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-   -   OFFICER and AIRCREW 'CANDIDATES' PLEASE READ THIS THREAD FIRST! (https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/405176-officer-aircrew-candidates-please-read-thread-first.html)

britarg 23rd Apr 2010 19:30

Really? Ive read somewhere in another forum that the selection process in very similar pretty much the same. Where can I find out info about what its really like so I can properly prepare myself :S thanks for the help

OneFifty 23rd Apr 2010 19:34

Go to your local AFCO and ask for the DVD!

Spearmint-R33 25th Apr 2010 10:41

It is pretty much the same selection process.

Make an appointment with your local AFCO and attend a P2 presentation. It and more will be revealed there.

I'm currently in the process of applying to become a WSOp what with 11.44yrs (According to JPA) under my belt as a TG1 AV (JT so I'm old school).

However, I never received that email which apparently was sent to me on the 15th April 2010. I know it's not my email account at fault as I have received all other correspondence on this matter successfully.

Fingers crossed I can achieve some leeway and understanding.

Anyway, best of luck.

Spearmint-R33 25th Apr 2010 12:27

Further to my previous post which you'll not see until a lovely moderator has approved it. Look up 'OASC' on Youtube.

You'll find a couple of vids which are just a copy of what you get on part of the DVD that you'll receive from the AFCO at the P2 presentation.

Herc-u-lease 28th Apr 2010 01:48

spearmint,

how are you not a cpl yet? meant in the nicest yet still inquisitive way. hats off to you for going the wsop route.

Herc

Spearmint-R33 28th Apr 2010 18:54


Originally Posted by Herc-u-lease
spearmint,

how are you not a cpl yet? meant in the nicest yet still inquisitive way. hats off to you for going the wsop route.

Herc

Oh believe me, I have spent many a day wondering the same. Never been in trouble, considered above my peers when it comes to trade knowledge, secondary duties up the ying-yang including charity work etc etc. If you were to read my last 5 assessments you would think I pass gold during my daily visit to the throne.

I have in retrospect found myself placed at a reasonable position on this years promotion board.

Regardless of the fact if I get my two-banana or not, I am still aiming for WSOp.

downsizer 28th Apr 2010 19:03

^^^^How dare you cheat on us with another forum...:ok:

OASC 29th Apr 2010 08:43

OASC Bulletin 10
 
Last week John completed the application process prior to attending the OASC. After filing his interest with the CIL, he attended an Officer P2 Presentation, followed by an interview. He subsequently received a call-forward letter from the OASC to attend in 3 months time. This week we will follow John through arriving at RAF Cranwell to the beginning of the Exercise Phase.

John drove to RAF Cranwell on Tuesday afternoon arriving at the Main Guardroom at about 1700hrs. He parked his car behind the Main Guardroom and went in to obtain his passes to gain access to the base. He was given direction to the candidates’ accommodation and the car park, which he duly followed. He went to the Candidates’ Mess Reception to get his room key and, after unloading his car and settling into his room, he walked back to the Candidates’ Mess to see who was around. He met up with a number of other candidates in the Mess where he chatted over a drink until dinner at 1800hrs. At 1830hrs, all of the candidates congregated in the Television Room in the Candidates’ Mess for an arrival briefing delivered by the OASC Duty Officer. The briefing outlined a few mandatory points, general administration information and summarised what to expect during the selection process. The candidates also received a number of forms that had to be filled in and handed to the OASC Reception the following morning. After the briefing, John had another drink and a chat to a few more of the candidates before heading back to his room to carefully fill in his forms, paying particular attention to the legibility, accuracy and coherency of what he was writing, after which he got an early night in preparation for the intensive 1st day of the selection process.

The candidates were awoken by a bell at 0600hrs the following morning and, after a quick shower and change, they all went to breakfast. John made sure that he had all the required documents and his sports kit packed in his bag. He also decided to take his notes that he had made throughout his time researching about the military, his chosen branch and current affairs so that he could use them to revise if he had any spare time. He then made his way across to the OASC building by 0650hrs. On arrival, the candidates weremet by the Aptitude Testing Team and given a brief about the procedure for the aptitude testing phase. Before he knew it, John was concentrating intensely on a range of aptitude tests. The tests took John about 7 hours in total taking into account scheduled breaks. Once he had finished the tests, he went back to the candidates’ waiting area and used his time wisely by reading through the notes that he had decided to bring. Eventually, he was called forward for a review of his aptitude performance. He went into an office with the reviewing officer where he was given the good news that he had scored well on his aptitude tests. John was delighted. The Reviewing Officer then outlined his performance in more detail and gave John a few words of encouragement for the Exercise Phase. Now buzzing, John went back to Reception. After a short wait the candidates were told to get changed in to sports kit and then they were issued with green coveralls ready for the next phase. Now back in Reception the candidates were given numbered bibs to put over their coveralls which identified what candidates were in which syndicate. Next, the candidates had their photos taken and then they were told to sit and wait for a welcome briefing from Group Captain OASC.

