Does the RAF have a swimming test?

Does the RAF have a swimming test for Airmen?

If you're aircrew you have to be able to swim 100m and then tread water for two minutes before exiting the pool unaided by hauling yourself up the side. Not sure for ground branches.

Reply 2

Drewski

Original post by Schleigg

If you're aircrew you have to be able to swim 100m and then tread water for two minutes before exiting the pool unaided by hauling yourself up the side. Not sure for ground branches.

It's exactly the same for everyone.

Reply 3

Schleigg

Original post by Drewski

It's exactly the same for everyone.

Did you have to do yours every year too? Also I seem to recall from IOT that the ground branches had to swim slightly further but tread water for less time, or did I imagine that?

Reply 4

XMaramena

Plus additional swim and underwater escape tests for ETOPS and marine operations when you get to that stage.

Reply 5

Drewski

Original post by Schleigg

Did you have to do yours every year too? Also I seem to recall from IOT that the ground branches had to swim slightly further but tread water for less time, or did I imagine that?

No, mine was a one time thing. And also no, everybody did the exact same test.

I'll caveat this with the fact that this was way back in 09.

Reply 6

Fritz Bollinger

Original post by Drewski

No, mine was a one time thing. And also no, everybody did the exact same test.

I'll caveat this with the fact that this was way back in 09.

That's my understanding too. Aircrew have an annual currency if they are required to operate over water (so in my old QFI job, as an example, I didn't have the be current at the time).

Reply 7

89cruefan

They do as such. Nothing will happen if you fail. Over basic training you will only get 2 proper swim sessions and one fun swim comp towards the end. In the first one you will just swim in coveralls halfway round and then get out. Then it just goes to lesson kind of style for the rest of the session.

Reply 8

Drewski

Original post by 89cruefan

They do as such. Nothing will happen if you fail.

Over basic training you will only get 2 proper swim sessions and one fun swim comp towards the end. In the first one you will just swim in coveralls halfway round and then get out. Then it just goes to lesson kind of style for the rest of the session.

That's not entirely true. If you're Aircrew it can seriously hamper what you're able to do.
And on a less serious note it can prevent you from doing adventurous training.

However, you are given plenty of chances to pass.

Reply 9

89cruefan

I wasn't aware of it being something that could seriously hamper what aircrew could do. Something which wasn't actually mentioned when a weak swimmer asked the question.
Id forgotten that it could be an issue in the future regarding AT