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OASC 'CANDIDATES' and WANNABES, PLEASE READ THIS THREAD FIRST!

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OASC 'CANDIDATES' and WANNABES, PLEASE READ THIS THREAD FIRST!

Old 21st Apr 2007, 12:23
  #1061 (permalink)  
 
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RAF lifestyle very different to the Army, but then so is the job and generally the type of person.

Not everyone who flies in the military is looking for a cheap way into the Airlines, can't think of anything more boring! However, you do have to realise that you may be called upon to put your life on the line for politics/reasons that you don't agree with. You also might have to kill people.

Training can be 'immense'! 8 months of Officer Training, that's the bit where you march/polish etc. For jets, you're looking at 4-5 years before you get to a frontline Sqn. Multis/Helos 2-3 years.

It sounds to me like you're looking at the RAF as a back-up if the civi flying doesn't work out. What that tells me is that I think the RAF is probably not for you. You have no choice in where you live, where/when you get sent away and you have to call a lot of people Sir.

On the plus side, I get paid reasonably well, fly a jet everyday and work with some fabulous people (& the odd c*nt). Where ever you work though, they'll expect you to have clean clothes on.....!
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Old 21st Apr 2007, 14:09
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adamfearman - Your reasons for wanting to join the RAF are all the wrong ones in my ever-so-humble opinion and I hope that your intentions are discovered at an early stage by the staff at the AFCO/OACSC and they tell you firmly but politely to p*ss off.

Yes you should always keep an eye on where you want to go as more often then not you are going to want/need to carry on working after RAF service but military service shouldn't be viewed as paid training for something you'd rather do. Not only would many fellow service personnel resent you for that attitude but you'd also be filling a slot that someone who might want an actual career in the military could have had.
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Old 21st Apr 2007, 16:22
  #1063 (permalink)  
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Whatever your chosen profession in the Army, you are always a "Soldier First", so if the idea of basic soldiering skills is not for you, then don't do it. The Air Force regard your primary employment as the raison d'etre for being there, so you will always be more focused on your job. Don't worry, there's still a few people in Army Aviation yet to fully grasp this principle.
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Old 21st Apr 2007, 16:54
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Adam'

Go for the airlines..... trust me, based on your questions, you won't like ANY millitary service.

Regards,

Advo

PS- An ATPL requires very commited and serious training too, not to mention about £75k !
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Old 21st Apr 2007, 17:43
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RAF and Army very similar, Adam. The Navy is the way to go. Think Top Gun, cocktail parties on the quarterdeck, and showing the Ambassador's daughter the Golden Rivet, and some great flying in between. Forget the escapade in the Gulf, 99% of the RN are bona mates.

Not called the Senior Service for nothing.

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Old 21st Apr 2007, 18:32
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RAF and Army very similar, Adam. The Navy is the way to go. Think Top Gun, cocktail parties on the quarterdeck, and showing the Ambassador's daughter the Golden Rivet, and some great flying in between. Forget the escapade in the Gulf, 99% of the RN are bona mates.
Not called the Senior Service for nothing.
It's

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Old 21st Apr 2007, 19:04
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In a nutshell, the Army uses the stars to tell senior officers' rank, the Navy to navigate by - and the Air Force to choose their hotels.

Or so an Army friend told me once.
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Old 21st Apr 2007, 19:39
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Adam - go gliding - cheaper, great for the stick and rudder skills, and the RAN/Army/RAF don't give a toss how many hours you have. If you are good enough Betty will pay.
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Old 21st Apr 2007, 20:43
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Jeez, some of you fellas (Tourist, Stacker etc) need to get out a bit more into the real world
Firstly, in case you hadn't noticed, a lot of 15 year olds in this country don't even know what a job is.
Second, those that do have every right to ask questions, and even though they might not seem to have any military attributes, 3 years is a long time to grow up a bit, mature and decide the route they want to take.
Third, if Adam ends up in any flying profession he'll have done bloody well.
Adam, don't take the above bit about growing up the wrong way. Fair play to you. Get in the cadets, get some Air Experience Flying and some gliding in and get on some Cadet camps at some flying stations. Make your own mind up and then go and do it
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Old 22nd Apr 2007, 06:55
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OASC 'CANDIDATES' and WANNABES, PLEASE READ THIS THREAD FIRST!

skatergirl

"Firstly, in case you hadn't noticed, a lot of 15 year olds in this country don't even know what a job is."

And I don't want to share my crewroom with them.

"Second, those that do have every right to ask questions, and even though they might not seem to have any military attributes, 3 years is a long time to grow up a bit, mature and decide the route they want to take."

I don't know, a lot of that time is going to have to be spent working on his sentence construction and punctuation.

"Third, if Adam ends up in any flying profession he'll have done bloody well"

Why?
It has never been easier to get in judging by the dross that comes through.
Everybody so is short at the moment, you could get in with missing limbs!
And its not like what we do is difficult.
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Old 22nd Apr 2007, 06:57
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Is Sleeve Wing the one on the left???
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Old 22nd Apr 2007, 07:17
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"Firstly, in case you hadn't noticed, a lot of 15 year olds in this country don't even know what a job is."
What a load of tosh. My wife teaches 14-18 year olds and at 15 they are well aware what a job is, unfortunately many believe that its up to society to hand them a good one on a plate.

At 15 I knew exactly what I wanted to do and had enough interest in my chosen career path to have done work experience with the RAF, which answered many of the questions that this chap is asking.

My brother (who flies Nimrods) also had his mind set at 15, he had been in the ATC for a couple of years, had a bit of flying under his belt and was working hard to get good GCSE results so that he could get into a university that had a decent UAS.

