OASC and an RAF Commission
 

I recently attended OASC for pilot/WSO where I passed the Apt tests for the second time, however......

I was told that in the interview I was too mild mannered but everything else, i.e. my actual responses were all fine and was told to come back next year and try again.

I was also told that I need to add more emphasis on wanting a commission more than the pilot side of things.

In preparation for my next application I wondered if anybody could offer any info/advice or links to info on RAF commissions and what they actually are and mean! I have tried the RAF sites and PPRUNE searches. I can find loads of info on RAF pilot etc but none on the commission itself, i.e. detailed info. I know what it is in essence but thats it,

I would be grateful for any info,

If you are that interested in the commisioning side of the job, speak to your local RAF Careers Information Office - Before I joined the RAF, they very kindly set up a week at an RAF station to see what it was all about - I'm sure they can still set that sort of visit up. At least then next year you should have a greater idea. Good luck.

Thank You trade wind, I will definately do that. It was a case of 'come back next year and make sure you know more about the commission side of things'!!

Want the Whole Package
 

I am sure you are not the first to be told to look at the commissioning side of the job, and you won't be the last. For GD Pilot, I suspect the RAF is massively over-subscrbed, so can afford to be very picky. There are a few things you might want to consider here:

1. What happens if you don't make it as a pilot? Investment in you will have been significant by the time you get through Cranwell, and even greater as you progress throught the training system. The recruiters (DORAS?) are probably looking to protect the RAF's investment; they can't really know how good (or not) you will be in the air before you start, so maybe they are simply hedging their bets.

2. Contrary to some (albeit a minority) of the views expressed on this site, there is more to being in the RAF/a pilot than flying around all day and retiring to the bar for tea and medals. Like it or not, a large number of people will look up to you and the Service wants to ensure you can justify that trust. Additional, secondary and other activities will be a significant drain on your time and energy, especially as you progress beyond the training system. The Service is looking for people who can be trusted to carry out duties that are above and beyond the minimum required.

The following is the commissioning scroll issued when I went through Cranwell:

_____________

Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God OF THE UNITED KINGDON OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND OF HER OTHER REALMS AND TERRITORIES QUEEN, HEAD OF THE COMMONWEALTH, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH.
To Our Trusty and well beloved Sir Toppam Hat Greeting:
WE, reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Courage and good Conduct, do by these Presents Constitute and Appoint you to be an Officer in Our Royal Air Force from the First Day of October 19XX. You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge your Duty as such in the Rank of Pilot Officer or in such other Rank as We may from time to time hereafter be pleased to promote or appoint you to and you are in such manner and on such occasions as may be prescribed by Us to exercise and well discipline in their duties such Officers, Airmen and Airwomen as may be placed under your orders from time to time and use your best endeavours to keep them in good Order and Discipline. And We do hereby Command them to Obey you as their superior Officer and you to Observe and follow such Orders and Directions as from time to time you shall receive from Us, or any superior Officer, according to the Rules and Discipline of War, in pursuance of the Trust hereby reposed in you.

GIVEN at Our Court, at St James's
the Twenty eighth day of November 1989 in the Thirty eighth Year of Our Reign
By her Majesty's Command
_____________

Read through this a few times, and, despite the initial impression that it is all a bit out dated, you might begin to understand what they are getting at.

Whatever happens, I wish you the very best of luck!!!!

Learn some cliches me olde......... then deliver them confidently!!!!

Best of luck.....

I've just been shortlisted for a GD(P) bursary, and was turned down last year for a sixth form scholarship. However, both times I passed the interview. Before you attend OASC you get given a really useful book - the blue one. There is a table towards the rear showing you the qualities needed by all candidates, I just memorised them each time, and in both interviews read off the qualities that are needed by commissioned officers.
By the way, on your first application, did you get a shot at part two? Because if, on your next application, you make it through, you need to have prepared for it. Try not to focus 100% on the interview, although you must obviously pass it.
Breadth of interest is what they are looking for, and it seems to me that this is the area where you may need to improve.
Good Luck!
TMA
p.s. what were you actually applying for? DE or Bursary?

i have recently started IOT at cranwell. In the interview i think that they were more interested in what you think an officer does and is, rather than your role, you are an officer first, pilot second. They want you to be confident, you are supposed to be able to lead people, not much use if you cant even speak up in an interview. You should have been given a load of blurb when you went to selection, in that there are a list of qualities that an officer needs to possess, i.e. integrity, teamwork, smart appearance, puctuality, dtermination etc. They want you to know about these, and to be able to give examples. Some advice given to me by an officer, that they like to hear in interviews, is that being an officer is more a lifestyle than a job, they expect you to behave in a manner befitting an officer at all times not just while at work, obviously there will be loads of people laughing at that cos no doubt there are loads of NCO's who know officers who act like tits both in and out of work, but they want to hear it all the same. My main bit of advice is just to be confident, not arrogant, just let them know throughout the interview that you know in yourself you are capable of doing it, not that you are trying to convince them that you are.

Good luck mate

P.s. Dont waste the time sat on your ass, they will also expect you to do better in the fitness test as well.

