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OFFICER and AIRCREW 'CANDIDATES' PLEASE READ THIS THREAD FIRST!

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OFFICER and AIRCREW 'CANDIDATES' PLEASE READ THIS THREAD FIRST!

Old 3rd Sep 2010, 17:06
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Clarification

Thanks for all your replies!

Just to clear this up, back in 2008 I was successful at OASC and was provisionally accepted pending the medical history checks. That's where I fell down. Thanks to a chest infection back in 2007 the GP wrote in my records there was a slight wheeze in one of my lungs which disappeared and never came back. This was enough to bar me for 4 years. I was prescribed an inhaler but fortunately managed to appeal that as irrelevant and a mis-prescription. I then got a letter from the president of the medical board stating that I would not be eligible for ground-crew (I applied for Admin, now Personnel support) until May 2011. I was inquiring as to whether this "4 years clear" policy had changed in the last 2 years. Thanks for all the feedback though! Just have to go through the rig-ma-roll of the applications process again at the end of the year!
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Old 3rd Sep 2010, 17:10
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Also the letter from the president of the medical board stated the reason why my one week wheeze posed a problem was that to put a candidate with a history of respiratory issues through IOT posed an unacceptable risk and after 4 years free of symptoms those issues were deemed to of subsided. That's pretty much verbatim.
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Old 6th Sep 2010, 01:39
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WSOp Closed again?

Hi everybody.
I am currently on the RAF careers E-mail system for WSOp and just had one question. I was travelling around New Zealand at the time applications re-opened in June and subsequently could not follow through at that stage. However now this option appears to be closed again!
Anybody have any idea when WSOp applications will re-open?

Thanks,
H9
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Old 6th Sep 2010, 06:37
  #324 (permalink)  
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Originally Posted by guitarwillie
they thought this position was closed due to future aircraft not having WSO on board, only WSOp.

I thought MR4A had at least 1 WSO on board, and same with the Sentinel R1?
MRA4 2 actually but given a fleet size of 9 that is 18 bodies with no more than a further 18 as staff and replacements. On Sentiel I don't know but if so it would be even fewer.

Given that the MR2 had far more WSO than this and there are dozens on the GR4, there are more than enough WSO in Service to satisfy immediate requirements and probably enough in the pipe for some time too.

Only after the SDSR will it be known if more WSO are needed in the short term.

ElS, while mentioning fitness, I checked an old fitness diary in the RCAF 5x. As I was approaching 30 I was able to do the 1.5 mile run in 10min 50sec. That was not measured over a mile and a half but as part of a 5 mile run in 36 minutes. A few years later, in my mid-30s, they introduced a quarterly 1.5 mile run for aircrew. From an unfit cold start I could clock about 12-10 which was comfortably under the target. Over 11 minutes for a potential racing snake at Cranditz is strictly low average. 12 minutes is gasping and out of sight.

To put this in context, in my 40s we did a mass station run with the racing snakes clocking under 9 minutes. One racing snake was an ATC Cadet. The rest of his group managed times in the order of 15-17 minutes. That is indicative of the capability of many school boys and school leavers.

Last edited by Pontius Navigator; 6th Sep 2010 at 09:43.
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Old 6th Sep 2010, 10:56
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I thought MR4A had at least 1 WSO on board, and same with the Sentinel R1?
Guitarwillie - pretty much as PN says. Whilst the MRA4 plot is probably already sorted given the number of WSOs already in the system, I wouldn't pin too many hopes on the Sentinel - or even the SKASaCs come to that.

The Sentinel fleet is tiny - I believe only 5 ac total, with only one or 2 on ops at any one time - and there are only 3 mission crew down the back. Of those 3 mission crew, 2 are Imagery Analysts with the 3rd being a Mission Commander. The MC would more than likely be a WSO but I would hazard a guess that you might also get the odd AEO filling a slot too - I believe a recent V(AC) Sqn boss was an AEO.

Then again, if you were feeling very brave or speculative, you could always go FC and pray that the RAF follows the USAF route and makes all its Sentinel mission controllers FCs as per the USAF's JSTARS
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Old 6th Sep 2010, 11:02
  #326 (permalink)  
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Originally Posted by Melchett01
Then again, if you were feeling very brave or speculative, you could always go FC and pray that the RAF follows the USAF route and makes all its Sentinel mission controllers FCs as per the USAF's JSTARS
Has the RAF embraced E3 FC as a proper job? A while back it was seen as a diversion from the real FC world underground. An FC had to serve a sentence at Neat or wherever before getting an E3 slot if actually aircrew fit.