At 1450hrs, the Group Captain entered the waiting room and welcomed the candidates to the OASC. He explained that the candidates were joining the RAF at a very demanding and challenging time therefore standards were high. He went on to encourage everyone to give the Selection Process their all and contribute fully to all aspects of the next phase. The briefing really fired everyone up. The atmosphere was filled with nervous energy as the candidates waited for the Board Members to come and collect them to commence the Exercise Phase.

Next week, we will continue John’s journey through Day One of the Exercise Phase.

For more information regarding any of these areas highlighted, please contact your AFCO and they will be able to give you more detailed information regarding specific cases.

Please note that, although OASC will endeavour to answer generic questions that arise, we will not be engaging or commenting on individual cases. In those cases, the individual is advised to contact their nearest AFCO who will be able to deal with any queries. All information published is for information only. Information regarding a career in the RAF can be found at http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers

Spearmint-R33 29th Apr 2010 17:31


Originally Posted by downsizer
^^^^How dare you cheat on us with another forum...:ok:

Well you know, I like to diversify. :ok:

NDW 1st May 2010 14:42

Good Afternoon all,

After much decision making & speaking to the parents, I have decided to join the RAF as a WSOp.
( Note : I have decided = I will try)

I am currently studying for my AS levels at college in History and Geography and will be concluding them in June this year, after which I will not be continuing them into the A2 phase.

This decision was made after the college that I am studying have completely ruined my A level course ( ie the subjects I should have been taking, I couldnt get onto due to lack of lecturers) and also the fact that the college is filled with morons, and other social misfits :mad:

I am taking 1 year out after this year, as currently I'm working for a flying school at my local airport as a Operations Assistant,so I will therefore try and complete my PPL and also to get myself as fit & healthy as possible.

So fingers crossed that this time next year I could be well on my way into the RAF.

Many Thanks

NDW

camelspyyder 1st May 2010 21:09

NDW
 
Good for you - go for it.:ok:

Although you may want to learn a little tolerance - I am at WSOp school myself and it too is filled with "morons and other social misfits" - some students, some staff:)

CS

onrey_oleuk 4th May 2010 08:44

Pilot...
 
Hi all,

I am currently studying for my A Levels. Taking Politics, English and PE. I am going to be applying as soon as i have finished my exams in order to revise for the interview. I was just wondering if anyone had any advice for the interview and also if anyone knew what the current waiting time is for Piloting Officer at OASC?

cheers :)

OASC 4th May 2010 09:25

OASC Bulletin 11
 
Last week we saw that John had driven to RAF Cranwell, settled into his accommodation and met some of his fellow candidates. Having completed some more paperwork, he underwent the aptitude testing process. He was informed that he had been successful in his aptitude tests having scored strongly. Now, wearing his green overalls and sitting patiently with his syndicate, John awaited the arrival of the Board Member to commence the Exercise Phase.

The Board member walked into the waiting room and announced ‘Echo syndicate, this way please’. This was it! Time to go to work! John’s syndicate of 6 people lined up against the wall and the Board Member introduced himself. After a brief chat he escorted the candidates to the syndicate room pointing out the medical reception, the toilets and the candidates’ waiting area opposite the syndicate rooms along the way. After a short wait outside the syndicate room, the candidates were called in. They sat against the wall in number order while the Board Chairman delivered a briefing covering the Exercise Phase process and what was expected of them. The candidates seemed quite nervous at this time but the Chairman stated that this was quite normal and that once the exercises were underway they would soon settle down.

