mooneyjosh

Hi there, I hope this is the right forum. I have always aspired to be a pilot since the age of about 7 in the armed forces. I have a dream to become a Red Arrows pilot one day but also, I would like to become a search and rescue pilot because I want to help people and help save lives. I would like to hear your opinions on which career could be best and will appriciate it a lot. Thanks.

Pontius Navigator

These roles are mutually exclusive. A Red Arrows pilot is an RAF fast-jet pilot. A SAR pilot is rotary wing and by the time you are old enough will not be an RAF organisation but a civilian one. That will increase the gap in your aspirations.

Aerouk

Josh,

If you do get into the RAF/RN (which isn't easy) then it will be the RAF/RN that decides which area of flying you'll be going into, not you.

ElSupremo,

Still no definite answer then

OneFifty

Apologies if this has been addressed earlier but the general rule we use at the AFCO is if you have had anything on prescription in the last FOUR years then we won't process your application any further. If you are prescription free for the previous 4 years, then we will process your application and pass you to OASC who will test and decide. A note from your GP may help the OASC Dr make that decision.

Pontius Navigator

Following on from a different thread, the education qualification for aircrew used to be 4 GCE and for officer aircrew 5 GCE, both including maths and english.

For aspirants hoping for a full career and proper training at Sleaford Tech, they also needed 2 A-levels.

These were in the days when GCE was a rigourous academic syllabus and media studies was an unknown term. The levels were set to ensure applicants had the basic academic skills and were thus a reasonable training risk.

When Sleaford Tech went fully comp and anyone could aspire to a full career the two A-level requirement was brought in for all officers. AS simply does not cut the mustard. Neither does an Honours degree if you don't have maths and english at GCSE.

To summarise - no history of asthma. Medically fit. All the academic requirements. Under the upper age limit. Normal anthropomorphic measurements. Physically Fit. Be in UK for the requisite number of years. As the recruiting target for pilot is very low but the number of suitable applicants is very high, there is no requirement to accommodate those that do not meet the rigorous requirements for selection.

If you are at school, study hard, play hard. If at university don't do a 4 year degree after a gap year - you will dip out.

airborne_artist

PN - and for BRNC on a SCC/MCC the same applied - five O-levels inc Maths and English - only GL (no aircrew option on joining) had to have A-levels.

SL shags could join at 17 and six months too. There were several RN FJ carrier-deck qual'd drivers, airframe who were 20 on receipt of their ticket, though that was long before my time, sadly.

And there was no pre-joining fitness test (does that apply to the light blue, yet?), and smoking was nearly compulsory

Pontius Navigator

A_A, aye, we had no fitness test then either but they do now. I remember I had no idea where Habbanyia was and the wg cdr made great play that the sqn ldr had lost his baggage there.

Little did I know at the time but just 6 years later I would be looking at target sheets for H3 and Habbanyia .

OneFifty

Fitness tests for P2 candidates prior to attending OASC is about to be introduced. We believe, although no guidance has been seen yet, that it will be the same as the P3 candidate’s fitness test, around 12 minutes for a 1.5 mile run (on a tread-mill), give or take depending on age.

Aerouk

OneFifty,

Is that for the RN or RAF?

According to Headquartes Air Command; I spoke to them a couple of weeks ago, they basically said that "any potential recruit with a medical history of asthma after the age of 4, is ineligibile to join as aircrew".

I spoke to the RN about it and they said the 4 year rule, I asked the Secretary of State for Defence about it also and he had no clue so passed it over to the RAF.

RAF AFCO said no one has any chance if you ever suffered from Asthma.

Bit confusing!

OneFifty

AEROUK

Stated earlier was the "official" guidence we use at AFCO for RAF. In reality, a history of asthma probably will prevent you from becoming aircrew. The four year rule tells the AFCO if we can process you to OASC or not. OASC will have the final say-so. There are so many applicants and so few places, we can afford to be so 'picky'. From 2 equal candidates, if one has never had asthma and one has... you know who is getting selected.

ElSupremo

OneFifty, would the fact that I have recently (last Friday) been re-tested and removed from the asthma register be enough to realistically get in or would I need to prove that I've never had asthma via a note from my GP (which is what the RAF recommended at my AFCO)?

