OFFICER and AIRCREW 'CANDIDATES' PLEASE READ THIS THREAD FIRST!
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You would need to have been in the UK for a minimum of 3 years to fulfil the residency requirement and you would not be able to apply for intelligence analyst, intelligence officer or provost officer.
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2012
Happy New Year!
Can anyone give an update situation on the latest Aircrew situation from a tri-service point of view, hearing very little from the official sources nowadays!
Best Regards.
Can anyone give an update situation on the latest Aircrew situation from a tri-service point of view, hearing very little from the official sources nowadays!
Best Regards.
Red On, Green On
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FS - apply to the AAC and the Royal Navy. Advantage of applying to AAC is that all officer aircrew are pilots, but your AAC place is not confirmed til you are in third terma at RMAS. RN FAA will take you in as officer aircrew, but may stream you to observer instead of pilot, and you have little if any choice.
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airborne artist,
Does this mean that the RN FAA are currently accepting applications for Officer aircrew (Pilot/Observer)? Or are they (like the RAF) not accepting applications for Aircrew at the moment?
Thanks alot.
Does this mean that the RN FAA are currently accepting applications for Officer aircrew (Pilot/Observer)? Or are they (like the RAF) not accepting applications for Aircrew at the moment?
Thanks alot.
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Hi guys,
I've currently just started my Honours year in Mathematics and once that's done I'm planning on flying over to the UK to sign up to the RAF or RN depending on which service will provide a higher chance of becoming a pilot (fixed wing). I obviously have a few questions.
1) When should I apply to join the RAF or RN if I want to start the training process next year? I read that it takes a while for your application to be processed, and currently it looks like online applications are non-existent as only a phone number is available.
2) I've noticed that in some cases there seem to be techniques for giving yourself a higher-than-normal chance of being chosen for fast jets (I'm not talking about just working your arse off during training, but rather taking certain training paths). As a lot of the people who plan on joining the RAF/RN as a pilot want to end up in fast jets, is there a certain path to take that could maximize your chances of becoming a FJ pilot?
3) Residency requirements are a big worry for me currently as I've read mixed opinions on this subject. I'm a South African citizen but a dual South African/British national. I've lived and studied in SA all my life, but my mother is a British citizen and South Africa is a Commonwealth country. Right now the fact that I am only a national and not a citizen would seem to make me illegible to join. Would academic and extramural achievement possibly give me a waiver and allow access to application? I know that this is grasping at straws but would past family history in HM armed forces also sway any decisions to allow access?
Thanks guys, cheers.
I've currently just started my Honours year in Mathematics and once that's done I'm planning on flying over to the UK to sign up to the RAF or RN depending on which service will provide a higher chance of becoming a pilot (fixed wing). I obviously have a few questions.
1) When should I apply to join the RAF or RN if I want to start the training process next year? I read that it takes a while for your application to be processed, and currently it looks like online applications are non-existent as only a phone number is available.
2) I've noticed that in some cases there seem to be techniques for giving yourself a higher-than-normal chance of being chosen for fast jets (I'm not talking about just working your arse off during training, but rather taking certain training paths). As a lot of the people who plan on joining the RAF/RN as a pilot want to end up in fast jets, is there a certain path to take that could maximize your chances of becoming a FJ pilot?
3) Residency requirements are a big worry for me currently as I've read mixed opinions on this subject. I'm a South African citizen but a dual South African/British national. I've lived and studied in SA all my life, but my mother is a British citizen and South Africa is a Commonwealth country. Right now the fact that I am only a national and not a citizen would seem to make me illegible to join. Would academic and extramural achievement possibly give me a waiver and allow access to application? I know that this is grasping at straws but would past family history in HM armed forces also sway any decisions to allow access?
Thanks guys, cheers.
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I made a bit of a blunder in my earlier post. I realized yesterday that being a British national also means that I am a British citizen. And under the pilot requirements is says "Nationality: UK citizen or holder of dual UK/other nationality", so I'm assuming that this means that I will be able to join up since I am a holder of a UK/SA passport. Is this correct?
