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Army Air Corps Pilot - Viable Alternative for those of us with poor eyesight?
Even though I have my heart set on RAF Regiment Officer recently I have been tempted by the idea of going for Army Air Corps pilot because my eyesight is not up to RAF Standard (before anyone says it has to be the same, no it doesnt, they allow glasses as long as it corrects vision to 6/6). Anyone else applying or got experience of going through?
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GritChimpMk1
Even though I have my heart set on RAF Regiment Officer recently I have been tempted by the idea of going for Army Air Corps pilot because my eyesight is not up to RAF Standard (before anyone says it has to be the same, no it doesnt, they allow glasses as long as it corrects vision to 6/6). Anyone else applying or got experience of going through?
Are you considering going officer or soldier?
There doesn't appear to be much gen on the AAC on this forum; so as I considered the AAC to at one time I'll explain as much as I can as it's fairly different to the RAF/RN process.
Firstly, I assume that you are considereing applying to the Army as an officer with a view to entering RMAS? If you're not familiar with the process of applying for an Army commission then you should examine it in detail. On passing the RCB and being offered a place at RMAS you do so with no guarantee of the regiment that you will be commissioned into. At an early stage during RMAS you apply to 3-4 regiments. At various points regimental interviews take place and you are advised of the regiment that you will join by about week 30. AAC is by far one of the most popular choices.
If you express an interest in the AAC prior to attending the RCB then you go to Middle Wallop for a look and an interview on successful passing of the aptitude tests at RAF Cranwell. If successful at this stage then you'll be sponsored by the AAC and will be able to attend Flying Grading prior to starting RMAS on passing the RCB. If you pass grading then you stand a reasonable chance of joining the regiment, although you must sit an arduous regimental interview board and do well at Sandhurst.
As the AAC is very much after good officers that can fly, and not vice versa, they are slightly more lenient on medical standards apparantly. BUT, if you visit midlle wallop you'll find all AAC officers are very "Army"!
If you're sole wish is to fly then this is the least adviseable route to follow as there are no guarantees until the end of Sandhurst.
Firstly, I assume that you are considereing applying to the Army as an officer with a view to entering RMAS? If you're not familiar with the process of applying for an Army commission then you should examine it in detail. On passing the RCB and being offered a place at RMAS you do so with no guarantee of the regiment that you will be commissioned into. At an early stage during RMAS you apply to 3-4 regiments. At various points regimental interviews take place and you are advised of the regiment that you will join by about week 30. AAC is by far one of the most popular choices.
If you express an interest in the AAC prior to attending the RCB then you go to Middle Wallop for a look and an interview on successful passing of the aptitude tests at RAF Cranwell. If successful at this stage then you'll be sponsored by the AAC and will be able to attend Flying Grading prior to starting RMAS on passing the RCB. If you pass grading then you stand a reasonable chance of joining the regiment, although you must sit an arduous regimental interview board and do well at Sandhurst.
As the AAC is very much after good officers that can fly, and not vice versa, they are slightly more lenient on medical standards apparantly. BUT, if you visit midlle wallop you'll find all AAC officers are very "Army"!
If you're sole wish is to fly then this is the least adviseable route to follow as there are no guarantees until the end of Sandhurst.
GritChimpMk1
Even though I have my heart set on RAF Regiment Officer recently I have been tempted by the idea of going for Army Air Corps pilot because my eyesight is not up to RAF Standard (before anyone says it has to be the same, no it doesnt, they allow glasses as long as it corrects vision to 6/6). Anyone else applying or got experience of going through?
As far as i am aware oyu are allowed to wear glasses the same as nc aircrew can in the RAF and Navy but you have to have a reasonable vision without glasses. I wear glasses and passed the medical but I had to have 6/18 unaided vision with 6/6 corrected. If i didn't get the 6/18 they wouldn't have passed me. I believe this is the same for army aswell.
Indeed I am going for officer. On the green side, not a problem, i've spent the last 4 years in an OTC.
Glasses wise I know my vision is correctable to 6/6, the eye test I took pre filter (at the request of my AFCO) said its not....then again it was after a day looking at a VDU with only 3 hours sleep.
Whats putting me off is (as already mentioned) is that there is no certainity that after RMAS you go on to EFTS,if you fail your regimental interview you need a back up.
Glasses wise I know my vision is correctable to 6/6, the eye test I took pre filter (at the request of my AFCO) said its not....then again it was after a day looking at a VDU with only 3 hours sleep.
Whats putting me off is (as already mentioned) is that there is no certainity that after RMAS you go on to EFTS,if you fail your regimental interview you need a back up.
GritChimpMk1
Indeed I am going for officer. On the green side, not a problem, i've spent the last 4 years in an OTC.
Glasses wise I know my vision is correctable to 6/6, the eye test I took pre filter (at the request of my AFCO) said its not....then again it was after a day looking at a VDU with only 3 hours sleep.
Whats putting me off is (as already mentioned) is that there is no certainity that after RMAS you go on to EFTS,if you fail your regimental interview you need a back up.
Glasses wise I know my vision is correctable to 6/6, the eye test I took pre filter (at the request of my AFCO) said its not....then again it was after a day looking at a VDU with only 3 hours sleep.
Whats putting me off is (as already mentioned) is that there is no certainity that after RMAS you go on to EFTS,if you fail your regimental interview you need a back up.
You don't neccesarily need to be in the AAC to be a pilot though. I've met gunner officers that had done the course. I think you just have to prove that you are worth the dosh. Of course, this bloke could have been an AAC pilot and then transferred to the gunners :/
Ask at OTC, they'll know the ins and outs or will at least be able to give you directions to someone that does.