There was then no promise that they would remain within the AEW Force and retain their flying pay. I know that many did indeed manage extended 'detachments' to the AEW Force but often at the expense of promotion.
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Old 6th Sep 2010, 12:23
  #327 (permalink)  
 
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PN - I guess it all depends who you ask that question to! Whilst not being an FC myself, the general feeling seems to be that the FCs on the jets consider themselves to be bona fide fully fledged aircrew whilst the rest of the RAF and probably a good proportion of the rest of the bunker dwellers see them for what they actually are, namely Mission Specialists on a flying tour.

Unlike the USAF FCs who actively join up to fly as airborne controllers, ether on E3s or JSTARs, for RAF FCs a tour on E3s is just another tour, albeit with certain perks. But as I understand it, RAF FCs go to the AEW fleet with the prospect that they will have their wings clipped at some point in order to maintain a through flow of experience.
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Old 6th Sep 2010, 15:28
  #328 (permalink)  
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Melchett, that was my understanding too. For promotion you needed a bunker tour which of course got you posted from the E3.

When I was at Tinker they were recruited as AWAC crew and considered themselves as aircrew. One reason could have been the declaration that there was 'no air breathing threat' to ConUS and thus no need for an Air Defence setup; got that one wrong.

In the UK, given that the number of airborne seats is very few the gene pool would be too small to follow the USAF route; bit like the WSO(Nav) pool which is rapidly drying out.
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Old 8th Sep 2010, 17:43
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WSOp open, but clock is ticking!

@Hanger_9
Now!

Yup got my email today rushed home from work early to fill it in as my local AFCO said once they received the required number of applications the online site would close!

So managed to get my application filled in and sent off. They said someone should contact me within 10 days. Any guesses on roughly how long until p2 presentation and filters?

Time to go for a run...
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Old 8th Sep 2010, 19:42
  #330 (permalink)  
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Re-filled my out on the Online form also today. I checked my emails as soon as it appeared on my hotmail list, and re-applied almost instantly.

Lets hope that some of us hear from the RAF/AFCO soon.

All the best

NDW
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Old 9th Sep 2010, 13:58
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OASC Bulletin 21

ASTHMA AND RAF SELECTION

There have been a considerable number of threads recently regarding the employment of Asthma sufferers within the Royal Air Force. This thread is intended to detail the current rules which were updated in April 2010.

Asthma is a disease of the medium sized airways characterised by inflammation of the airway wall, constriction of the muscle of the airway wall and excessive mucus production. These all conspire to narrow the airway impeding the entry and exit of air into the lungs. The onset of symptoms is often unpredictable and can be either gradual or extremely rapid. To make things a little more difficult asthma is not a single entity but a continuum of disease ranging from nocturnal cough, cough on exercise or in cold weather to intermittent wheeze requiring treatment with inhalers to life threatening disease requiring emergency treatment. Asthma or wheezing diathesis in childhood is common and up to 30% of childhood sufferers will go on to have further episodes as an adult, identifying who those 30% are is extremely difficult hence the current policy on asthma as laid down in AP1269A Leaflet 5-03 para 4.


ASTHMA AND SELECTION FOR AIRCREW

The Asthma policy for those seeking a career in any of the Aircrew branches is as follows:

(1) Candidates with a current or past history of asthma are to be made permanently unfit for aircrew duties.

(2) Candidates with a history of a single episode of wheeze in association with a respiratory tract infection after their 5th birthday are to be referred for specialist assessment. Those with a negative assessment on formal testing may be acceptable for aircrew selection. Those with demonstrable bronchial hyper-responsiveness after the infection has resolved are to be made permanently unfit aircrew duties.

An accurate history is the most useful tool OASC has in deciding whether a candidate has had asthma in the past; this is gleaned from both the candidate on their medical form, and their general practitioner who provides OASC with a report.

NOTE: If you are unsure whether you have had disqualifying asthma you should fill in an asthma Medical Supplement leaflet via your AFCO which will then be assessed at OASC.

ASTHMA AND SELECTION FOR GROUND BRANCHES

The policy on asthma for ground branches is less stringent than that for aircrew, but has become stricter following a review in April of this year. Once again the diagnosis will be based upon the candidate’s medical history. If the candidates answers YES to any of the following questions then they will be considered unfit for entry:

(1)Are you currently on any treatment for asthma?

(2) Have you had any asthmatic symptoms including nocturnal cough or exercise-induced wheezing in the past 5 years or since the age of 16 years?

(3) Have you used any inhaler (continuously or intermittently) for control of asthma or wheeze for a period > 8 weeks in the 5 years before application?

(4) Have you required oral steroids for asthma or wheeze since the age of 5 yrs?

(5) Have you required admission to an intensive care unit for asthma at any time in your life?

(6) Have you required a hospital admission > 24 hours for asthma or wheeze since your 5th birthday?

