all 3 services. I didnt manage to finish my A-Levels but am studying with the OU. Does anyone know any specifics as to entry routes for someone in my situation? Does time served and overall merit have any substance against civvy qualifications? Cheers.

TomH1408

What happens during the iterim periods when waiting to move onto the next stage of flight training? I only ask because some friends of mine who work as civilian outdoors instructors have said they have had a new guy who has just finished Hawk training at Valley come work with them while he waits to go to an OCU, I was always led to believe that you were kept within the RAF during these times doing some sort of ground work.

Hope someone can shed some light on the situation!

Edited for typos!

Pontius Navigator

And the reason you want light shedding on the situation?

That would not be unusual.

As for working with civilian outdoor instructors, in times past it was usual for some applicants who were judged weak in certain areas - leadership, fitness, confidence, life-skills - to be sent on Outward Bound Courses for 4 weeks or so before attestation and initial training. I do not know if that is done now pre-service but it is possible that your friend or a friend will benefit from some rigorous confidence building measures.

TomH1408

just trying to brush up on pilot training with the RAF before UAS interviews, what Id read before indicated people stayed within the RAF I was just checking to see what had changed.

Do you need to know this sort of thing for UAS interviews or only for the actual OASC interviews?

Benjybh

Hi all,

I've been lurking here for a while, and I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?

To introduce myself, I'm Ben, age 16 and starting Sixth Form/College tomorrow. I recieved 7As and 3Bs in my GCSEs, and my A level subjects are Geography, History, German and Music. I chose these as they are subjects that I enjoy - I figured that it would be better to have 4Bs or As in those subjects than 3Ds in something like Latin, Physics and Further Maths.

Like many that have asked on here (I assume) it has been my lifelong ambition to become an RAF Pilot, something that stemmed from holidays in Wales and watching with awe Hawks from Valley screaming over beaches at 200'.

I hope to study Geography at Uni, preferably one with a good UAS. However, I have never stuck with Air Cadets; I have tried it twice over two years for about a month each time, but the local squadron is fairly small, and not particularly well organised. Also at one point, three of my best friends in the squadron just...left, and while I regret it now, this mattered hugely to me aged 14.

Basically, after that rather long-winded explaination (sorry!) I was wondering if not having stuck with Air Cadets will be a major drawback in terms of AFCO and OASC interviews?

Secondly, I don't do much in the way of team sports - I enjoy kayaking and mountain biking, but not really anything on a playing field. I'm starting my Silver DofE soon and hoping to do my Gold next year, but besides that what should I be doing to get a proverbial tick in the proverbial 'Teamwork' and 'Leadership' boxes.

I was considering getting a holiday job for a month or so in the summer at one of those outdoor pursuit places for kids. Is that a good idea?

And one last thing (sorry!) If you were to give a list of five things I should do to make myself employable to the RAF, besides fitness and good knowledge of the RAF etc. what would they be?

Thanks for your time,

Ben

Rob Cornford

Response to Ben

Ben I am in same situation as you, I left the Air Cadets because the Squadron was run poorly and we (as a squadron) did not do a great deal. This was 2 years ago when I left.

Just last week i visited the AFCO for the first time as i too wish to become a fighter pilot, and i asked the seargent at the AFCO if me leaving the air cadets was a hinderence to my application and thankfully it is not. Secondly I also neither have a job (at the moment) or do many outdoor pursuits, but since my visit I now plan to help in conservation work and set up a badminton club at my 6th form. - Hope that helps a bit.

I also need help, I am just about to start my second year at 6th form and need help in deciding whether I need to study a degree at Uni. The seargent at the AFCO said it would not hinder me in OASC but I am not so sure. Any help greatly appreciated. - Rob

airborne_artist

Not at all. You don't have to mention the ATC, but if you do, don't be negative about it.
A good start, and bear in mind the the service element may introduce you to an activity/group that you can develop further, which you'll need for Gold anyway.
A good start, but think along RC's lines and see if there's something you can start/build-up along the team/sport lines.

RC - please use either a dictionary or a spell-checker, or use Sgt.

I'd suggest taking a twin-track approach as far as the RAF and university are concerned. You can apply for a university bursary worth £1500 a year, once you have a place at university. A degree is good insurance if you don't get in/get chopped/get a medical issue or just hate it.

Pontius Navigator

Ben, good post. You have a firm grasp of the issues already covered in this thread. Your A-level choices are fairly broad and can be applied to other jobs other than pilot.