The first exercise of the afternoon was the Group Discussion. They were given a briefing explaining that they would be given 3 random topics to talk about and that the exercise would last for 15 minutes. John had been through the Exercise Phase before where his performance was compromised by his lack of confidence, so this time he was adamant that he would involve himself whole heartedly with determination, enthusiasm and urgency. He was not about to waste this opportunity. The syndicate was told to rearrange their chairs into a semi-circle before the Board Member announced the first topic. John made sure he started the discussion with a couple of good points and then slowly others started to join in. John noticed that candidates 3 and 5 were very quiet so he decided to try to bring them into the conversation. Before he knew it the syndicate were on their final topic. Everyone seemed to be joining in apart from number 5 who seemed to lack confidence; the very thing that prevented John from progressing last time. John thought that he would try to talk to number 5 during the break between exercises to encourage him to contribute more. After the Discussion, the candidates were told to go to the candidates waiting area to wait for the next exercise to begin. Less than 10 minutes later they were lined up outside the syndicate room again.

The syndicate were invited in once again and the candidates immediately noticed that the room layout had changed. This time the candidates were sat behind 2 tables with some paperwork in front of them. The Chairman then briefed the candidates that the following exercise was a Group Planning exercise and the syndicate had to create a joint solution to a problem in which they found themselves. The exercise was split into 3 phases. First was a 20 minute private study period, followed by a 20 minute group discussion phase concluded by a group question phase. The private study phase commenced and John read through the scenario very carefully, making notes and endeavouring to fully understand what his team needed to do and the limitations that had to be taken into account. As he put the finishing touches to his notes, the Chairman introduced the next phase. Over the next 20 minutes the group pieced together a plan to solve the problem. John made sure that he got all of his points across in the group and took a turn in leading the discussion to formulate the plan. Although John tried to engage candidate number 5, he still looked very uncomfortable. Finally, the candidates rearranged the tables into a straight line so that the candidates were facing the Board. The chairman then fired questions at individuals about the scenario and the plan. John did well, answering all questions accurately and concisely. He was also pleased with his performance when he was put under pressure and asked to think on his feet. After the Exercise, the Board Member handed out some notes and the Chairman delivered another briefing outlining the timings for the following morning. The Chairman also explained that the candidates should take the time to read through the notes on selection, conditions of service and training, and the notes on Exercise Hangar protocol.

John and the rest of the candidates then made their way to the Candidates Mess for a well earned rest. Next week, we will follow John through the second day of the Exercise Phase.

For more information regarding any of these areas highlighted, please contact your AFCO and they will be able to give you more detailed information regarding specific cases.

Please note that, although OASC will endeavour to answer generic questions that arise, we will not be engaging or commenting on individual cases. In those cases, the individual is advised to contact their nearest AFCO who will be able to deal with any queries. All information published is for information only. Information regarding a career in the RAF can be found at http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers

Mr C Hinecap 4th May 2010 11:40

onrey. You might want to read the posts on here by 'OASC' and do some more research - possibly on TheStudentRoom website as well. There is no such thing as a 'Piloting Officer' - there are Pilots, there are Pilot Officers, indeed there are still Acting Pilot Officers - but no Piloting Officers.
'Times' are as long as a piece of string. Lots of applicants, few places.

Spearmint-R33 5th May 2010 19:21

Hot Poop!
 
For anybody who is re-mustering from a ground trade like myself, as of the 1st May 2010 you have to successfully complete the Psychometric tests as per a civilian.

FWIW I have now passed my P2 interview and I have these tests this coming Friday.

Slowly but steadily I am getting there. :ok:

Spearmint-R33 7th May 2010 13:49

Aptitude tests now passed. Not a bad job considering my age and for the last 11.5 years of my life my brain has been trained to work a different way. So I had best get some more practice in for Aptitude testing to remove any room for error.

Spearmint-R33 7th May 2010 18:40

There is a link on the SDT test site that I have been using for a few weeks but I am unsure of its validity.

Succeed at RAF OASC

My question is, has anyone used this product and if so how would you rate it?

neildo 7th May 2010 19:33

I did not use any preparation type sites/guides for sale. Some people on my board did use them. However strangely enough the ones that said they had, did not get through in the end. All of the information on that link is available freely I am sure between this and other sites (such as the student room - was a gold mine for me).

As these "products" are certainly unofficial and clearly not endorsed by OASC or the RAF I would be interested to hear their take on them.