Alexrey - whether or not you are a British citizen still doesn't change the fact that right now we have pilots on 2 year holds waiting in the training system. To give you an idea of how few spaces there are in the training system and how many pilots they are trying to get through, we have just had a holding officer posted in to us for a full tour between his basic and advanced course. Not a normal hold, a full 2 year tour as a baby staff officer.
I wouldn't make all your plans around becoming an RAF pilot, especially if you are already 23/24. Unless you are already in the system, you would probably need to be closer to 20/21 to have a fighting chance of making the age brackets for starting pilot training given how little requirement there is for new pilots at the moment By all means, ask the question, but be prepared for an answer you don't want to hear.
I wouldn't make all your plans around becoming an RAF pilot, especially if you are already 23/24. Unless you are already in the system, you would probably need to be closer to 20/21 to have a fighting chance of making the age brackets for starting pilot training given how little requirement there is for new pilots at the moment By all means, ask the question, but be prepared for an answer you don't want to hear.
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Alexrey
Even as a British national, you will have to have spent a minimum of three years to even start the application process. At the end of that period, you would still need to be young enough to get the the application and selection process before your 26th birthday.
Even as a British national, you will have to have spent a minimum of three years to even start the application process. At the end of that period, you would still need to be young enough to get the the application and selection process before your 26th birthday.
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I thought that this quote below from raf.mod.uk put me in the "able to apply" bracket.
UK Resident less than 3 years
If you have been resident in the United Kingdom for less than 3 years, but fall into one of the following categories then we will need to complete further checks on your eligibility during the application process. In the meantime, you should register you interest as normal.
If you have been resident in the United Kingdom for less than 3 years, but fall into one of the following categories then we will need to complete further checks on your eligibility during the application process. In the meantime, you should register you interest as normal.
- You spent time abroad for travel/ study gap year reasons.
- You lived abroad because your parents were employed by the UK government (including HM Forces) in a foreign country.
- You are a British citizen with at least one parent who is a British citizen and you lived with your parents abroad and you attended secondary school within the European Economic Area or a Commonwealth Country.
[QUOTE]I thought that this quote below from raf.mod.uk put me in the "able to apply" bracket. [QUOTE]
According to the criteria you mention from the RAF website you may be able to apply if you don't meet the 3 years residency requirement if you are a British citizen with at least one parent who is a British citizen and you lived with your parents abroad and you attended secondary school within the European Economic Area or a Commonwealth Country.
But you state in your first post that although you hold dual nationality you are a South African citizen and have lived and studied in South Africa all your life. So whilst you might fit the Dual National criteria, you might fall foul of that residency requirement if you are legally a South African citizen. I believe the British Nationality Act 1981 spells out the differences between nationality and citizenship and a read through might clarify which of the multiple categories you fit in to.
But if you are a South African citizen, then it doesn't look like you would meet the residency requirements you quote or be able to meet them in time to make the cut off of age 25 for pilot. You would on the other hand probably make the age bracket for WSO - 32 - but given their fairly limited future prospects, I think you would get some strange looks if you tried to go down that route now.
According to the criteria you mention from the RAF website you may be able to apply if you don't meet the 3 years residency requirement if you are a British citizen with at least one parent who is a British citizen and you lived with your parents abroad and you attended secondary school within the European Economic Area or a Commonwealth Country.
But you state in your first post that although you hold dual nationality you are a South African citizen and have lived and studied in South Africa all your life. So whilst you might fit the Dual National criteria, you might fall foul of that residency requirement if you are legally a South African citizen. I believe the British Nationality Act 1981 spells out the differences between nationality and citizenship and a read through might clarify which of the multiple categories you fit in to.
But if you are a South African citizen, then it doesn't look like you would meet the residency requirements you quote or be able to meet them in time to make the cut off of age 25 for pilot. You would on the other hand probably make the age bracket for WSO - 32 - but given their fairly limited future prospects, I think you would get some strange looks if you tried to go down that route now.
Last edited by Melchett01; 22nd Feb 2012 at 21:29.