Of course if you join the AAC as an officer, your first tour might be the only flying you do. Officers tend to be more deskbound after the first tour, or so I have been told. Whereas the non-commissioned pilots would spend a longer period of their career flying.
(Don't quote me on the above paragraph)
(Don't quote me on the above paragraph)
First hurdle - If you're OTC then get yourself sorted and arrange to sit the aptitude tests: this will give you an indication as to whether you have a chance.
Second hurdle - Get yourself on the AAC fam visit and have a 'chat' with the Colonel - he'll give you a realistic 'idea' as to your chances i.e. 'We'll sponsor you' or 'Go and visit the RLC - they're more suited to you'.
Third hurdle - pass RCB. Should be piece of piss if you're in the OTC.
Fourth hurdle - pass grading, if you can. On my UAS a couple of OTC guys going for AAC were allowed a few taster flights. It looks good and is something to talk about when at Middle Wallop.
Unofficially, if you pass grading you have to be a bit of a muppet not to get a place. As grading is expensive, you'll only be offerred it if the AAC like you and are likely to accept you. I have this on good authority.
Second hurdle - Get yourself on the AAC fam visit and have a 'chat' with the Colonel - he'll give you a realistic 'idea' as to your chances i.e. 'We'll sponsor you' or 'Go and visit the RLC - they're more suited to you'.
Third hurdle - pass RCB. Should be piece of piss if you're in the OTC.
Fourth hurdle - pass grading, if you can. On my UAS a couple of OTC guys going for AAC were allowed a few taster flights. It looks good and is something to talk about when at Middle Wallop.
Unofficially, if you pass grading you have to be a bit of a muppet not to get a place. As grading is expensive, you'll only be offerred it if the AAC like you and are likely to accept you. I have this on good authority.
DPM
Of course if you join the AAC as an officer, your first tour might be the only flying you do. Officers tend to be more deskbound after the first tour, or so I have been told. Whereas the non-commissioned pilots would spend a longer period of their career flying.
(Don't quote me on the above paragraph)
(Don't quote me on the above paragraph)
That is correct. Unless as an officer you go to CFS and become a QHI. As an officer you have to go for your captains course after your first tour as well, so it's normally 2 tours max
That's a good score; but it will only get you a seat at the sponsorship interview. The Army has a very 'Officer first, Pilot second' mentality - even more so that the RAF.
A word of warning, having been to the RCB aswell as OASC you have to be even more agressive and confident. If you seriously want to look at the Army then go and get a frank assessment of your OASC prior to embarking on the route to RCB.
You've got to remember that essebtially all three services are after the same thing; so if you've struggled at OASC it's pretty likely that without work to improve on your weak areas, that you'd stuggle at any of the other two selection centres.
A word of warning, having been to the RCB aswell as OASC you have to be even more agressive and confident. If you seriously want to look at the Army then go and get a frank assessment of your OASC prior to embarking on the route to RCB.
You've got to remember that essebtially all three services are after the same thing; so if you've struggled at OASC it's pretty likely that without work to improve on your weak areas, that you'd stuggle at any of the other two selection centres.
Middle Wallop is a really nice place, really worth a visit. There's a really good PO fam visit that the AAC run; you even get a trip around Salisbury Plain in a Gazelle flying around at between 0 and 6 feet!
As I previously stated, the aptitude scores get you on this visit, and once there they are irrelevant. You get a pretty standard filter-style interview from the Colonel IC recruiting, but it's based quite a lot on 'would you fit into this regiment' rather than 'yeah, you've got the potential to be an awesome pilot'. Be prepared to stay in the bar until the last man leaves with the subaltern officers; the number of people that went to bed at 9 was amazing. No suprises that none of those were offered sponsorship.
If you get sponsorship then you get to do grading before Sandhurst after RCB.
As I previously stated, the aptitude scores get you on this visit, and once there they are irrelevant. You get a pretty standard filter-style interview from the Colonel IC recruiting, but it's based quite a lot on 'would you fit into this regiment' rather than 'yeah, you've got the potential to be an awesome pilot'. Be prepared to stay in the bar until the last man leaves with the subaltern officers; the number of people that went to bed at 9 was amazing. No suprises that none of those were offered sponsorship.
If you get sponsorship then you get to do grading before Sandhurst after RCB.
It's really worth a visit. After it became known that I was ex-UAS I nearly got bantered to death, including several very dubious looking 'pints' of some sort.
As much as I like the RAF, the Army just have more style and panache.
Even if you're not genuinely keen, it really shows you how laid back the RAF is in comparison. You don't even need to apply to the RCB to get the PO visits, just get the Army AFCO to arrange it. If you've already done the aptitude tests then it doesn't take long at all.
As much as I like the RAF, the Army just have more style and panache.
Even if you're not genuinely keen, it really shows you how laid back the RAF is in comparison. You don't even need to apply to the RCB to get the PO visits, just get the Army AFCO to arrange it. If you've already done the aptitude tests then it doesn't take long at all.
I am going on a PO visit to the RGJ reg soon. Should be a fun experience and hopefully i can make the right impression to get sponsored.
My trip is only a day one though so even though im good with my drinking im only having a meal in the officers mess not staying there all night i believe
My trip is only a day one though so even though im good with my drinking im only having a meal in the officers mess not staying there all night i believe
zav
I am going on a PO visit to the RGJ reg soon. Should be a fun experience and hopefully i can make the right impression to get sponsored.
My trip is only a day one though so even though im good with my drinking im only having a meal in the officers mess not staying there all night i believe
My trip is only a day one though so even though im good with my drinking im only having a meal in the officers mess not staying there all night i believe
Don't forget to take your spade
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