Herod

Seems a bit hard, the residency requirement. My parents emigrated to Oz when I was five, and we returned when I was seventeen. The only thing I ever wanted to be was a pilot in the RAF. I applied as soon as I could, was accepted, and enjoyed a career. According to the rules, I wouldn't be allowed to do that now. Sad.

vecvechookattack

Its all to do with the rights and privileges of being a commonwealth citizen. If you are a citizen of the commonwealth then you have the right for a free visa in commonwealth countries, you have the right to work and of course you have the right to enlist in the British Armed Forces providing you meet the criteria. In some countries you also have the right to vote.

FFP

I'm also surprised that there isn't some sort of allowance for any Crown servant parents serving overseas ? Surely if I'm abroad in an official capacity working for HM, my kids would be able to apply to join HM Forces, even if they hadn't been in the UK for a couple of years ?

BTW, just did the Personality test on the RAF Careers (apparently I have one...a personality, that is....not a career.... )

Says I should be a Flight Ops Assistant......

OneFifty

vecvechookattack, I have no idea why you wont accept the RAF policy on recruiting but it is there in black and white. They are the regulations we follow at the AFCO as stated by Gp Capt Recruiting.

FFP, if under 18 and abroad with parents, the rules are different. If with you on an overseas assignment, they would of course be able to apply.

FFP

That figures. Cheers for the confirmation.

ladybird380

Hi all,

I was wondering if there is anybody with professional flying qualifications have applied or is applying to the RAF non-pilot jobs? (non-pilot, because of age or eye sight limitations)

Thanks

LB

Tourist

"I have no idea why you wont accept the RAF policy on recruiting but it is there in black and white."

Just so you know, I didn't meet the residency criteria, but got accepted by both RAF and RN.
As with everything, the people who make the rules can waive them.

Sand4Gold

I'm Spartacus! I had spent 17yrs in southern africa before coming to London and walking into an AFCO - 3/4 months of security checks and I was in.

Damian, when ready, get yourself to the UK and take it from there. Regulations are for the guidance of fools - British citizenship requirement aside, market forces, and the calibre of the person applying, will dictate whether or not an individual is successful in joining the RAF.

A great career, good luck.

S4G

Whenurhappy

After almost 20 years of being in the RAF (having joined from a Commonwealth country) I still occasionally encounter 'nationality' issues, in spite of having a British passport. It's generally to do with access to particular information, again irrespective of having the appropriate clearances and the requirement to access that information, and the immutable fact I was born 'Abroad'.

However, Captain King Damian, follow Sand4Gold's advice and don't take no for an answer from the Careers Office. Get yourself over here and show grit and determination - as well as an oustanding aptitude to do the job. There are other routes (such as joining the British army for a few years) that would soak up this requirement - just make sure that you have plenty of head-room to apply before you get too old.

Good luck

WP

CaptainKing

Thanks guys,

One thing about the residency, we know of someone who lives in South Africa, and is a British national. She went over and applyed fror the RAF, either last year or early this year, and her application was accepted. She had been flying in SA with 43 Air School.

Can anyone account for this?

Also if some of my other questions could be answered it would be much appreciated.

Thanks a lot!

muppetofthenorth

We won't do your research for you. If you want to get in as a pilot, you're going to need to know all that information and more to make it through selection.

Go to the RAF Careers website, go to thestudentroom.co.uk and use google, you will easily find all the answers. But it's your job to do that, not ours.

MrWomble

The 5 years is mainly to make the SC process easier, I've heard of it being waived if you can easily get previous nation police reports, however anything that makes the process more complicated isn't going to help you when the rest of the country are currently applying.

OneFifty

Mr Womble is correct, waivers have been granted in the past. However, in these times of reduced recruitment and budgets, waivers are EXTREMELY difficult to gain at the moment. I am not saying that is will forever remain the case, but at the moment, no waivers are being granted. The AFCO's have been specifically told as much.

Union Jack

I just wanted to ask a few questions regarding the RAF airwing:

Me too!

Jack

PS Go for it CaptainKing - and don't forget the Royal Navy "airwing"

ElSupremo

Hi everybody, I have a question about a question that might get asked in interviews. The question might be: "Your mission is to bomb an enemy target (e.g. a bridge, factory etc) and you are told that civilian casualties are possible. How would you respond to this? Would you feel guilty about accidently killing civilians? Could you live with yourself if such an event arises?".

What would be the best way to go about answering such a question? If I was being completely honest I probably would feel guilty (I am human after all). Would saying such a thing be bad?

How do real fighter pilots deal with such issues?

muppetofthenorth

Q: "What would be the best way to go about answering such a question?"

A: The only way that matters: honestly.



[Not rocket science!]

Ray Dahvectac

Fighter pilots don't drop bombs.

OneFifty

I'm just trying to save you an expensive trip. I am an RAF Recruiter it is someone like me you will be talking to upon walking into the Careers Office. You WILL need to have spent 5 years in the UK prior to making an application.

CleartoFire

El Supremo,

The question of how you feel about killling people, civilian and otherwise, is fundamental to your application to the military. You are joining an armed force whose role is to find, fix and kill the enemy to achieve the political aims of the government. Therefore you should have thought long and hard about your feelings about this and come to some expression of justification/rationalisation of taking life.

After such consideration, when the question comes up you should be able to give a measured, considered and above all honest answer. The military do not want sociopaths blind with blood lust, nor would conscientious objectors likely to get very far through the interview process but in the end the individual must be able to press the trigger when required.

Of course to actually get as far as being asked this question you do have to actually walk in to an AFCO and make an application.........

Aerouk

I think this video pretty much answers El Supremo's answer:

Ministry of Defence | Video | VIDEO: RAF pilot spares Taliban commander to save civilians

At the end of the day, hearts and minds are still a huge part of Afghanistan and any other war.