Spearmint-R33 8th May 2010 08:34


Originally Posted by neildo
As these "products" are certainly unofficial and clearly not endorsed by OASC or the RAF I would be interested to hear their take on them

Indeed, I was expecting such an answer really so I'll not be partaking with my cold hard cash this time round. I think I'll stick to the more official and freely available techniques such as the Commissioning Club and of course, my own prep work.

Aerouk 9th May 2010 21:59

When they work out the UCAS points, such as the 180 for the RN, do they use Standard Grades/GCSEs?

According to the UCAS site, Standard Grades for band 1 or 2 (A or B in GCSEs) are worth 38 points for a 1 and 28 points for a 2.

Sambo P 14th May 2010 10:21

Has anyone given the fatpass thing a go? fatpass.co.uk

I was wondering as it was recommended by a guy I knew, he passed his OASC, but you have to pay 6 pounds I think.

Also is anyone heading down there in September?

muppetofthenorth 14th May 2010 10:37

Just because one person passed after having rwad it does not mean it is worth the money. Noone I know who got through OASC (and I know more than a few...) did it by buying revision hints.

There is nothing out there worth buying in terms of hints, tips or advice. All you need and more is available for free in hundreds of places, you just have to be bothered enough to pull out your finger and find it.

If you can't do that, then you shouldn't be applying.

Herc-u-lease 14th May 2010 12:49

completely agree with muppet of the north. however, in my preparation I used a couple of books about passing cognitive selection tests, in addition to the normal OASC type examples. I would recommend using these as a complementary source of sharpening your overal mental agility and lateral thinking.

there is no "silver bullet" book out there that will tell you how to pass OASC! just like the current affairs, you have a wide range of sources available to you to help broaden your knowledge/abilities.

Aerouk 15th May 2010 00:43

I was looking over the training schedule recently, why do the RAF do 62hrs of flying during DEFTS but the AAC only do 40 and the RN do 58.5?

Just curious.

OASC 17th May 2010 12:19

OASC Bulletin 12
 
In the last bulletin, John had completed the first day of the Exercise Phase having undertaken the Discussion and the Group Planning exercises. Then, having had a good night’s sleep, he woke early and prepared himself for the demands of the second day.

John and the other 5 members of his syndicate walked over to the OASC ready to be picked up by the OASC control staff outside of their syndicate room at 0720hrs. All of the syndicates were then led to the Exercise Hanger. Everyone sat around an example exercise and listened carefully to a hangar familiarisation briefing. This briefing covered hanger protocol, health and safety and techniques to employ when executing the various exercises; it also covered the general rules that applied to all of the exercises. John took particular note of this part of the briefing as he knew that any limitations or rules would have to be taken into account during all of the exercises in order to create a full and credible plan. Once the briefing had been completed, one of the 2 boarding officers for his syndicate came around the corner and led John’s syndicate to the first exercise.

The boarding officer briefed that the first exercise was a Leaderless and would last for 30 minutes. He further briefed what the team had to do, what equipment they had to use and other special rules that had to be taken into account. At the end of the briefing, each member of the syndicate was given the opportunity to ask questions. John asked a couple of questions to clarify a few points regarding the rules, knowing that he would not have any further opportunities to ask questions once the exercise was underway. Then the 6 members of John’s syndicate lined up behind the start line before the board wished them luck and announced that the time was about to start. The first 2 minutes of the exercise was spent in a survey of the course. During this period, all rules could be broken and the equipment could be moved. John made very good use of the time, directing people in the group to try different things while he too moved around the course, judging distances and considering possible techniques to employ. Before they knew it, the 2 minutes was up and the syndicate was told to return all the equipment back to its original position and then to move quickly back behind the start line. A boarding officer then told them to go on with the exercise.

The following 28 minutes went past very quickly only being interrupted by the boarding officers halting proceedings when someone broke a rule or to provide the team with a time check. John tried to maintain a central presence within the group, speaking and directing in a loud and clear but not forced voice. He also tried to encourage others within the group. Again, candidate number 5 was being quiet and rather peripheral to the exercise, so John tried to get him involved as much as he could. John made sure he was always busy, looking for opportunities to get involved with the current part of the plan or looking at the next part of the plan, and generally being a proactive member of the team. Most of all, he tried to make sure that the Team kept moving when they hit problems as he remembered being told by the boarding officers that it was better to test ideas rather than waste time discussing them for a long time but making no progress. To the shock of the syndicate, time was called even though they had only achieved half of the exercise. The syndicate looked like they had been working quite hard and there was a buzz of energy as they all walked over to one of the waiting areas. The boarding officer then debriefed the exercise by asking what went well and what didn’t before telling the syndicate to relax for about 10 minutes before the next set of exercises would commence. John and the other candidates talked excitedly amongst themselves about how they had done and how they could have improved their performance. The 10 minutes passed very quickly before the boarding officer came into the waiting area to brief the next part of the Exercise Phase, which would be the Command Situation Exercises.

