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University Air Squadron FAQ (WIP)

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Drewski

You're going to university just so you can join the UAS?

Can I be the first to call you a numpty? Thanks.

If university isn't your first priority then you won't last long - there's a reason why University is the first word in the name of the thing.

I too know a great many people from LUAS - I'm starting IOT with a couple in a little over a week and while yes, they do enjoy going out, they also all take their degrees seriously. Flunking a degree because you spent all your time boozing will not endear yourself to the boarding officers at OASC.

ha! couldn't have put it better myself, although I wouldn't say numpty, just a false impression :P hopefully

Reply 301

ub2008

the UAS are sometimes very particular about which universities they recruit from. http://www.buas.co.uk/?p=recruit
See Bristol UAS website above. Give it a go though Jonathan, if you are unsucessful remember there is the OTC, they have more places and are traditionally less pedantic about who they take.

Reply 302

Drewski

ub2008

While that's true, if someone gets a bursary but does not go to an university on a particular UAS' 'list' they will still get onto the squadron.

My former squadron was technically only open to 3 universities, but if you were anywhere in the wider area your application would be accepted.

Making it on was a different matter.

Ultimately, it's down to the CO at the time, they can moreorless set the rules as they see fit throughout their tenure.

Reply 303

Lady Venom

ub2008

That is specific to BUAS because they are usually a Sqn made up of bursars with very few VRs, so their university recruiting numbers are always very low - they can afford to be picky.

Reply 304

ub2008

Ah I see. Why so many bursars anyways?

Reply 305

Lady Venom

ub2008

Ah I see. Why so many bursars anyways?

Bristol is a popular uni for engineers and a popular uni at that. I remember they always had lots of engineering bursars as well as medics and pilots etc. They were always very flush on the bursar front and resultantly could only offer out a few VR places.

Reply 306

Drewski

Would DTUS have changed that slightly in recent years?

I do, however, remember meeting a girl from Bristol saying that of the 60 on the squadron [at that time] about 45 of them were bursars. Mine had 10...

Reply 307

Lady Venom

Drewski

Possibly. They had a drama when I was on the Sqn because they had so many VRs applying but they couldn't take many at all... whereas we only had about 3 or 4 aircrew bursars tops at any one point and a fair old share of medical cadetships/bursars. And the Sqn was 90% VR!

Reply 308

Captain Biggles

Quick question to those experienced UAS members among you: I am in the process of applying for a Pilot Scholarship as I'm about to go into my 2nd year of university however I would like to know if this excludes me from applying to my local UAS in this year's intake? Anyone have any ideas?

Reply 309

Lady Venom

Captain Biggles

Nope. And I think you mean bursary? Make sure you let them know and generally that bumps you up the pipeline; although you avoid the middle man AFCO by applying through the UAS.

Reply 310

Captain Biggles

Lady Venom

Nope. And I think you mean bursary? Make sure you let them know and generally that bumps you up the pipeline; although you avoid the middle man AFCO by applying through the UAS.

So you would say that I should tell the UAS at the earliest stage that I have an application for a bursary ongoing?? I have tried phoning the UAS yesterday and today (just there) but no luck. Apparently the flying programme starts tomorrow so I'll try again. Unfortunately I can make it to the informal "chat" at the Freshers' Fair since we're understaffed at work until I leave on the 18th. Bull crap!!

Reply 311

Lady Venom

Captain Biggles

Hmm which UAS?
I'd try your hardest to get someone to cover you, even if it's just for 2 hours.

Reply 312

Billboy05

Captain Biggles

The CO is in today and think that he will be in for the rest of the week, he just got back from a holiday aparantly. Its only him though since all the other staff are sick, aparantly. Source from Glasgow AFCO.

The fact that you can't make it, according to the website, means that if you phone I and you express a genuine interest in joining then they should invite to the interview etc. Not entirely sure though. Best phone!

On another note,

Also I found something else out today, the max age for pilot and WSO are now 25! Well it's news to me.