It is all very well focussing on pilot but many apply an dfew are chosen. A career in any other branch can be very rewarding so you, and all other wanabees, should keep an open mind for your choices.

University v Direct Entrant = there are no scores or comparators as such.
The view for direct entry is that we capture a suitable applicant before they are seduced at university and while their potential is still being developed.

The university graduate OTOH supposedly demonstrates a higher level of academic ability with better potential at higher ranks. This is offset by the habits and independence acquired at university and the declining apptitude as you will have peaked.

From your point of view as a DE you earn more more quickly and build up less debt but you have no degree on which to fall back. As a graduate you have had 3 years of enjoyment and life and a degree.

Rob Cornford

Thanks very much. It makes sense to do the degree if I would be able to theoretically progress through ranks faster. But I would miss out on a few years in case I dont get through. I think i might have to go back to the AFCO

airborne_artist

You are automatically given three years' seniority on joining as a graduate, so you start on the same basic pay as someone who joined three year earlier, but without a degree. Your degree class and/or subject make no difference.

Benjybh

Ok, thanks guys. I'm not ruling out the FAA either - I too had an inhaler given to me aged 3 after a cold/bad cough. I will get a letter from my GP to give a professional ruling out of asthma, but in the meantime I will try and make myself as employable as possible to the Light Blue so I have the best chance at getting my case accepted.

Sorry if I am going round the houses again but just to confirm that having an inhaler aged 3-4 will not in any way affect my chances of selection in the Senior Service?

I am by all means open to other jobs in either service. My aim in to fly in the military - I will go all out for pilot, but even if is not me doing the flying, I will be happy.

Thanks again for your help and kind comments,

Ben

muppetofthenorth

Having that knowledge will not be a hinderance, but don't be surprised if it's not deeply explored at interview. The formal interview for UAS selection is broadly comparable with that of the OASC interview, but UAS' are always open to those with little to no prior knowledge of the RAF or flying, so if you know it, great, extra brownie points.


Incidentally, which UAS would you be hopefully applying for?

You might also want to go to http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk and look in the Armed Forces forum where there is an UAS thread.

Jackonicko

Can anyone give me the latest gen?

Do they differ between the RAF, RN and AAC?

Is laser correction still a big no-no?

Is the AAC still:

Visual Acuity without spectacles: 6/12
Visual Acuity with spectacles: 6/6
Lens power: Minus .75 Dioptres to Plus 1.75 Dioptres
Astigmatism: Maximum .75 Dioptres
Colour Perception: ISIHARA test

I'd be most grateful, and so would a young nephew.....

Oldandgrey

RAF will except laser surgery as long as it was carried out over a year ago from what I was told recently.

Best check with an afco as they will have all the correct gen

Roland Pulfrew

Not sure if the RAF will accept you in having under gone laser surgery, I don't think the policy has gone that far yet.

However, if you want laser surgery done once you are in, this can now be done. You have to pay for it, and you can only use companies approved by the medics (Dept of Optometry?) if you are aircrew. IIRC, the Dept of Optometry will guide you through the process.

Jackonicko

Thanks chaps, sounds as if things are fluid on the laser front.

Anyone have the details on current limits?

Thanks again

airborne_artist

Jacko

I'm not sure the poster is correct about laser - you'd need to check with the specialists at Cranwell - the number is on the OASC thread.

Here are the current RAF standards - http://www.aop.org.uk/uploaded_files/raf_july_07.pdf

RN - http://www.aop.org.uk/uploaded_files/pdf/04-navy.pdf

Army - http://www.aop.org.uk/uploaded_files/army.pdf

See para 4 of the RAF doc - it says:

A history of refractive surgery is a bar to entry for all aircrew branches.
However the following methods of surgical correction of myopia or hypermetropia are considered suitable for entry on an individual, case by case basis for non-specialistemployment groups:

1) Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) or laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK).
2) Laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK).
3) Intrastromal corneal rings (ICRs),

This is subject to the provision of documentary evidence showing:
1) The date of the last surgical procedure – which must be at least 1 year before application
2) That the pre-operative refraction was within the limits of +/-6.00 Dioptres
3) That the refraction is stable

All candidates will be assessed on a case-by case basis, taking the residual visual function into account.

A history of radial keratotomy (RK), astigmatic keratotomy (AK), or any other form of refractive surgery is a bar to entry to the RAF.
All invasive intraocular surgical procedures are also a bar to entry."

xiphias

AA: Your Navy link is incorrect.

http://www.aop.org.uk/uploaded_files/navy.pdf is the right one.

Jackonicko

Thanks chaps!