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Aircrew - Hayfever

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Can someone clarify for me, if someone has hay fever on their medical records but has not needed to visit their doctors in the last 4 years as their symptoms have all but gone, are they eligible to apply for Aircrew?

Thanks

Anyone is eligible to apply, but with hayfever on your record it is very unlikely you will pass the medical for an aircrew branch. Hayfever starts at a variety of ages, but it rarely goes, you just get seasons where you don't hit a particularly sensitive pollen count.

Reply 41

Mosler

Surely pollen levels at the height aircraft fly at, even when flying at low level, are going to be alot lower than on the ground. Don't aircraft have pollen filters in them like cars have?

Reply 42

Ikaruss

Original post by Mosler

Surely pollen levels at the height aircraft fly at, even when flying at low level, are going to be alot lower than on the ground. Don't aircraft have pollen filters in them like cars have?

Mossy mate, that's made me choke on my tea. You owe me a new Kindle Fire!

While I recover, can I suggest you read this whole thread, especially the inputs from 3portdrift which are very sensible and non patronising.

In all seriousness, everyone would sympathise with your predicament if it's going to prevent you from achieving your ambition. However, the military do set high standards for eligibility, especially for health issues. It was ever thus, and with so many fully qualified and healthy applicants for so few vacancies, they can afford to filter at a very high threshold.

I have no idea whether your hay fever issue as described is a show stopper, or whether the 4 year symptom free criteria is official policy or case specific. No-one on TSR can tell you either, so the only solution is to contact the AFCO, as directed on the RAF careers website, and explain your individual case. That way you will know for certain where you stand. But be prepared for disappointment for all the reasons outlined previously and by other people.

Hope that helps, and very best of luck. If you discover some official gems which would add value to this subject, then I'm sure plenty of people on here would appreciate hearing about them.

Ikky

Reply 43

someoneorother

Original post by Mosler

The rule is that if you are 4 years symptom free then you can be considered for selection for aircrew. If you meet that criteria then you are eligible. If you suffer from symptoms but you haven't been to see a Dr about it in 4 years then as far as the RAF know you are eligible, so keep quiet about it. Some have talked about integrity and for serious medical conditions I agree, but, as long as your symptoms are mild the fact that the RAF will just give you loratadine if you develop it whilst you are serving tells you that it is not actually a bar to effectively doing the job. There are so many applicants that the RAF use it just to filter out the numbers, and you would not be the first person to get through OASC by keeping quiet and calling symptoms a "summer cold" if asked.

Personally, I was diagnosed as having hayfever when I was younger. At my medical, I just provided a letter from the GP saying that I hadn't been to see them with hayfever symptoms in the last 4 years and it wasn't mentioned again. Admittedly I applied to the RN and not the RAF but the rules for both are the same.

Basically, if you haven't been to see the Dr with hayfever symptoms in the last 4 years then put an application in. The worst they can do is say no, in which case you've lost nothing and can move on knowing that at least you gave it a go.

Aircrew - Hayfever

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