Hi everyone,
I'm 18 at the moment. I attended OASC last august and was awarded the pilot scholarship, which is direct entry as a pilot on a permanent commission (until im 38), plus £1000 for my upper sixth year, and a reserved place on the 'In-service' degree scheme (several years down the line i do an OU degree, paid for by the RAF, of course). Out of 277 pilot applicants only 2 of us were chosen, so listen in!
Go to RAF careers website, click on missions, then old missions. These are jazzed up versions of the 1st half hour of the aptitude tests. Practice these every day.
I recommend playing on a flight sim a much as you can, these will hone any innate ability you may (or may not) have. Knowing how an aircraft instrument panel looks will help loads.
Learn to do mental arithmetic almost subconsciously, by practice! You will have to do sums whilst doing a memory task and a vigilance task.
Get an IQ-type-test book. improve your problem solving abilities. Know how to read and estimate compass bearings, and how to read figures from charts and tables very rapidly.
About 40 candidates were at breakfast on my OASC course the 1st morning, after the first 5 hours (the aptitude test) all but 11 of us were on the bus back to grantham station! its pretty ruthless.
The rest of the day is medical tests (not a lot you can change there, but ensure you are roughly the right weight for your height and frame).
More medical checks the next day, and an INTERVIEW!!
Know everything about raf equipment, bases and operations overseas. Know current affairs, recent military campaigns (of any country), domestic affairs, cultural issues, political issues. Know sincerely why you want to join the RAF. Learn how to carry yourself in an i/v (posture, body language, eye contact). You'll have 20 minutes to answer questions about yourself, so sell yourself! The interview is blag-proof, be direct, confident and concise!
The fitness test is 20 metre shuttle runs (bleep test) which is hard as it is a maximal test. Train like a soldier for this, an run till your hanging out of your arse! Good fitness shows dedication and a mature approach to your application as a military officer.
In the leadership tasks have plenty of confidence and drive, get involved and dont be afraid to be vocal. What use is an idea if you keep it to yourself?
The planning task is all about good arithmetic (speed/distance/time) and speedy thought and accurate calculations. Dont let them rip your plan to shreds, they will try!
If you are successful at this stage, give yourself a pat on the back. They will, however, recall you after a period of time for more in depth medical checks.
Oh and by the way, you need 5 GCSE's and 2 A levels at the very least. A Good CV goes a long way. You cannot wear glasses, have asthma, hayfever, epilepsy, migraines or be outside weight and height limits.
Best of luck to anyone who tries OASC for entry as a pilot, its damn selective!
I hope this advice helps,
Godspeed!