Should I sacrifice my braces to attempt to become a pilot in the RAF?
 

It has been my dream to become a pilot in the RAF for a very long time. A few months ago I recieved a text message from RAF Careers saying that my prefered role (pilot) has opened. I leaped at the opportunity and returned all of the application forms within a couple of hours.

I was then invited to a presentation at my local ACFO, which I attended and was then invited to carry out the RAF computer based aptitude tests at RAF Cranwell. After 9 long hours of aptitude testing, I passed!
I was then invited to attend a filter interview at an AFCO, just yesterday. I begin revising straight away and continued to every day up until the interview. I arrived at the AFCO, sat down and the Officer looked at me and say "you've got braces. You can't progress any further in the application process until you have those braces removed." After hours upon hours of revision, I was sent home.

My question is, should I have my braces removed to continue with my application? Or do I wait about 1 year until my dental treatment is completed and then reapply. Bearing in mind that the RAF may not be recruiting pilots when the treatment is complete and that I will possibly have to resit all of the aptitude tests, which I may not pass again.
I really can't decide what to do. If I was guaranteed a place in the RAF as a pilot, I would have the braces removed without hesitation. It is the fact that I may not be successful and then be left with no braces.

Thanks for your help! I don't just want to join the RAF because I don't know what else to do. I like really really want to! (I'm 18 by the way)

Ditch the braces, then visit the dentist when you pass Cranwell :-) (oh look I've made 216 posts on the day that they disband!)

Ditch the braces - no brainer.

Should I sacrifice my braces to attempt to become a pilot in the RAF?
 

Ditch em , once in a life time chance here .

I think I'd rather wait a year, know my teeth will be ok, and apply at 19 rather than 18. If the alternative is possibly just getting in a year early (why the rush) but having a lifetime of dodgy, crooked teeth....?

I would wait until my treatment is completed, however it's the fact I may have to redo my aptitude tests (which I may fail) and they might not want pilots. I've had to wait a couple of years to actually be invited to apply

Ditch the braces and go for it. You can always go back to braces later if you want, but the opportunity to become a pilot may not be open later on. Seize the day!
Have you tried a belt?

OK, I will bite (excuse the pun).
Is this some kind of a wind up?
Braces or flying jets??

Are you mentally unstable or what?
What will you tell your kids in future:

Well kids, daddy is a loss adjuster for Aviva because he chose to wear braces rather than become a Typhoon jock wazzing everywhere, but atleast daddy has a nice smile nowadays doesn't he?

Get a damn life will you!:ugh::}:}:}:}:}:}:}:}:}:}:}:}:}::}

Most of our pilots have wonky teeth - part of the British charm. If you were joining the PTI branch however......

The fact that you have to ask the question on a public forum and give the impression that you could possibly be swayed by the views of people who you dont know, makes me think that perhaps your decision making skills fall slightly short of those I would hope are required of a front line military pilot.

Thomas coupling,

Strapping yourself into a fast jet maybe once or twice a week for a few hours in some God forsaken remote part of Perfidious Albion isn't everyone's idea of a "life"......

simplythebeast,

???????????????????

Have you met any front line military pilots?

Take no notice of those miserable bar stewards on this forum who lose no opportunity to spread their venom. They are absolutely not typical of the people you will meet in the Services, but they serve their purpose by teaching you whom to ignore and to grow a thick skin.
Well done for putting your question to a military aircrew forum. It shows initiative. Don't be put off by the pooh stirrers. Bin the braces and give it a go. The sky is the limit!
Good luck.

Many pilots have wonky faces to disguise their wonky teeth!

Go for the dream and ambition - as stated, good dental treatment is available in the service. You could, however, obtain advice from your current dentist as to whether suitable treatment could be applied in a year or so with the same end result...

Be fair, chaps !... Give the lad a break !.....He's only asking a simple question.

My snaggers (when I had any) were all over the place. Never did me any harm. Let's cut to the quick: any sensible girl looks at the whole package, not at just a set of dentures...D.

Gut feeling, frankly if you even had to ask you won't make it anyway.....

Take it from an unbiased individual. Most aircrew are so ugly that they have to learn to fly to stand a chance at pulling after happy hour. If it is what you want above all else, you've got to go for it :ok:

What's wrong with asking people on this forum? I know plenty of pilots that suffer the opposite problem of being too stubborn to question their own opinions!!

Jack, I would ditch the cheese-graters and crack on every single time...unless you have the teeth of Shane MacGowan!

Course you could always keep the braces and apply to the US Navy - apparently a gleaming set of gnashers is a prerequisite for their FJ pilots.

I mean, just look at Tom Cruise. Do you think they'd have let him fly that Tomcat with a set like this?

http://parkorthodontics.co.uk/wp-con...ise-Before.jpg

No wonder he had his teeth fixed. ;)

http://parkorthodontics.co.uk/wp-con...os-angeles.jpg

Use a belt instead.....:}

Hat/coat etc

Go for it :ok:

http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/a...2F49DE39E8.jpg

I'd poke my right eye out for a chance to fly fast jets




No wait...

Coffman - I didn't realise you were such a hunk.

When I joined the RAF in 1962 as a pilot nobody had braces. Didn't do me any harm - some might disagree with this view!!

You have the chance of a lifetime so go for it.

