Braddersb

"Just say you want to be a pilot. If they pick on you during interview - or rather, when they pick on you - just say that you are quite singleminded right now, but if you were unsuccessful your subsequent attempts at OASC may involve a wider range of Branch choices, depending on why you were unsuccessful this time."

Sounds like some sound advice there. Ive heard that this year there will only be 2 scholarships awarded this year... What i'm wandering is that as competition is so extreme, surely candidate A who has put down 1st choice pilot, 2nd choice ATC or WSO, is going to look more appealing to the selection board than candidate B who only has put down 1st choice pilot, and no 2nd choice???

Pontius Navigator

NDW, well done. The criteria is 5 A-C including English and Maths. You have those so that is a tick.

Now you need 2 A-level. If one of your A-levels is Maths then your grade C at GCSE figures not a jot. Concentrate on your next target not your last one.

Pontius Navigator

Not really. Appeal will come in performance at interview and not a career wish list. As A_A and Muppet say, you will be very exceptional to get a scholarship but if you don't apply then you don't want, if you don't want you don't get.

As competiton is so stiff you don't need to fret if you are not successful. The study, application and interview will all add to your life skills.

muppetofthenorth

It depends a lot on the reviewing officer at the time - each puts their own spin on the job and the decisions they make - but they're accepting you for your potential for one role, not six.

If you got the VIth Form Schol for a pilot, then the board is essentially assuming you'd remain a pilot all the way through. Whether you DE after completion of your A2s or then go on to university, they assume you're staying a pilot. If over time your medical side of things does not maintain [really only referring to eyesight here] then you are not liable to repay any scholarship money, so that shouldn't be a worry.

I'd always view it that if someone wants to be a pilot, then they really want to be a pilot and wouldn't really be happy doing anything else.

As has been said, VIth Form Schols are rarer than rocking horse poo, and only given out for [IIRC] two Branches in the first place. Essentially, if you put down that you're applying for a VIth Form Schol and put other Branch choices down, you're applying for something that doesn't exist, so why waste the time in your interview talking about another Branch they can't offer you?

IMO, pilots need that little bit of ego* to say "I'm awesome, of course you want me" so why not have a little confidence in yourself?



*obviously, some have quite a lot more than 'just a little bit'... Not that that's big or clever!


For the record: No, I'm not going in for Pilot

mugwuffin

this stuff about 6th form/pilot scholarships being impossibly hard is utter poop. in my wing at air cadets 3 people got pilot scholarships in one year alone. and trust me they weren't all glowing candidates - i was one of them... if the selection is the same as the one i did (it was 5 odd years ago now) then the only things you can prepare for are the interview and the fitness test. that should be relatively straightforward. bonne chance!

Pontius Navigator

Says it all really.

airborne_artist

Mug - read my post above - uni bursaries for 2010 came within a whisker of being cx'd altogether a few weeks back. 6th form scholarships will be similarly under pressure.

mugwuffin

apologies - didn't make myself clear. when we turned up at adastral house we were all told exactly the same thing - 2 or 4 places for the year. unless you know someone at the directorate who's prepared to give you the figures, and from my exposure to those guys in the bar at least they just plain won't... I wouldn't listen to a word.

Pontius Navigator

Mug, are you at Leeming or YUAS?

Trust us, A_A etc are closer to the directorate than you might think.

NDW

P_N,

Thanks for your reply. Over the next two years, I will be really pushing myself to get these A levels the grades I deserve.

I will have to leave my part time job with B&Q, in which I am helping in the replenishment side of things, working from 8PM-MIDNIGHT every monday, tuesday, wednesday and thursday start to take it's toll on you after a while

Thanks again

Pontius Navigator

NDW, good decision. At my daughter's school they did the DoE Bronze and Gold and skipped silver to avoid clashing with GCSE.

NDW

Well I think it's a well worth sacrafice, My parent's agree with me, I may not be earning any more money for the next two years, however this is the most important part to me personally, as this is where it could be make or break for the possible future.

However I will be hopefully re-joining my local A.T.C squadron maybe as a Instructor or just general helper, and at least I can still participate in activities, and help improve my leadership skills.

Thanks

mugwuffin

aa - I would have thought that the continuing desire to get young men/women into a cockpit combined with record numbers of university applications would have put a greater financial pressure on the bursary, not the scholarship. my point still stands, unless you are at oasc in which case i will politely apologise and yield to the figures that i'm fairly certain you wouldn't be allowed to publish anyway.

pn - grow up. and I was brought up in yorkshire. never been on either unit you mention (unfortunately). oh and I'm not 22, thought it unwise to put my proper age on an anonymous forum. I also don't need a navigator to tell me what to do - and neither does anyone else at my station.

NDW

I think to be fair mugwuffin that P_N was joking - something called banter.

And the quote ' I don't need a Navigator to tell me what to do ' is very disloyal, I hope that if you do become a pilot or whatever else you hope to do, that you don't talk to fellow aircrew like that.

Everyone on this forum is here to help and advise possible future Aircrew.

So take what everyone says on here with a pinch of salt.

Braddersb

mug, are you getting sixth form scholarship mixed up with a flying scholarship (pilot scholarship) otherwise how can a 6fs be easy to get if under 4 people are awarded it per year nationally?

airborne_artist

[quote]aa - I would have thought that the continuing desire to get young men/women into a cockpit combined with record numbers of university applications would have put a greater financial pressure on the bursary, not the scholarship. my point still stands, unless you are at oasc in which case i will politely apologise and yield to the figures that i'm fairly certain you wouldn't be allowed to publish anyway./QUOTE]

The point remains that the RAF (and the RN and AAC) do not have a problem recruiting aircrew. The scholarship and bursary schemes are aids to recruiting, and therefore the pressure to reduce or stop the schemes for aircrew remains high. The cash released may go back into schemes to recruit more engineers, logisticians, doctors etc.

The numbers applying to university may increase the applications, but it won't increase the numbers of awards. Recruitment is pretty flat for aircrew.

As for where I am, or who my sources are, well that's not for this forum, but suffice to say I'd be silent if I didn't know what I was talking about.

ricster

Hey guys,

Here is the recruitment dates for NUAS

Northumbria: 14-15 Sep
Newcastle: 21-22 Sep
Durham: 5-6 Oct

We'll be outside the Students' Union building in flying suits. Just grab one of us, have a chat and we'll take you up for an informal chat with one of the members of staff.

EFH

Hi,

Im going to be attending the flying apptiude test for pilot in the Royal Navy and i wish to prepare to give myself the best possible chance for success. I have been hunting around and have come across this pre-apptitude preparation program Pilot computer test software: pilot aptitude test, job application, pilot recruitment, pilapt. and i was wondering if anyone here as done this program and deemed it compatable with military flying apptitude tests? It seems like a very good preparation program,however im worried it is more for commerical pilots. If anyone could post what they thought of it or could point me in the direction of another means of preparation that would be more suited for military apptitude tests then i would be greatful.

Thanks.

Mick Strigg

No, I’ve not used that software. But I do thoroughly recommend Microsoft Word Spell Checker that would have picked up your nine spelling and punctuation errors that you made in your text!

My advice to you is: Concentrate on the basics!

Jimmy123

just out of interest for anyone going for a RAF bursary, apparently the letters have been sent out today with the results of this months sift.

nervous much?