muppetofthenorth

The only advantage of being on the UAS/URNU would be the knowledge of the services one would imbibe.

But anyone with half a brain can learn exactly the same amount of information from books and AFCO literature.

airborne_artist

And pester the AFCO for station/ship visits, acquaints etc.

Aerouk

The reason I ask is that when I started University I was looking to do something with my spare time and thought the UAS would be ideal to give me the flying and military experience for joining the forces.

I ended up joining the Specials because I wanted to get a better insight into how the police work and also to try and increase the police presence to get rid of a few of the local gangs.

Anyway... I done that, I've been serving with them for 2 and a half years and averaging about 400-500hrs a year, I was able to get my PPL completed with a part time job and have recently finished University.

I got speaking to a guy who had recently been selected to go down the pilot route for the RAF and all he was mentioning how great the UAS was for him and that it had prepared him well for selection process.

I was slightly nervous that I had perhaps shot myself in the foot by going down the police route rather than the military route. My mate is at Uni the now doing the Specials so I mentioned to him that he may want to look at the UAS but I think I'll retract that advice!

ElSupremo

Hey, me again! I have a question which needs to be answered asap if possible! With the joining age limit being 23 does that mean a person has until their 23rd or 24th birthday to apply? Thanks.

airborne_artist

I think you will find that the age limit is on entry, not on application. Chances are that you have to be a max of 23 years and 11 months on the day you start IOT, though I believe waivers can be given to deserving applicants.

The length of the selection process, plus the wait for IOT suggests that you need to apply nine months in advance of a planned IOT start.

ElSupremo

[quote] Great thanks! I ask because an opportunity has arisen whereby I may be out of the country until April/May next year and I turn 24 in December 2010 which should close enough to 9 months.

airborne_artist

I doubt there's an IOT starting Dec 2010 - very probably one starting Jan 2011, though.

You'd be better advised to apply now, get OASC done, and ask for an IOT slot from June 2010 onwards.

My guess is that an OASC pass is valid for up to twelve months, and if you start applying now, you'd probably get to OASC this side of Christmas, so that would work well.

ricster

There is talk about moving the age limit for pilot in line with navy and army.

airborne_artist

And that's all it is, talk. RN is 26 (less one month) and Army is 28, so the RAF can't be in line with both, anyway

TWallis

Hello Fellow Forum Members

I have an interview coming up at my local RAF careers office for my second choice as WSO, my first option as a Pilot has been ruled out because of my age.

Thinking over what the careers officer was saying he mentioned that I could not be a pilot because his understanding was that I am 23 and a half, however my birthday was only in April. Would this make a difference and should I mention that I only turned 23 three months ago as I really want to pursue this route? Or is 23 and 3 months just to late to apply as a pilot.

I would be grateful to anybody who has information on this subject.

All the best.

Benjybh

I believe the key is that you have to be no older than 23 and ten months on starting IOT, so they may feel that you will have difficulties jumping through all the hoops of interviews/medicals/aptitude tests within that timeframe. Though of course if he's got it wrong then by all means correct him!

str12

TWallis

RN age limit was 26 when I went through selection. Might be worth considering if you still want to fly...

Good luck either way.

airborne_artist

You should be able to get to IOT before Feb 2010 if you are a) good enough and b) you push the AFCO along a bit. I understand that an age waiver is possible for strong candidates - so it's in your court.

To be exact, the RN age limit is 25 and 11 months on the day you start at Dartmouth.

Good luck

Stan 24v

Ladies & Gents

There are way too many posts on here, so Im going to ask a question which may have already been answered - any big tips for me to remember?

I have been studying a lot, and still am hence not reading all of the posts. I am pretty much up to speed on my current affairs, and my service knowledge is pretty good seeing as Ive been serving since 96

Im pretty happy about my leads in the exercises etc (recently finished IMLC), and shouldnt have too much difficulty (I hope!!) with the aptitude tests.

My chosen branches are:

Eng (preferably AS not CE)
ATC

So, as previously asked, any last minute tips?

Cheers guys

Pontius Navigator

From your earlier post I didn't realise that you were also a Special.

Apart from MattB today, I know of two ex-PC that made Wg Cdr (Nav). I don't know the ultimate rank of the first but the second would have gone higher had the smoking not killed him.

Clearly police training and skills are very valuable.

Pontius Navigator

The figures I have heard are a footfall of 12,000 at the AFCO with prehaps 4,000 getting to OASC. That is about 80 per week. The pilot requirement in to training is about 160 or 3 or so per week.

I don't have any numbers for pilot wastage but the nav wastage was about 25% and many of them were chopped pilots. As far as passing out to fast-jet maybe 30% would wash out with a further small washout in the OCUs.

MOTN may have a better feel but you can see that it is still only 2 at best.

In the past it was not unusual to back course those who washed out of FJ training and re-stream them multi or helo. I had heard that re-streaming had stopped.

muppetofthenorth

The point you may have missed in the post previous to yours, was that board quite patently does think that, as they have in the past put through candidates with the same background who have gone on to have successful careers.

If you are a good, strong candidate you will get through regardless of your background/experiences. You really should stop worrying, I have seen good friends of mine who should've passed OASC very well come completely undone because they stressed over every minute detail of the process.

If you don't go with a relaxed, coherent mindset, you won't stay very long.

muppetofthenorth

Don't out much weight on that, when they recently updated the aptitude tests at OASC they got a bunch of Tucano guys in to test it out. Almost all of them failed...

People at OASC prepare for those tests, people flying prepare to fly. It's different, no matter how much they're trying to emulate certain activities.

guitarwillie

Hi

I'm currently applying to the RAF for Pilot and WSO. Just a quick question, I heard someone talking about officer branchs being closed and open. I assume this means when they are closed, the RAF don't recruit any one in that branch. Where do I find out if the branch is closed or open, are either of my chosen branchs closed or about to be closed?

Thanks in advance.

Will

guitarwillie

Hi,

Me again, forgot to add this on the end of the last post! I was given an eyesight sheet by the AFCO to get filled in by an optition. So I have had that done and checked it against the raf requirements and everything is fine except in the Visual Acuity. It says 6/6 required, but on my sheet I have 6/4.5 in each eye. Is this acceptable? Not much of an eye expert!

Thanks again

Will