In addition to the above questions if the candidate’s GP report shows that he/she has had more than 2 distinct episodes of wheeze after reaching the age of 5 or any recorded peak expiratory flow rate readings less than 80% of the lower limit of the predicted range for age and gender he/she will also be found unfit for entry. As for aircrew, applicants for ground branches who are unsure whether they have had disqualifying asthma should also complete an Asthma Medical Supplement Leaflet which is submitted to the Medical Board via their AFCO.

For more information regarding any of these areas highlighted, please contact your AFCO and they will be able to give you more detailed information regarding specific cases.

Please note that, although OASC will endeavour to answer generic questions that arise, we will not be engaging or commenting on individual cases. In those cases, the individual is advised to contact their nearest AFCO who will be able to deal with any queries. All information published is for information only.

Information regarding a career in the RAF can be found at http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers
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Old 12th Sep 2010, 12:34
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News of N.C.A positions via Online Application Form

Afternoon,

Just a quick post regarding if anyone has heard any news about the RAF NCA Application form (Online).

The position re-opened this week (Thursday 9th September) and it stated for a limited time only.

I applied again the Thursday just gone (9th September) for WSOp in particular WSOp (Crewman) and WSOp (Electronic Warfare), however as I am fully aware this won't be taken into consideration just yet until streaming take place.

All the best

NDW
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Old 12th Sep 2010, 19:13
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RAF Pilot wannabe

Hi, I'm 18 years old, 19 in February, in second year of 6th form and really want to be a pilot in the RAF on either multi-engine or rotary-wing preferably, and wanted to ask for any tips on what would make me stand out when applying, I know it's not a walk in the park and realise i'll be pushed to my limits and then beyond them, so I've got about a year until I'd join and am making sure from now that i'm in good enough shape for it and keeping up with all my studies.
So if anyone has any advice, or just general info then that'd be great thanks

Dan
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Old 12th Sep 2010, 19:19
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Good Evening Dan,

If you look at the thread regarding OASC at the top of this forum, there will be hundreds of tips and advice in there for you.

I myself am 18, and have recently applied for WSOp, however I finished my A levels early and was only awarded 2 x AS grades, so best advice is to stay on and complete your full A levels (unlike me ).

As I have been told by many on this forum (Who's advice is priceless by the way ) get good leadership experience and try and get yourself in a sports team.

Hope this helps, but please be aware I am only a wannabe also there are many current and ex. Military aircrew on this forum who I am more than sure will be happy to help.

All the best

NDW
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Old 12th Sep 2010, 19:20
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Read the OASC sticky at the top.

Go to uni so you have a back-up.

Get fit, prepare well, and enjoy.
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Old 12th Sep 2010, 19:40
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Just do it

It's true what the famous brand says. "Just do it" All I ever wanted to be was a pilot, ever since I was a kid. I went to the Air Training Corps at fourteen. Went to college then university then joined the RAF. I've been all over the world and loved every minute. If I had to do it all again I wouldn't change a thing. My advice would be to devote yourself and do your very best, focus and the reward will come. I still wear my top gun flight suit now and again when I feel like it as it brings back so many memories.
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Old 12th Sep 2010, 19:46
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Yeah, I've read part of the OASC already and got some info off there, but as for sports team, thats a bit harder because although i'm not unfit, i'm not really good at sports :/

I can swim well and ski well, but not really much else really..

also on the leadership side, I've done an ILM level 2 award in Team Leading, just signed up for the Level 3 In Line Management course, and am going to sign up to do my PADI Divemaster too, so that should all be on my side, shouldn't it?

Dan
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Old 12th Sep 2010, 19:57
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It won't hurt....

But - why no DoE Gold / Silver? Why no ATC experience?

And why on earth wouldn't you want to fly fast jets? 250ft at 420 KIAS - bl**dy terrific! Nothing else comes close - and don't believe anyone who tries to tell you otherwise!

Good luck!
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Old 12th Sep 2010, 20:36
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Sentry,

If it was I who was mad keen to join up I would have read and digested ALL of the thread at the top. I would have to ask why you have only looked at some of it.

As Beags suggested, it would also be interested as to why you aren't interested in fast jets.

Ultimately, you can read about it and prepare as much as you can but you've either got what it takes to be selected/make it through IOT/pilot training or you haven't.
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Old 13th Sep 2010, 20:51
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Latest Fitness Test Timings

Hi, a friend of mine recently went to OASC (and passed, as pilot) and said that for the fitness test everyone was told to run at 13.9km/h. This equates to a time of 10m22s approx for the 1.5mile, he said that the times have recently been revised so the 'old' green time has now become the 'amber' time i.e. just to pass nowadays the time is 10m12s.

As you can see, this is conflicting information (as my friend passed, which according to the above he should not have). As far as I know; based on my OASC letter (dated 7th Sep) and what I was told at filter interview; the amber time is 11m11s and the green time is 10m12s. Can someone confirm if this is still the case?

Many thanks.
Simon
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