just to give you prospective guys a heads up, the training continuum is somewhat backlogged at the moment. BFTS is now taking well over the 6 months timeframe and 2fts is also taking quite a while longer than expected. For RAN guys when you get to 723 sqn and complete rotary conversion, expect to be flying there for quite a while 18 months + to 2 yrs waiting for OFT conversion.

I'm sure you guys probably have already heard this elsewhere. Just make sure you know all this before you join. It is at LEAST 6 years minimum before you are even remotely likely to be operational, possibly longer.

I am speaking from an educated position. I am currently in the training pipeline.

Best of luck guys.

Hornetboy - Check you PM's.

Cheers

Havick,

Regarding the time it takes to become operational. If you are only talking about Navy more like five years and as for the RAAF four years would be a long time at the moment.

The guys that have just read they could be waiting 5 years its not like you are sitting in an office every day doing paperwork. You will be out flying either the PC9 or the Squirrel most days.

Slezy9

Could someone from BFTS 206B PM me please?

Sorry to hijack the thread slightly, but it didn't seem worth making a new one...

I just got my letter of offer to start IOC at Point Cook at the end of the month. I was just wondering whether it's worth taking a car down there or not? The drive won't be too bad, I live in Newcastle, but I was wondering if it would just be an unnessecary distraction having it there. Any opinions?

Anyone else starting at the end of the month?

Thanks guys.

I believe it is still plano to +1.75 d for pilot = 6/6 vision or better and a little higher ( as in slightly worse eyesight) for wso. Generally if you wear glasses or contact lenses or have had laser surgery aircrew is out.

Take your car. I wish I had taken mine rather than paying $40 dollars every time I wanted to go to Melbourne.

The car's primary function turns into a secondary function when it comes to inspection time. Great place to stash your dirty gear/ training magazines ;)

I thought some of you might appreciate these images ...

Sunset on the flight line ...

http://www.geosim.com.au/~michael/Su...light Line.jpg

The mighty parrots assembled ...
http://www.geosim.com.au/~michael/Fl...ed-smaller.jpg

Click here for the bigger version - I didn't want to blow the page size out by posting the full thing here.

Finally worked out how to find this thread in the system so I thought I'd bring it back to the top.

Anyone started the process recently, started/finished BFTS recently, got any updates or gotchas or tales of woe courtesy of Recruiting?

I'm just waiting for The Letter, hoping to get onto a March/April/May SSO course at RMC-D, and then on to BFTS later this year.

Hi wishtobflying,

I just put my initial application into recruiting last week for RAAF pilot.
Spoke to them today however and they are saying that because I was once in the Army (Reserves about 6 years ago) Recruiting need to request my information from the RAAF, who need to request the info from the Army. End result is that I may not hear anything for upto 3 months given it is the Reserves. Hopefully won't take that long.

Good luck with your application :ok:

Marco

Yes, the Reserves "gotcha" - at one stage I was told that to make myself more competitive I should consider joining the Reserves. Off I went to Recruiting, where I was told that I couldn't have two applications in The System at once, that I would have to effectively tear up my Pilot application, go into Reserves, start their training, then in 12 months or whatever re-start my application for pilot, as a serving member this time. I wouldn't have to do the aptitude test again, but would have to go through everything else, and then I was told "and you'll also have to apply for a release from Reserves, and they may not let you go".

So that was the end of that. Don't worry about a 3 month delay, you should get used to it actually! Use the time to go and join Boy Scouts as a leader or start a band or do a short TAFE course or do something else leadership oriented, don't just sit around and wait. They don't like that.

I'm pleased to report that I've been offered a place on the April SSO course with a possible start at BFTS in June. What a relief to finally have that confirmation. Now the real journey starts.

RAAF Pilot Application
 

Hi Guys,

Im new to this forum and im glad i found it. This is my very first post.
Id like to introduce myself, my name is Joe and i live in brisbane and im 21 years old.

I've just recently put my application in as an RAAF Pilot for the FIRST time (Direct Entry Officer as my first preference), so far so good. I had my JOES day on the 25th of January where i sat a general apptitude test (and did really well so my recruiter says), on the same day i also sat a ADFA test because my 2nd preference was to be a pilot but to go through ADFA. So After these test I had an interview with my recruiter and he said i did really well that day and i can go forward with my application as an ADF piliot. I was asked to come back on the 6th of January for further Aircrew specialist testing for pilots.

On the 6th of Febuary the spec test included, tests on Intrument reading, Instrument comprehension to vislulise an aircraft in 3D, Rigorouse math questions and some math/phsics type problem sloving. So after that i had to sit a test which assessed you on your hand-eye co-ordination after a two hour stressfully waiting break. At the end of the day i sat down with my recruiter and he told me that i have PASSED all the tests and i quilify to be a pilot. I was so happy after hearing those words because people who have done these spec test for pilots know how challenging and stressfull they are, so i was very relieved.

Now i am waiting for my ASSESMENT day on the 20th of March, where i have my Medical, Interview with the Phycologist and then an interview with the Interviewing Officer, also i still havent had to do a wrtten essay yet and i was told i'll have to do the essay on the assesment day. If i pass this assessment day i have to goto Tawmorth NSW for 2 weeks to do a Flgiht Screening program and Officer Selection Board.

So i was just wondering if there is any people here that has been in my situtaion, if so help would be greatly apprictiated. I was wondering what I have to wirte in that essay on the assesment day and any tips i can have to help me out with the interviews with the Phycologist and the Officer.

Thank you for reading my Thread and hope to hear from people.

Joe

Watch out! Grammar & spelling Police in the area!
 

Joe

Good on you for wanting to join up ... although I'm not a RAAFie (I'm ex & about to rejoin Army) I can offer you one bit of advice. Your spelling and sentence structure are pretty crook. It might seem as though I'm being a pedant, but that sort of sloppiness gets noticed.

I'm sure you have visions of zooming around the place in a Hornet, or plonking a Herc on a dirt strip the size of a postage stamp (to disgorge ugly types like me), or patrolling the oceans of the world in an Orion. However, you're expected to be an officer first, pilot second. Attention to detail is crucial, for officers and for aircrew.

PPRuNe and similar forums (fora?) usually offer a 'preview' function, but real life doesn't.

If I come across as a tosser, I apologise. I don't mean to put you off. Good luck with your application.

You might get something out of this thread:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=39266

:ok: :ok:

thanks mate, that thread is a real big help,

Like thisdo that, you didnt help me at all

wow this thread is great, so much information.

Im currently waiting on my Assesment day on the 20th march. I have got my medical, interview with the physcologist and interviewing officer on that day. I have passed the general apptitude test and the aircrew spec test but i still havent done a written essay. I'm assuming i have to do the essay on the assesment day, and i was wondering what the essay i have to write is about?


Joe

Nothing you can prepare for, so don't worry about it. Relax and be yourself. That's what it's all about. If you've passed the technical stuff, that's good, now they just want to make sure you're the type of person they want, so just go in smiling, be relaxed and confident in yourself.

If you don't get through, then it wasn't meant to be, don't sweat it.