Next week, we will follow John through the next part of the exercise phase.

For more information regarding any of these areas highlighted, please contact your AFCO and they will be able to give you more detailed information regarding specific cases.

Please note that, although OASC will endeavour to answer generic questions that arise, we will not be engaging or commenting on individual cases. In those cases, the individual is advised to contact their nearest AFCO who will be able to deal with any queries. All information published is for information only. Information regarding a career in the RAF can be found at http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers

OASC 18th May 2010 14:18

OASC Newsflash
 
The OASC would like to take this opportunity to clarify its current policy regarding aptitude assessment. An individual applying for an aptitude related branch - FB(P), FB(WSO), WSOp, OSB(ABM), OSB(ATC) and/or OSB(Int) - must first pass the corresponding aptitude testing battery to be considered further. A ‘pass’ of a battery has two distinct elements: first, the individual must achieve at least the (minimum) index cut-off and second, the individual must achieve at least the minimum stanine in each of the domains that comprise the battery. Anyone who does not succeed in both these areas will not progress to the Exercise Phase of the OASC Selection Process. Previously, some individuals with stanine deficiencies in their aptitude performance were selected due to shortfalls in specific branches; however, it is now inappropriate to take the associated professional training risk. In sum, individuals attending OASC for aptitude-based branches only will not progress to the Exercise Phase of the OASC Selection Process unless they successfully satisfy the two separate elements of the aptitude test battery for at least one of their branch choices – but we reserve the right to review this policy.

For more information regarding aptitude testing at the OASC, please refer to OASC Bulletin 4.

For more information regarding any of these areas highlighted, please contact your AFCO and they will be able to give you more detailed information regarding specific cases.

Please note that, although OASC will endeavour to answer generic questions that arise, we will not be engaging or commenting on individual cases. In those cases, the individual is advised to contact their nearest AFCO who will be able to deal with any queries. All information published is for information only. Information regarding a career in the RAF can be found at http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers

Winch-control 20th May 2010 06:13

OASC Bullet 12
 
A very nicely written appraisal of the exercise phase at Cranwell. I have not attended their myself, however it sounds like it hasn't changed much since my attendance at Biggin Hill in 1989.:ok:

My only comment would be that the bulletin appears to be written in a tone directed to the younger audience.

My apologies to the the staff at OASC. I believe you do an excellent job in the selection process for potential Officers and Aircrew.:D

airborne_artist 20th May 2010 08:18


I was looking over the training schedule recently, why do the RAF do 62hrs of flying during DEFTS but the AAC only do 40 and the RN do 58.5?

Just curious.
The flippant answer is that the Crabs take longer to learn...:}

The real answer is that the AAC will never fly anything other than RW or an Islander, the RN guys will mostly (for the moment) head to RW, and the RAF chaps will go either RW, ME or FJ, though I don't know the proportions.

OASC 25th May 2010 15:58

OASC Bulletin 13
 
In the last bulletin, John had completed the first dynamic exercise of the OASC Selection Process: the Leaderless. This week, we pick up the scenario as the syndicate waits for one of its boarding officers to brief them on the Command Situation exercises.

The boarding officer briefed the syndicate on the next set of exercises, which would be the Command Situations. In these exercises, each member of the syndicate would take it in turn to lead. The syndicate was briefed in depth about the main differences between the previous Leaderless exercise and the Command Situations, including outlining the exercise protocol, choreography and what to include in the brief. The main differences highlighted were that the Command Situation exercises lasted only 15 minutes and the nominated leader would be the only member of the team to receive a briefing from a boarding officer. The leader would have a minimum of 2 minutes compulsory survey time in which he could examine the exercise, test equipment and then formulate a plan. After the briefing John was called up to be the first leader.