ACW

"It has been my dream to become a pilot in the RAF for a very long time."

You have one question to answer: what is more important - my dream or my vanity?. You make the decision!

excuse my ignorance, but how does wearing braces affect the selection process, ?
What effect does braces have on the mental and physical ability, how do wearing braces affect the training process ?

and by the time that the selection process is done and the actual courses start, the time of braces treatment might be over anyway.

educate me, but this sounds a bit draconian

I'm a bit surprised by some of these responses; I mean, it's not like it's now or never. He might fail some other aspect of selection, and he has a lot of hurdles to get through before he sees any cockpit at all!

A one year delay gives him arguably a better chance of success, AND the pretty teeth. He's going to feel a bit silly if he causes himself all sorts of dental grief, then gets chopped at IOT....

Thank you for all the replies!
If I was guaranteed a place, I wouldn't have to think twice about getting rid of these braces. I'd have them straight off. If I get them off, I'm going to have to take a risk as I may not be accepted into the RAF. That risk is what I'm having difficulty deciding on. I am confident I am what they are looking for but I have my doubts. My eye sight is good, but not perfect. I have been told by an optician that I have a "very high standard of vision", although I am in the slightest bit short sighted in one eye.
And as for the team leading and group discussions. Am I going to be able to stand out above everyone else who I am against?
It is a tough decision but I don't want to look back in 1 year as I'm waiting for the recruitment to reopen "I wish I took that chance". But then again I don't want to be thinking "I wish I kept my braces" as I'm returning home knowing I've not been accepted....mind you I may regret if I don't go for it now!

The OP seems to believe his chance of success reduces if he waits a year. He can get his teeth fixed post training anyhow.

What I have been led to believe is that since I would transfer to the NHS to the RAF's health care, they don't want to take on the responsibility. They don't have orthodontists...:L Why I can't simply tell them I will have them taken off if I am accepted I do not know, however they definitely won't.

Based on what? All the stats imply that slightly older candidates tend to do better at the stuff that matters, i.e. IOT and EFT and beyond. He'll arguably increase his chances by waiting. We've all seen plenty of keen youngsters get chopped, and not having a degree/getting your teeth fixed/etc might be a big regret if he doesn't pass training.

I think a realistic attitude is better than all the "reach for the stars! Follow your dreams! The sky's the limit!" stuff bandied around. If he passed the aptitude tests well, he'll almost certainly pass them next year. With an extra year's maturity and growing up behind him, he might do better at the leadership selection and interview stages. An extra year's prep won't hurt!

They might recruit less next year. On the other hand, they might recruit more, meaning he'll have an even better chance! :ok: If he was bouncing off the age limit and about to turn 26, then yes, take the risk. But at 18?

The world is full of " why didn't I do that" people, you know you have the chance now, it may never ever happen again. To look back in the future and think why why why didn't I take the chance on something you had been working towards for most of your life to me seems strange. Heck you can always get a brace done privately if needed later on.

And what if you get the braces taken off but they say you're too young/inexperienced and should go to university first? Which is fairly likely.

I don't get this. Why would braces be an issue at such an early stage, or at all?
Even if there was a risk of some adverse effect surely that's a long time down the road?


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Whereas I know at least one lady navigator with the most beautifully smiley set of pearly whites....;)

jackocooper mate, suggest you talk to your gnasher-basher before you make any firm decision.

Three issues as far as I can see.
 

1. Why the hell are the RAF even bothered that he has a brace? I am an RAF pilot and I can't think for the life of me why it would make the blindest bit of difference.
2. If we're recruiting pilots right now it is probably not a short term thing. I would imagine the gates are open again and will remain that way for the foreseeable future, so why rush?
3. If you have passed the aptitude tests there is no reason to think you won't again. If it was touch and go first time round and you did fail them on a re-test then you may not have had the required skills to pass flying training anyway.

Bottom line in BVs eyes. Make whatever decision you are happy with. There will always be those that will try to knock you back (this website is full of them) but you'll never know unless you try. An extra year won't make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things and could just give you valuable time to mature (and live a little before the hard work starts) and learn what you need to in order to pass with flying colours.
If you are not good looking they will probably send you to multi engines which is not a terribly bad career. Only the most dashingly handsome of individuals get to fly the fast pointy machinery.
Best of luck and I hope it works out for you.
BV;)

Why not just wear a belt............:O sorry

Having sung the praises of the RAF Dentist, my most memorable visit was when I travelled over to an appointment with a Wg Cdr at the Swinderby surgery. I had a large molar filling to be done and he just wouldn't have it from me that he had injected anaesthetic into the wrong side of my mouth.

The filling was duly done with me leaping around like a tasered burglar and receiving a lecture about the damage that could be done with a drill bit going at 4000rpm. I'm sure they're better when dealing with braces...

P6
 

I was holding at RMB Chivenor after IOT before JEFTS and had reason to visit the RN dentist for a filling. He proceeded with the drilling stuff with no aneasthetic at all. I sat there, mouth agape, feeling sure he knew what he was doing and would get a needle out eventually, but no. The whole bloody thing with no drugs. Since it was a Marine base I figured this was SOP (Marines don't need drugs I'm sure!) and grimmaced as he got on with it. Looking back I wish I'd chinned the bugger!
BV:eek::mad:

You get them put back on again?