Ahhh lose a point for spelling errors - I remember that old chestnut as to why you could never get 100% on an exam.
I do indeed mean WSOp, but at the end of the day, it's still all talking freight
I do indeed mean WSOp, but at the end of the day, it's still all talking freight
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Thanks for the replies guys. I'll have a look into the citizenship details. I do remember though that when I looked at my passport I saw that under "British National" it also said "British Citizen". Are there different citizen "types" that someone can have?
With regards to all of the pilot hold-ups, is this just for fast-jets or all airframes, as I am happy flying any fixed-wing aircraft that they have to offer (although obviously if you make the effort to join up, its best to aim high). I'm guessing that you referred to all airframes.
When you say that they aren't training anymore WSOs, are you referring to Tornado WSOs? Is because the Tornado will be phased out soon by the Typhoon and the F-35?
WSOp may be a last resort route that I will take, since it sounds like it would still be very interesting. Would the possibility of changing over to a pilot be possible a few years down the line, once I've made it as a WSOp, if I show promise and determination?
With regards to all of the pilot hold-ups, is this just for fast-jets or all airframes, as I am happy flying any fixed-wing aircraft that they have to offer (although obviously if you make the effort to join up, its best to aim high). I'm guessing that you referred to all airframes.
When you say that they aren't training anymore WSOs, are you referring to Tornado WSOs? Is because the Tornado will be phased out soon by the Typhoon and the F-35?
WSOp may be a last resort route that I will take, since it sounds like it would still be very interesting. Would the possibility of changing over to a pilot be possible a few years down the line, once I've made it as a WSOp, if I show promise and determination?
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Alexrey,
While I'm no official source of recruitment information, or a former officer, I do know from my previous RAF recruitment research that you have a huge gap in your understanding of how the RAF recruit officers or SNCOs for flying duties, whether pilot or WSOp, not only on the areas of nationality and age but also streaming and the branch's evolution.
While I'm no official source of recruitment information, or a former officer, I do know from my previous RAF recruitment research that you have a huge gap in your understanding of how the RAF recruit officers or SNCOs for flying duties, whether pilot or WSOp, not only on the areas of nationality and age but also streaming and the branch's evolution.
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Yes, Honours in SA is 4 years, so when I posted that I was at the end of my 2nd year and going onto my third. Since then I've finished 3rd year and have just started my 4th (honours) year.
I realise that you don't just walk into the RAF and then jump into whatever you want. I know that people are streamed to different airframes based on requirements and pilot ability, but I thought that maybe fast-jet training would have been in a bigger hold-up than other lines due to very limited airframe numbers, whereas other lines might have been more free. I agree, my post was kinda ambiguous; apologies.
Not recruiting in FY 2012/2013? That's pretty much some of the worst damn news I've ever heard. I guess I'll still be keeping my ear to the ground to try and find out if anything has changed in the near future. It's not the best feeling to find out that after working your heart out for years, you realize that you were essentially born in the wrong time period.
Thanks for your help guys.
Alexrey,
While I'm no official source of recruitment information, or a former officer, I do know from my previous RAF recruitment research that you have a huge gap in your understanding of how the RAF recruit officers or SNCOs for flying duties, whether pilot or WSOp, not only on the areas of nationality and age but also streaming and the branch's evolution.
While I'm no official source of recruitment information, or a former officer, I do know from my previous RAF recruitment research that you have a huge gap in your understanding of how the RAF recruit officers or SNCOs for flying duties, whether pilot or WSOp, not only on the areas of nationality and age but also streaming and the branch's evolution.
Not recruiting in FY 2012/2013? That's pretty much some of the worst damn news I've ever heard. I guess I'll still be keeping my ear to the ground to try and find out if anything has changed in the near future. It's not the best feeling to find out that after working your heart out for years, you realize that you were essentially born in the wrong time period.
Thanks for your help guys.
Last edited by Alexrey; 27th Feb 2012 at 06:56.
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I must confess that I am at a total loss as to why Alexrey did not contact the Defence Staff at the British High Commission in South Africa to ascertain the best way forward to achieving his aim.