I don't care that I come across sounding harsh, the RAF is a career, not a training scheme for wannabe airline pilots. Yes flying for the airlines is what many of our esteemed growbag overlords do when they leave but it shouldn't be the aim from day one, as it appears to be in this young chaps case.
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Old 22nd Apr 2007, 14:36
  #1073 (permalink)  
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"Firstly, in case you hadn't noticed, a lot of 15 year olds in this country don't even know what a job is."
Tourist - you obviously don't spend much time with the youth of today. I help out at the local ATC. The kids there are motivated, genuine and hard-working.

AA Junior #2 is 15, as it happens. She spent this Easter holidays revising hard for GCSEs. Last Easter she was working 0800-2000 lambing for two weeks.
She's got her first interview for the FAA tomorrow - expect her in a crewroom near you in about 5-6 years time.
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Old 23rd Apr 2007, 05:22
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Hello,

I know it is pretty hard to join the army physically but there are also mental tests plus good academic performance in the admission requirements. All I can say is best of luck to all the aspirants.

One thing that really amazes me with the military field is this military school for girls. It looks cool to me but I can't imagine how physically difficult it could be. Well, they seem to be happy with it and these girls are really going well...
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Old 23rd Apr 2007, 09:33
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Welbeck

LT you open up an interesting thread within this thread which is more dedicated to the Royal AirForce Officeer and Aircrew Selection. Although you are therefore off-topic may I say that the UK has a college that is both similar and different from the US concept.

That is Welbeck 6th Form College. http://www.welbeck.mod.uk/after_welbeck.html

Interestingly, when you look at Welbeck on the internet it seems a bit schizophrenic.

It is an tri-service defence sponsored college and theabove site carries all the Services' logos.

Confusingly other Google hits suggest a different ethos:

The British Army's Sixth Form Residential College for students interested in combining academic with sporting activities, and a future career as an Army ...
www.welbeck.ac.uk/ - [I could not get the link to work]

It is clear that this PURPLE organisation is very much a GREEN shade of purple. http://www.dsfc.ac.uk/
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Old 23rd Apr 2007, 09:37
  #1076 (permalink)  
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I know a young lady (friend of AA Junior #2) at Welbeck. It's a school that does a bit of CCF-style military on Weds pms and the odd w/e, not much square-bashing, fantastic academic facilities, she says.
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Old 26th Apr 2007, 17:44
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Hello,

I'm 17 and have just started the procedure of applying to be a pilot and am exited at finally having the opportunity to put my dreams into motion after so many years of waiting .

I had my presentation at AFCO two weeks ago and cannot go any further until I get my A-Level results in august...

This is where the questions begin

1. The flight lieutenant at the AFCO giving the presentation said that the A-level grades I obtain are not relevant (so long as there are 2 passes). Instead it is a question of how hard I worked to obtain those grades and what sort of person I am. Does this ring true to any of you on this forum, is it the way it is done, or when applying for pilot do you need **** hot grades even if you have the aptitude and are a well rounded person?

The reason for me asking is that my A-levels have not gone according to plan... and despite working my ass off (whilst holding down a job and competing at a high level in several sports) am not likely to achieve decent A-Level grades (my GCSE grades were very good).

2. I need some practice at Speed distance time calculations (so that I can do them without thinking)... so I’m after a resource with lots of questions, can anyone suggest any good books/websites around at the moment? (My ability to work out such questions is sound; I just want to increase the speed at which I can do them)

3. I have given up the opportunity of going to a good university in order to go for this as early as possible... In your opinion was this a good thing to do? (Not that it would change my mind , I'm just interested to hear )

I feel that this is turning into an essay and I’m sure people on the forum get bored of answering wannabes questions, so I’ll save any others for later .

Thanks in advance for any help (or criticism ),

Craig
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Old 26th Apr 2007, 21:22
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OASC Eng Officer

Hey

I have just gone through my interview at the AFCO for becoming an engineeing officer, which was successful.. As im a serving airman I was wondering if theres anyone that can give me some advice on the oasc. Or any good websites for practice questions.. i.e maths.

Hope you guys can be of some help. Would be very much appreciated!

Thanks
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Old 27th Apr 2007, 06:54
  #1079 (permalink)  
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CraigJ,

You have set out some difficult questions well presented.

. . . that the A-level grades I obtain are not relevant (so long as there are 2 passes). Instead it is a question of how hard I worked to obtain those grades and what sort of person I am.
My answer will not be the answer you want.

Everything is taken into account. If there are two candiates with similar qualities and aptitudes the one with the higher grades in the more relevant subjects would be assessed as the lower training risk.

Where the A-level grades 'do not matter' is that 'two A-levels' will qualify you for the next stage in the process but the grades themselves are not insignificant.

In other words it all depends.

for pilot do you need **** hot grades even if you have the aptitude and are a well rounded person?
Aptitude and quality may outweigh poor grades but . . .

I need some practice at Speed distance time calculations (so that I can do them without thinking.
If you know how to do them then just set yourself 'dynamic' questions.

You are driving in a car. It is doing 30 mph. You have 3 miles to go. How long?

Your 20 mile journey took 45 minutes. How fast?

How long to do 90 miles at 50 mph?

I have given up the opportunity of going to a good university in order to go for this as early as possible... In your opinion was this a good thing to do?
One school of thought is that entry at 17 gets you into the training system early when you are better suited to learn. The other is that time at university imroves your life skills and a good subject will help in the future. Horses and course, but be prepared to articulate your reasons.

Good luck and well done.
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Old 27th Apr 2007, 07:37
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I have given up the opportunity of going to a good university in order to go for this as early as possible...
That's a very big gamble at this time. Your chances of getting to Cranwell in your desired branch are much, much longer than your chances of getting a place at university. Apply for university, and RAF, and then decide.

Or join the RN as aircrew and get a degree while you train:
http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/...changeNav/3533
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