I have recently done:

YOU session (May 2010)
Pilot testing (June 2010)
Assessment Day (July 2010)

So if anyone has questions regarding those things then please ask away! I am more then happy to help others in their ADF quests. :cool:

Obviously I did these fairly recently so my information will be quite accurate.

PM sent BlackPrince, thanks for any help!

Thanks fellas, that's good to know. I'm considering starting a CPL with them when I can get some cash together. I went down there a few weeks ago but they were in the process of putting together new pricing. Anyway, good to hear some positive feedback. If I have any specifics I'll PM you.

BlackPrince: as for the police query. I see where you're coming from but don't do it unless you want to be a police officer. If you want to fly, fly - military or otherwise. If you want to show leadership, volunteer for the SES or RFS. Also, uni might not be a bad option. You'd be surprised how much you'll mature and the lessons you'll learn. I went to uni at 18 and looking back, I'm glad I put my ADF application on hold.

Firstly, thanks to all whom have contributed to this thread. Very informative.

I have my YOU session this Friday, ultimately wishing for appointment as ATCO.

I have...
identified my reasons for wishing to join the ADF
brushed up on my maths
practiced as many online IQ/aptitude tests as possible
learnt RAAF structure, bases, technology, ADF operations etc.
a full understanding of desired role.

I understand much of this will need to be tip top should I get further (Assessment/OSB) but if anyone can suggest anything else to work on over the coming days it would be much appreciated.

Thanks again for a great thread.
Joe

RegularJoe:
Suit up. Will make it look like you really are serious/ want the job more than the guys wearing cargo pants and an AC/DC shirt.

YOU session is a walk in the park compared to AT or Assessment Day. Still requires effort although.

Best of Luck.

Cheers Aus111c!

Yes, I was going to sport the suit, but thank you all the same.

Any idea what the additional testing may involve for ATCO? I believe more specific maths (particularly trig) and coordination exercises... well at least I think that's the case reading back over Tony360's replies.

RegularJoe,

I was under the impression that the specialist testing day is the same for ATCO as it is ADF Pilots, the only difference being the pass/fail mark for the tests. Ie. the first time I went (I was unsuccessful this time) there was an ATCO guy going for that position and was in the tests with the Pilot applicants like myself. I failed the gauge reading test for Pilot but was notified afterwards that I was still eligible for ATCO based on my scores if I wanted to pursue it.

Regular Joe,

Had my spec testing for pilot this monday just gone. Within our group of 15 there were 2 that had ATCO as their first preference. I did my testing in Brisbane, so I cannot vouch for other recruitment centres but the ATCO's did mostly the same tests as us, apart from the instrument reading tests, visual interpretations and the maths reasoning. Expect to encounter a test on maths estimating, and a fairly heavy test involving hand-eye co-ordination and multi-tasking. From the sounds of it you sound prepared and ready to smash it. Good luck.
-Might also add that the above information is for the spec testing - the step after the YOU session.

Mudrat,

Good to see you still kickin' mate. I haven't been on PPrune for quite some time, and have just spent the last few days reading this thread in its entirety. I know this is severely delayed but congratulations on making it so far - and thanks for your info in return regarding the spec testing - made it through successfully, so moving towards my assessment day now. Hopefully get it locked in for mid-september.
Good luck with it all, and keep us posted on your progress...hopefully you get that call soon! Just had a friend who got an offer from the RAAF - he's off to OTS soon, lucky bastard.:)

G'day again,

I'm happy to say that I was recommended from my assessment day on Monday, as Soon as I organise a few documents my file will be on it's way to Tamworth. I must say I wasn't particularly happy with how my defence interview was run. Any way, not to dwell, I was recommended, I have plenty of things to work on if I'm to succeed at fsp.

Anyway if anyone has any questions about assessment day feel free to shoot them off.

Thanks Aus11c, MudRat and Zeddy for your posts!