John was taken to his exercise and the boarding officer read him a brief covering its aim and the special rules that would apply. Then, he was given the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the brief, which he took advantage of to clarify some points as he knew he would not be able to ask further questions after this point. The boarding officer then announced that the exercise was about to commence with the compulsory survey. With the clock running, John immediately started to walk around the exercise, moving various pieces of equipment to see how he could use them to achieve his aim. The survey time shot passed very quickly and before he knew it the boarding officer told him to replace the equipment and go to the finish line to call his team; John had been offered the opportunity to continue his survey beyond 2 minutes but he knew that would eat into his execution time, so he chose not to. John briskly got himself into position behind the finish line and then called his team in a loud, clear, confident voice. His team came running and positioned themselves behind the start line. John briefed his team carefully and logically, including all aspects that were outlined in the initial brief from the boarding officer – and, of course, detailed his plan. After the briefing, he ran up to his syndicate at the Start Line to see whether they had any questions. After a couple of misunderstandings had been cleared up, John started to direct his team, standing back to make sure that he had a good view of developments. He endeavoured to speak in a clear and confident manner delivering his orders authoritatively but appropriately, providing sound feedback and encouragement where necessary. He kept his team motivated throughout and maintained a rapid pace in order to attempt to meet the aim of the exercise in the permitted time.

His exercise progressed well although John got stuck on one aspect for a minute or so but, after consulting his team, he was able to re-plan and re-direct proceedings. John didn’t finish his exercise, but was pleased with the progress that had made. In the other exercises, each led by another member of his syndicate, he tried to be a proactive team member, always trying to get involved in the physical and cerebral sense. Also, when candidate number 5 was in the lead, he struggled in his problem solving of the exercise; so, John tried to guide him as much as possible without taking over and tried to encourage him quietly to keep him going.

The 6 exercises were completed in what seemed like 5 minutes and the syndicate looked quite exhausted. However, there was no time to relax because after the final Command Situation exercise, a boarding officer delivered another briefing explaining the next exercise.

Next week, we will follow John through the final part of the Exercise Phase.

For more information regarding any of these areas highlighted, please contact your AFCO and they will be able to give you more detailed information regarding specific cases.

Please note that, although OASC will endeavour to answer generic questions that arise, we will not be engaging or commenting on individual cases. In those cases, the individual is advised to contact their nearest AFCO who will be able to deal with any queries. All information published is for information only.

Information regarding a career in the RAF can be found at http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers

not_so_sis 1st Jun 2010 17:25

Degree options during RAF Pilot training
 
I believe there is an option to take a degree whilst going through the training pipeline as a Pilot in the RAF, Royal Navy and In the Army Air Corps.
In my Specific are of interest which is the RAF, I would be interested to hear from Pilots or alike who have undertaken, or know of the degree's available whilst training, or any others who could nudge me towards a reference on the above.
Greatly appreciated.

not_so_sis

Pontius Navigator 1st Jun 2010 17:42


Originally Posted by not_so_sis (Post 5728260)
I believe there is an option to take a degree whilst going through the training pipeline as a Pilot in the RAF, Royal Navy and In the Army Air Corps.
In my Specific are of interest which is the RAF, I would be interested to hear from Pilots or alike who have undertaken, or know of the degree's available whilst training, or any others who could nudge me towards a reference on the above.
Greatly appreciated.

not_so_sis

not_so, not so. In theory it might be possible but in practise, until legislation is introduced to increase the day to 36 hours, you will find that training will take over your life for as long as it takes.

Once you are out of the training pipeline, and on a sqn, you start again with OpQual. Once you have qualified as an operational pilot, say 3 years or more down the line, you will want/need to hone your professional skills.

Once you have attained a moderate operational proficiency you might consider undertaking training for professional enhancement, such as staff studies or becoming a qualified ----- instructor.

Only when you are away from the frontline, and in a staff job, might you consider you have the time to undertake degree studies.

There are people who have done it but very few. I only got my degrees once I had a regular 9-5 job and the ability to plan my own programme.

not_so_sis 1st Jun 2010 17:46

Ok well thanks for clearing that up at least!
not_so_sis

Aerouk 1st Jun 2010 21:47

RN - Royal Navy

OASC 7th Jun 2010 07:40

OASC Bulletin 14
 
In the last bulletin, John had completed all of the dynamic exercises in the OASC Exercise Hangar. He now had one more exercise to undertake before the Exercise Phase of the Selection Process was concluded. We left him as he was about to receive the Individual Planning briefing from one of the boarding officers.