Oh yeah, about the fitness test, they will not consider you unless you get at least very good. If you get average, or above average, there is little chance of even being considered, regardless of how well you do in other parts of the selection. I didn't know this going to Cranwell, and to be honest, hadn't done as much fitness work as I should have, but still got the golden level 10.6 - excellent. The levels are also really tightly packed around this score. A lad got 9.5 and asked what level it was (thinking he'd done reasonably) - got below average, and subsequently received the small letter back from OASC. I think very good is around about 10.3ish - a guess. 10.6 ain't hard though, if I can do it, anyone can, believe you me! :)

I can't help wondering why, if indeed the fitness IS make or break, its not grouped with the other fully objective areas in Phase 1?

Having a commission means you can just get off the plane when it lands and let the knockers sort everything out in your wake. Don't even consider carrying any of the bags because that is a sign of weakness. You can also forget the meaning of the word galley and where on the aircraft it is situated.

Dude ... Eat Crab ... Fly Navy

Navy pilots are far better mannered than RAF pilots ... you'll fit right in!!!!!!!!!! ;)

Mother Gator
 

Mother Gator

Hi gator,

I applied for DE pilot/WSO which I will reapply for this year. I did not get a crack at part two. I was told by a very nice Wing Commander that my interview was very good but the selectors felt I was too mild mannered and needed to stress the importance of a commission more.

I was told that they have a very good file on me and my aptitude test scores were very good and I wouldn't have to do them again. How much do you think they will look at my file when I apply again this year??

So, I am just going to keep everything the same, learn more about the commission side of things and then try and make that 'impact' in the interview!

Thanks for all your help guys and girls

Just a reality check:

Remember this "officer before pilot" stuff is only to keep the selection board happy!

Once you've finished IOT - it's 2 winged master race first, second and everything else for a good long time.

Does anyone really join the RAF because they want to be an RAF officer then just happen to be a pilot as a kind of last minute consideration???

Maybe its our magnificent, impressive, comfortable uniform?!!!???

:cool:

Ben,
every application is theoretically a new one. They will obviously tak into account your previous apptitude scores, as you will not be doing them next year. Nothing else really counts as you haven't been onto part two. I was told to improve my confidence for my next application when I was turned down. So I went about doing activities that would help, and also went to uni, which REALLY helped. That's the only problem people in your situation have, the fact that you've been to Cranwell twice, but haven't had the experience of part two. After your next application, they could quite well say p!ss off all together, because most people only get two chances (what I was told by a serving officer). So they obviouslly think that you have the potential, just make sure you work hard, not a matter of weeks before you go to OASC, but now, get some paper work from your AFCO, as much as you can, and commit it all to memory. I believe that they do do stuff on officer. Listen to what's being said, it is a lifestyle rather than a job.
If you need anymore info on OASC, pm me.
TMA.

In reference to my earlier post re: fitness, I can today joyfully confirm that it is NOT make-or-break for Pilot to get your 10.6 at OASC, since I did not (got below average to be honest, quite embarassing) and today got my letter offering me pilot (provisional on this, that, the other, blah blah, woof woof) :D

PS Of course this does require that I get the result at my fam visit.

Well done!!! Was that your first attempt?

What is this fam visit all about?

Thanks to all for the 'grats!

Yes new pair of trainers, yes first time (also last and only time, due to being an aged 23 year old (leave it Beag :p)).

Fam visit is a chance for them to get the first assessment of fitness in, and also show you a thing or two I guess ;)

I would not get too caught up in the whole 'I got this score here' and 'this test went ok, but this one was a bit average' etc. I've been on both sides of the fence (some time on either side in fact - took me 5 attempts over 5 years to get in) and I can say (IMHO) that there is a 'big picture' behind selection that most candidates are blind to. When I had a chap or chapess to assess, my biggest concern (medical asside) was 'would I want to go to war with said person' (or 'would I want said person to support me', 'would I trust them', 'do they have the potential' etc).

Selection, IMHE, is a game. I failed four times (well, actually five - but that's a long story...ok so a bunch of you know who I am now...!!!) because of various bits and bobs. My second fail was for the same reason as you - I came over a bit 'meek' in the interview. So, I did some research and worked out what it was they were looking for in a candidate - this got me further through the process but I ended up getting rejected all the same (well, initially). Seeing it from the other side of the fence was an eye opener and a half!

I'd love to say 'just be yourself', but I have to say 'project what they are looking for'. It's a game, learn the rules, play hard. Be persistent - it's worth it, it really is.

MT

ps) Please take/dilute this with the appropriate amount of salt because I went through the whole process 'One hundred billion years ago - woo hoo haa hhaa haaaaaa' (little finger in corner of mouth).

Oh - if you are a disgusting wheezy fatbody who puts no effort in on the PT etc you will be found out and will suffer later in training!

Top tip for fitness. If you are not making the grade and get put into the lowest stream for PT you will always be playing 'catch-up'. Suggest some effort would push you into the higher streams - no less effort but at least not always playing catch-up.