Also thanks to BlackPrince for your PM, very helpful indeed :ok:

Sorry about the delayed response, I was having too much fun at school...:bored:

Rotor11, I only had my OSB these holidays past so I wasn't exactly expecting an offer that fast. I'm still watching the mailbox.. that mailman just gets more and more suspicious. I got a letter today from PSA telling me that my dossier had been recieved at Tamworth, so I'll keep my fingers crossed for these holidays and start watching my phone at the same time. Real ninja like :suspect:

I saw a post a page or so back about gliding hours counting towards FSP courses. From what I've heard from various sources gliding hours won't put you in the advanced stream. After all, you could have tonnes of hours on gliders but might not have a clue what that big noisy thing in the front of your CT4 does or even how to operate it.

Good luck to everyone else, its good to see things happening for people.

Gliding hours most definitely count!!

Best preparation for doing well at FSP ...... 8 hours good gliding, no more.

Glider jocks know attitudes, balance and trim. That's what get's a good score on FSP, plus a proper personal demeanour and a bl^&*y good lookout.

How do I know? Used to test candidates on the programme!

Zeddy,

Good to hear spec test worked out for you, its an easy test to muck up if you don't prep for it I reckon. Good luck with assessment day, unless things change I've heard that the next intake isn't until after the Oct FSP courses are done so you should be right with either slot.

Just out of interest, when did your mate get an offer? I was under the impression the last intake of guys started OTS a bit sooner, but I could be wrong.

PSA have told me a couple of times that the next RAAF Deo intake is in November, coupla weeks after my file runs out! :ugh:

Chinook,

That comes as a bit of a suprise, but does make sense. Would 25 hours on gliders put someone into the advanced stream? I've got no prior experience in powered aircraft so I'll admit to being a little curious of what the advanced stream at FSP would expect of a candidate in terms of ability, or is it still assesed on potential for training much the same as the basic program?

Thanks

RAAF offers
 

Gday all,

I recently spoke to FLT LT Dawkins from PSA, who stated that the next round of DEO offers are mid november, so im assuming that zeddy's mate may had received a ADFA offer as there was just recently a round of those.

Good luck to everyone sitting in the DEO pool and lets hope that november is kind to us!

Dean

Depending upon when the flying was conducted (ie how recent you are) anything over 10 hours of flying places you in the advanced category - not the end of the world, because FSP assesses 'trainability' and not whether or not you can fly a CT-4B well.

Simply put, you will be flown to assess your airmanship, repsonse to instruction and retention, and overall suitablity for pilot training. Subsequently you will be assessed for officer qualities by a panel of ADF officers.

It's not how good you are, it's how much better you got over the screening activity that demonstrates suitability.

Now your average fixed wing powered pilot with a few hours behind him from a civvie school is almost always:

1. unable to fly in balance (C152 and the like have a very narrow range of power requiring almost no rudder input in comparison to heavy old CT4),

2. poor at setting attitudes, preferring to performance fly the thing (which reduces accuracy, is obvious to detect and p@#$%s QFIs off)

3. does cursory, ineffective or non-existent lookouts.

So if you want to impress: gliding teaches you good attitude flying skills, balanced flight and (hopefully) the instructor was a lookout nazi!

Good luck.

Thanks for the info and for clearing that up,

I had an Ex-RNZAF Vampire pilot who came to the RAAF as an instructor on the Winjeel. He had this weird fanaticism with rolling on a point...

Any idea if the OSB on FSP is the same as the one I've had for ACO?

NicKM91,

May I ask (without being too personal) what made your assessment day not run to plan?


Mudrat and romper,

By soon I meant saturday the 14th of August, just passed. Sorry my head was a bit muddled after all that studying for spec testing:\ He was DEO. Had to wait 6 months though after getting eye surgery (this time last year). Glad it's all worked out for him. He had 250hours with his CPL - managed to "unhinge" his civvy ways though and accept the military way.
Good luck to you all sitting in the pool right now..! Patience really is a virtue isn't it..:ugh:

cj0203,

Been following your story regarding the changes in minimum sitting height. Real sorry to hear about that - had a few fellows with me at spec testing on monday who have their hearts set on Army - but were around 96cm on a good day. Such a shame. Hope it works out for you mate. You should be given consideration as the height change was brought in after you had completed FSP, did it not?

Yeah lesnak, I'm post OSB/FSP but I got that call this week too. I was told its a bit of a tour of RAAF assets including the Rhino.