The boarding officer briefed the syndicate about the Individual Planning exercise, which would be the last exercise of the Phase. He stated that, in essence, the exercise was similar to the Group Planning in that the candidates would have to create a plan to deal with an imaginary situation in which they found themselves. The clear difference, as its name suggested, was that this exercise would be performed individually. The boarding officer went on to state that candidates would have 20 minutes to read and absorb the facts of the scenario and an associated map, and to create a plan to deal with the situation, making notes as required. Afterwards, the candidates would be questioned individually and alone for about 10 minutes on the scenario and their plan. John was feeling quite tired but knew that he needed to maintain focus in order to clear this final hurdle of the Phase.

The candidates were then led to the Candidates’ Waiting Room, opposite their syndicate rooms, where they waited to be called forward by a member of the OASC Control Staff. While John was waiting, he tried to relax by talking to his colleagues about his experiences in the Hangar earlier that morning. Then, the door opened and John was called forward. He was led into a private study room were he was told to sit at a booth so that he could not see any of the other candidates’ notes; then his study and planning time commenced. He spent the first 5 minutes carefully reading through the scenario to get a feel for what he was being asked to do; then he read through it again, this time taking notes and working on preliminary plans. John kept an eye on the clock on the wall to get a rough idea of how much time remained. Once he had a sound plan written down, he went through it again to check for mistakes. He noted that he had a couple of minutes left, so he decided to work on some contingency plans.

He hadn’t quite completed work on his contingencies before the Control Staff came in to the room and announced that his private study time was over. John was directed to pick up his notes, go to his syndicate room and knock on the door. He waited outside until he was invited in by the boarding officers. John entered promptly where he was greeted. In the room, John could see that there were 2 tables pushed together, and positioned directly opposite the 2 boarding officers. One of the tables had a large map of the scenario attached to a notice board. John was directed to place his notes on the empty table and then to stand beside the map. Once the Board had confirmed that the map was the same as the one that John had been studying for the last 20 minutes, the questions started. John tried to remain calm and composed, whilst answering questions in a clear and concise manner. After being questioned on the outline of his plan, John was invited to pick up his notes and sit in front of the boarding officer who was asking the questions. The boarding officer then asked more questions probing further into the detail of John’s chosen plan. John remained calm and endeavoured to think clearly, accurately and logically. He found it very challenging but answered all of the questions posed as best as he could. The 10 minutes flashed passed very quickly. Then, John was asked to leave his notes on the table and go to the Candidates’ Mess for lunch and then get changed in preparation for his interview. He was feeling quite positive about his overall performance; however, he knew that straight after lunch he would find out whether he had been successful in this Phase - or not!

Next week, we will find out whether John will proceed from the Exercise Phase to complete the rest of the OASC Selection Process.

For more information regarding any of these areas highlighted, please contact your AFCO and they will be able to give you more detailed information regarding specific cases.

Please note that, although OASC will endeavour to answer generic questions that arise, we will not be engaging or commenting on individual cases. In those cases, the individual is advised to contact their nearest AFCO who will be able to deal with any queries. All information published is for information only.

Information regarding a career in the RAF can be found at http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers

Unchecked 9th Jun 2010 17:56

I'll p*ss myself if he's failed.

OASC 10th Jun 2010 16:28

OASC Bulletin 15
 
In the last bulletin, John had just completed all of the aspects of the Exercise Phase of the OASC Selection Process. He had been told to go to the Candidates’ Mess for lunch and then to return to OASC changed into a suit. We now join John as he finds out whether his performance in the Exercise Phase demonstrated enough potential for him to continue to the formal interview, medical and fitness testing parts of the Selection Process, which would commence that afternoon.

John arrived back at the OASC Reception in good time. He talked to his colleagues about the exercises that they had undertaken that morning as they waited anxiously to be told whether or not they had succeeded. The candidates were then told to move to the briefing area and wait. Shortly afterwards, one of the members of the OASC Control Staff announced the names of those candidates who needed to collect their belongings and follow him. John’s name eventually was called but Candidate 5’s was not. John gathered up his belongings and made his way to the Medical Reception to wait for his medical examination and interview. He (and 'Unchecked') were very relieved to have made it through the Exercise Phase this time but felt sorry for Candidate 5. John knew how he must be feeling, after all he had been in that position just 2 years previously. John knew that the people left in the OASC Reception had not made the cut and would be briefed accordingly by one of the boarding officers.

