Army Air Corps
Thread Starter
Army Air Corps
Pub discussion to be settled please ;
RAF Short Service Commissions ceased but one could still do the "Type" B in the RAF and similar length in the RN. After 8 years, exercise option to terminate and join BOAC !
Little known was A Short Service Commission in the Army.. Procedure was initial screening at your local Army Recruitment Office. Next, OASC (Biggin) for part one (Aptitude & Medical.). Next, Regular Commissions Board (blimey, was it somewhere like Westbury-?).
If successful, off to Mons Officer Cadet School for three months. Commissioned.
Pub question, where did the pilot training bit start ? Was it RAF to wings or Army inhouse (no, not Amy winehouse) ?
Of course, one was destined for whirly birds but us seeking quick avenues into BOAC, it was possible to go into fixed wing. direct. The Army did have Auster and something called, honestly, Beavers !
I failed initial screening because Senior Colonel asking silly questions confirmed that three years in and out of Army beavers would line me up nicely for BOAC. I could not stop larfing and was shown the door onto Brighton High Street by the junior Lieutenant.
RAF Short Service Commissions ceased but one could still do the "Type" B in the RAF and similar length in the RN. After 8 years, exercise option to terminate and join BOAC !
Little known was A Short Service Commission in the Army.. Procedure was initial screening at your local Army Recruitment Office. Next, OASC (Biggin) for part one (Aptitude & Medical.). Next, Regular Commissions Board (blimey, was it somewhere like Westbury-?).
If successful, off to Mons Officer Cadet School for three months. Commissioned.
Pub question, where did the pilot training bit start ? Was it RAF to wings or Army inhouse (no, not Amy winehouse) ?
Of course, one was destined for whirly birds but us seeking quick avenues into BOAC, it was possible to go into fixed wing. direct. The Army did have Auster and something called, honestly, Beavers !
I failed initial screening because Senior Colonel asking silly questions confirmed that three years in and out of Army beavers would line me up nicely for BOAC. I could not stop larfing and was shown the door onto Brighton High Street by the junior Lieutenant.
I tried to join the AAC at school leaving time and yes there was a procedure for direct entry to the Corps rather than via another 'arm' of the Army; only 6 per year were accepted via this route.
I was told it would be Mons OCS at Aldershot then Middle Wallop for basic fixed wing with Chipmunks followed by being 'streamed' either to Beavers (when I applied they were just getting rid of Austers) or conversion to Sioux for basic rotary. It was only a Short Service Commission but I would be allowed to transfer to another Army role at the end of my flying career.
I had already been through OASC for the RAF and failed however on the strength of this, and the fact I had a lot of Air Cadet gliding under my belt, I was sent to CME for a medical which I failed (bugger)!
Later in life, I managed several flights with the AAC in Siouxs and Scouts and much later, a solitary trip with an AAC Test Pilot in a Puma plus a flight in a Lynx (but that was an Army Lynx with a Navy test pilot!).
I was told it would be Mons OCS at Aldershot then Middle Wallop for basic fixed wing with Chipmunks followed by being 'streamed' either to Beavers (when I applied they were just getting rid of Austers) or conversion to Sioux for basic rotary. It was only a Short Service Commission but I would be allowed to transfer to another Army role at the end of my flying career.
I had already been through OASC for the RAF and failed however on the strength of this, and the fact I had a lot of Air Cadet gliding under my belt, I was sent to CME for a medical which I failed (bugger)!
Later in life, I managed several flights with the AAC in Siouxs and Scouts and much later, a solitary trip with an AAC Test Pilot in a Puma plus a flight in a Lynx (but that was an Army Lynx with a Navy test pilot!).
In the 1980's it was sponsored by AAC ( for short service commission ), Biggin Hill for aptitude and medical, Sandhurst, ( 6 months ), to another arm for 6 months then to Wallop for 13 hours grading on Chipmunk then 27 hours Chippy to 40 hours then basic rotary finish on adv rotary all on a 341
Thread Starter
Army Air Corps
Thanks Gents.Curry day up at the Taverna and I will enjoy having drinks bought for me based on the info. ;- Don't know where I got Westbury from-.
Avoid imitations
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I went through an army selection process at Westbury. It would have been mid 1970s but have forgotten the exact year. However, having initially been told I could join the AAC directly by the Major at the Derby recruitment office*, I was subsequently told at the selection centre that this wasn’t possible and I was later accepted by the RAF instead.
*The Derby office was subsequently blown up by the IRA
Below the Glidepath - not correcting
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Thread Starter
Army Air Corps
Gosh, thread drift too rapid for this little chap. Senior Colonel was, in fact, a bloody nissche bloke. Very thick reading glasses, hearing aid and constantly corrected by the Lieutenant. When I told him that Dad was ex British Indian Army/Pakistan Army Colonel he dropped his glasses, knocked off the hearing aid and barked; "So, you are a Pakistani-?". Lieutenant to the rescue again and we got onto beavers (stop it, stop it, Yankee readers) !- I will have order.
Sensitive recruitment- nah, still don;t get it !
Thanks Shy. Memsahib got me to buy all the drinks yesterday as she claimed I went out with Nicola Westbury in Bahrain ! Glad I was not too far off the mark.
Sensitive recruitment- nah, still don;t get it !
Thanks Shy. Memsahib got me to buy all the drinks yesterday as she claimed I went out with Nicola Westbury in Bahrain ! Glad I was not too far off the mark.
