Melchett01

LFH

Bad luck old bean, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. Not sure how old you are, but if you are 18/19/20, you still have time to go away and remedy the situation before going back

On the plus side, you can get one of several letters; despite your letter being a 'no', at least it doesn't sound like the never darken our doorstep again you oxygen thief version that exists.

If you are of uni age, consider going and getting a degree under your belt - works wonders for the whole life experience/confidence/self reliance thing. It could be very useful a few years down the road - assuming you get in, there are still no guarantees you will make it to the front line, what with choppings, re-streams and general cock-ups from those wearing the scrammbled egg to contend with; a degree will at least give you something to fall back on now that the RAF is a less certain organisation than it once was. If past uni, Bluntend speaks sound words and that is something I would consider if you can wangle it.

If it helps any, second time round was a doddle, so chin up and crack on. It's easy for those who breezed through every stage of selection & trg to spout advice, but when the brown stuff hits the fan is when you see how people really react. As someone who has at times been knee deep in the brown and smelly, I'm a firm believer that a bit of bother en route to the final destination and how you dealt with it is not necessarily a bad thing for the whole officer qualities thing.

Lord Flash-Hart

Cheers for the help and advice.

I am 21 and graduated from university this year so I have gained that experience and improved the areas that they pointed out in 2001 when I applied. I have looked into the trips abroad and adventure training etc and I think that may be something I will do in the New Year. I have also thought about applying for fire service and police force so that I have some training and involvement with the community (something else they pointed out: His lack of involvement with the local community has hampered is social awareness!). If I am successful with either of these, and I am not meant to be an RAF officer, I still have a career to fall back on while I decide whether I want to take the NCA route. Alternatively I could get myself on the property ladder so that I can borrow large amounts of money to go civilian!

I have had people say since receiving the letter, "if flying isn’t for you then you need to cross it off your list and start a different career." It’s a little easier said than done when everything I have done since the age of 13 has been aimed towards becoming an RAF pilot. Accepting the fact that I can't fly for a career will be very difficult.

Rich.

airborne_artist

Depending on where you live you could join as a SpeciaL Constable, or a retained firefighter, or even the TA. If the latter interests you then PM me.

Yellowbaron

Well, I know folk who have performed outstandingly and been told they were overconfident, a year later after the same performance , underconfident...now they just do loads of courses between selections and enjoy the bar at OASC.

Neeps

Sorry for the recent abundance of OASC threads, I promise to keep it quick.

If a candidate was unable to partake in the fitness test due to being temporarily unfit, what course of action would OASC take? How would this affect an application?

VigilantPilot

If the individual isn't up to the fitness test, then maybe they wouldn't physically be in the best shape for the whole selection week?

I assume they might postpone it, and make it a caveat on any place offered...maybe.

I know that if you need further medical tests, they can still offer you a place subject to passing the other medicals.

Neeps

The rest of the selection week would be alright though, just not the fitness test.

Just not sure what the course of action would be in the currect selection climate.

Also given that the fitness test is pass/fail.

OASC will be getting a phonecall soon, I just wondered what provisional thoughts were on the matter.

VigilantPilot

The hangar exercises are quite physical - I would thought they might postpone the selection. Only speculation though!

Twonston Pickle

If you fail the medical, even for a temporary reason, your selection will be suspended immediately; the RAF cannot afford to have unfit people attempting fitness tests and hangar exercises after a doctor has said they are unfit. No deviation or exemption possible.

Neeps

Thanks for the clarification.

VigilantPilot

I suppose it depends on what we are talking about here. I would have thought that if you temporarily could not undertake the fitness test, even if you might still pass the medical (maybe sprained ankle or something), then it would be beneficial to warn OASC and hope to defer the selection week, because its surely not going to help on the hangar exercises.

Twonston Pickle - I know someone who was temporarily unfit all branches after the medical, but they successfully completed eveything else.

Well Travelled Nav

This is gen, from someone who works at OASC.

If you are assessed as TU it normally means a specialist medical opinion is required. The Candidate will normally complete the selection process, assuming you pass the interview & aptitude tests.

Only if you are selectable in the long term will a specialist medical appointment be made. It saves money etc.

If you are unfit to complete the fitness test due to a cold or recent injury, then you can be asked to return at a later date when you are fit to take the test.

WTN

VigilantPilot

Thank you WTN. I believe that was the exact circumstances I was trying to describe.

joshiii

Hi i am going to OASC at RAFC Cranwell soon and i was wondering what the expectations are for the fitness, i know how many you need to do but what variation of situps and pressups are they expecting, are the situps just to lift your sholders a few inches off the ground and are the pressups to get you nose to touch the floor?

Thanks

VigilantPilot

I'm pretty sure that at OASC, the only physical test is the Bleep Test. If I remember rightly, if you are male and achieve over 10.11 you get an 'excellent' tick. With a bit of effort training before the day, it shouldn't be hard to achieve in the elevens.

I can't remember press-ups being in it. The standard way to do a press up is with a buddy placing a fist under your chest. With the back straight, you must touch the fist with your chest to count as one.

Michael Edic

The good/very good/excellent categories on the MSFT (bleep test) have been increased to a slightly less laughable level recently for the annual fit test. Unsure about whether this has translated itself into the OASC test as well. Perhaps someone out there knows? Of course if you are a girl you still only have to be able to achieve brisk walking pace to pass, the RAF is an "equal opportunities" employer!!

Pontius Navigator

And don't be surprised at the 'climb out of the pool without assistance'.

This is a real pool, not one of the modern ones where the water laps the top or the edge of the pool is the 'hand rail'. I seem to remember this pool has an in-water hand rail as the edge is too high to hold easily. It follows that it is quite a pullup in a wet growbag.

Could be wrong as I've been in a few pools since.

PerArdua

Steady it was, Group 3 was great fun, no I am not a couch potato just a lecherous old romantic!!! In fact I was fitter before I did IOT.

PA

joshiii

What i meant to ask is how you do situps for the fitness, how far up do you need to come?

Dreaming of Wsop

Hi Guys,

I was at OASC August last year, the fitness test is a MSFT - Beep Test, you are looking at a minimum of level 9.10, then you do press ups - 60 seconds - minimum of 13, then sit ups - again 1 min - minimum of 35.
These are mimimum standards, they are looking for maximums at OASC, you need to aim for at least level 11 on the MSFT. These targets are pased on younger than 25, the older you get the lower they get.
For the sit ups you need to be touching your temples with your finger tips and then bring your body up until your elbows touch your knees.
There is stacks of information on OASC here - http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=96