Once in the Medical Reception, the candidates received a briefing from the medical staff outlining what would take place over the next few hours and when their interviews would be. John’s interview was due to take place the following morning. He felt quite relieved about this as it gave him another night to prepare. Immediately after the briefing, John’s name was called out for his hearing test, to be followed straight away by his eye test. He then was anthropometrically measured in detail to determine whether he would fit into all of the cockpits and flight decks of the aircraft in the RAF. After a short break, he had a urine test, an electrocardiogram and finally a spirometry test. Then he was then told that he was not to eat anything after 2000hrs that evening so that a fasting blood test could be taken the following morning. That concluded the medical examinations for the day and the candidates made their back to the Candidates’ Mess.

In the Mess that evening, John bumped into Candidate 5. When he asked how he had got on, Candidate 5 stated that the Review Officer had said that he had not projected himself adequately enough and generally lacked confidence within the group. As a consequence, he could not effectively influence the group’s activities or put his ideas forward in a forceful manner. He was also told that he struggled with problem solving skills. The Review Officer gave Candidate 5 some sound advice on how to improve on his shortfalls and advised him to come back in a year’s time for another attempt. John smiled as that was exactly what let him down on his previous visit to OASC. John gave Candidate 5 a few words of support and advice before going in to dinner.

The following morning, John made his way over to the OASC Medical Reception feeling rather hungry. He was taken immediately into a treatment room to have his blood taken, after which he returned to the Candidates’ Mess for a late breakfast to replenish his energy. Then, having returned to Medical Reception, John was led to a treatment room for a thorough medical examination by one of the doctors before being taken for his medical review. In the review, John was given a clean bill of health and declared medically fit (at this stage only) to serve as a pilot; however, he was told that the results of his electrocardiogram and blood tests would remain outstanding and could impact his medical fitness for selection to FB(P). Nevertheless, John was delighted to have passed the medical at this stage; now he had the challenges of the interview and fitness test to deal with.

Next week, we will follow John through his interview.

For more information regarding any of these areas highlighted, please contact your AFCO and they will be able to give you more detailed information regarding specific cases.

Please note that, although OASC will endeavour to answer generic questions that arise, we will not be engaging or commenting on individual cases. In those cases, the individual is advised to contact their nearest AFCO who will be able to deal with any queries. All information published is for information only.

Information regarding a career in the RAF can be found at http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers

Chrisdaman 10th Jun 2010 20:16

makes very interesting reading :)

Chrisdaman 10th Jun 2010 22:14

Hello all, WSOp Hopeful here
 
i thought i would introduce myself as i've signed up to this forum to get more information and help myself for my current RAF application:

my name is Chris, i'm currently 22 and i'm 3 weeks away from my filter interview at AFCO brighton. I'm applying for WSOp (Crewman) and have been learning / researching as much as i can about the job and the extra roles, and training since i knew this was the job for me. I applied once before as a pilot but got put back 6 months. I was 19 then, but since that experience, i've thought about what i want from a career in the RAF, and there is more than 1 way to fly, and i'm now coming back and more hopeful / confident in this application.

sorry about the life story but sometimes it helps to have a background on these internet forums

any words of advice for my application would be greatly appreciated, i'm not asking to be spoon fed information, but those who are in, or are ahead of me on the application for any job, your views and experiences would be larvly

:ok::ok: :ok:

Chris

Pure Pursuit 11th Jun 2010 09:07

Chris,

chaps on here are going to lay into your style of writing I'm afraid! Capitals are not optional at the beginning of sentences!

Sitting in the SNCO mess at Cranwell a little while ago, I came across a large number of airmen aircrew students who, at the end of the course, were in no way guaranteed a flying job. The issue has arisen from the early retirement of Nimrod which has heavily reduced the requirement for WSOp recruitment at the moment. In addition, the Phase II (trade/branch training) system is almost overwhelmed in many areas of the RAF, including WSOp. This has resulted in a bow wave of students that the RAF does not actually need due to the impending cuts. In other words, we already have too many people in the training system.

Recruitment will not stop however, it will slow to a trickle over the next few years. Tough time apply!! Keep your options open and good luck.

Top Bunk Tester 11th Jun 2010 09:47


chaps on here are going to lay into your style of writing I'm afraid! Capitals are not optional at the beginning of sentences!
Oh the irony of it all! :ugh:


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