Also the competition for pilot bursary is 1:800. So if you dont get this bursary but get into UAS to a damn good job of it. I think I'm just going to go apply to courses to be the instructor of, anything and everything!

Mabye I should just go study the raf more and roam tsr. Meh. On another note,

do you know how many applicants to places there are for the UAS? Like a ratio kind of sort of thing?

and, I know theres probably plenty of cadets that come in and go, "well im a sgt in the atc so obviously thats leadership right there. blah. blah etc etc" Do the uas tend to like this as it does demonstrate an understanding of leadership and potential as long you dont come off as some sort of ****? I know the people in uas dont tend to like cadets, but thats only if they talk about it all the time, which i wont be doing apart from the interview.And I was a prefect, I take that will help surely?

Just asking these sort of things since I got knocked back from sponshership 2 years ago, and haven't been part of a sports club because my local football team are full of..... (*#%#*@*) My school also had no teams, or clubs except from drama, cooking, music and art. so feeling a bit aprehensive!

Oh, and I might as well ask, is it mostly ex cadets are in your uas?

Answers will be appreciated :wink:

Reply 313

rleungz

Hey guys,

Here is the recruitment dates for NUAS

Northumbria: 14-15 Sep
Newcastle: 21-22 Sep
Durham: 5-6 Oct

We'll be outside the Students' Union building in flying suits. Just grab one of us, have a chat and we'll take you up for an informal chat with one of the members of staff.

Reply 314

Captain Biggles

Billboy05

Also the competition for pilot bursary is 1:800. So if you dont get this bursary but get into UAS to a damn good job of it. I think I'm just going to go apply to courses to be the instructor of, anything and everything!

Damn, I would imagine that's from filling out the first form at the AFCO through to being given a bursary? Although I'm thinking maybe that's from all the people who actually make it to Cranwell.

I managed to get in touch with a member of staff at the Glasgow UAS earlier today who said it won't cause a problem having two applications running at the same time. :smile:

Marvellous!

Reply 315

hatchleader

Slightly annoyed here!!

I am going to University as a mature student (I'm 23) to study Engineering specifically to join the RAF as an Engineering Officer. Unfortunately i appear to have hit a brick wall regarding the UAS as my uni is not accredited, and as far as anyone can tell me that's the end of it. If your uni is not accredited then you can't join, end of conversation, next customer!! :mad:

Can someone please Confirm?? If this is the case then i still want to join the university armed forces, but it will have to be the navy which is not where i really want to be... and i don't like deep water!!

Anyway the University is Northampton and they seem to know bugger all too!

HELP!!!

Reply 316

Lady Venom

hatchleader

If you want to join I think it will be UBAS... go to ANOTHER uni's freshers fair and do it that way (e.g. Brum, cov etc.). There's not hard and fast rule about what uni's are accredited to UAS's. If you have the motivation to join the RAF and partake fully on the UAS and make the cut they can't reject you. Have you called UBAS? You're only 1h30 from Cosford which is no bad thing. We used to have people driving 4 hrs to come to fly!

UBAS

Seriously, don't go by what the website says - if you think you have what it takes, call them up and sell yourself. If they say no, give ULAS a call as well - again you're only 1hr from Wyton (even closer) and Knightsbridge for Town Night should be a doddle by train.

ULAS contact

What have you got to lose?

Reply 317

hatchleader

Lady Venom

Well I've spoken to UBAS, Oxford, and east Midlands (after being told by northamptons local AFCO that they would likely take me) and they all told me that there were no exceptions. I asked my local AFCO to look into it and they also came back saying it was a definite no!

I will give ULAS a call today during my lunch and see if i have any more luck. If everything fails then I'll head to another uni's freshers fair.

Thanks for the help!

Reply 318

Lady Venom

hatchleader

Dude seriously, just rock up at the freshers fairs - speak to the instructors NOT the admin cell over the phone. The admin cell just stick to what they know and if you are a good egg they (the instructors) will make exceptions. They make the selection and do the final cut.