I hate blowing my own trumpet but would the fact that I'm a graduate (in law) and a post-graduate help my chances with OASC accepting me? Would the degree etc mean anything to them with regards to the asthma issue?

Thanks.

hootandroar

El,
Will depend on which branch, If your going into legal services then great if you are intending to fly then it's just another degree and asthma will cause you all the issues you can see in this thread,

Pontius Navigator

ELS, a fair number of Admin Sec (or whatever they are today) are LLB. As aircrew I would keep very quiet about an LLB.

Mr C Hinecap

Let us look at this together children.



I guess it would depend upon whether OneFifty was going to interview you and recommend you, or not, to OASC. If the AFCO were going to do the interview, the DO WHAT THEY TELL YOU!

airborne_artist

The Royal Navy has recently published online the personnel management handbook (BR3) and the handbook of medical standards (BR1750A)

Between the two you will find authoritative answers to all your recruitment questions.

For example, this is the para on respiratory matters:

"0503. Breathing Problems

a. Asthma. Candidates who currently suffer from asthma, or have required
treatment for asthma during the last four years, should not be accepted into the
service. Individuals who have suffered from asthma as a child may be considered but
only if they have been treatment and symptom free for at least four years.

b. Hay Fever. Mild attacks which would not affect the efficient performance of duty
may be ignored. Severe hay fever is likely to be a bar to entry, the severity being
judged by the need for prolonged medication. Hay fever in Aircrew has the potential
to cause incapacitation in flight. Aircrew candidates with a declared history of hay
fever may be considered for selection if they have had no treatment and no symptoms in the 4 years preceding their appearance at the selection Medical Board.

c. In cases where there is doubt as to the individual's fitness, they must be referred
by the AFCO ME to CAAMB with the RN Respiratory Questionnaire completed by the candidate’s general practitioner."

Edit:

Search terms: FAA, Fleet Air Arm, pilot, observer, aircrew, don't join the Crabs, AIB, BRNC, Admiralty Interview Board, Dartmouth.

remember1996

Bad news, but Good news aswell- My son has just come back from RAF Cranwell OASC. He applied for Pilot, unfortunately he didn't score high enough in the Aptitudes. He did however pass for WSO. He has sat the full board of OASC and now waiting final results. I'm writing on behalf of him to try and give him some encouragment to have a career as a WSO, but he wants to try for Pilot again. Is this possible?

Regards,

Rem1996

EuRoFiGhTeR

Hi guys and gals,

I'm basically just looking for some advice. I'm currently in my first year of uni, studying aeronautical engineering and I want to apply to the UAS and eventually RAF for Pilot. However, I've only really been interested in joining the RAF for a short period of time, so haven't been involved with ATC or CCF, base visits, airshows or anything like this. And at the moment I don't think I would have enough knowledge of the RAF and general Armed Forces to pass an OASC interview. Basically after filling out my application I realised that there was nothing immpressive on there except perhaps my A level grades and academic stuff. The deadline for me to apply this year for UAS sponsorship is the 21/11 (I think!), but I was just wondering whether you'd think it would be worth me not applying this year or just getting my act together for next year?
How harmful to my chances of getting in would it be for me to fail this year, and would I be able to apply next year?

Sorry about the hideously long post, thanks for reading and for any advice!

OneFifty

Before you even get to OASC, you'll have to pass a filter interview. With no knowledge of the RAF, you will not pass. Do your research to give yourself even half a chance.

Commitment, determination, leadership capabilities/potential... all need to be demonstrated.

EuRoFiGhTeR

'Before you even get to OASC, you'll have to pass a filter interview. With no knowledge of the RAF, you will not pass. Do your research to give yourself even half a chance.

Commitment, determination, leadership capabilities/potential... all need to be demonstrated.'


Yeah, I mean it's not like I don't know anything about the RAF, but stuff like length of training, where different sqns are and what flys from where etc I would struggle to learn in time for my filter interview. Personally I feel applying next year, after researching alot and doing base visits and getting as much flying experience as possible, I would stand a much better chance of being successful first time around.
As per my first post, would failing this year have an effect on me applying next year?

Thanks

airborne_artist

Don't confuse the knowledge level required for the filter interview with that required for OASC. Get on Studentroom.co.uk or similar and read up/ask around.