This discussion is now closed.
Check out other Related discussions
- RAF Pilot Qualifications
- Pilot
- Becoming a pilot
- Becoming an pilot within the RAF
- Stressing about RAF
- RAF application for pilot
- Courses after GCSE
- University Air Squadron FAQ (WIP)
- Private Pilot License in RAF
- Raf role qs
- RAF roles
- RAF Medical Officer
- Becoming a Pilot
- Becoming a pilot, A-Level subject choices
- Royal Navy FATs
- What option would you recommend and why?
- Are Maths, Physics and Chemistry good subjects for A-Levels?
- Which A-levels are most suitable for aspiring pilots?
- RAF Pilot Recruitment
- What are the best A-levels to do , if I want to be a pilot?
RAF : Officer / Pilot Entry
Scroll to see replies
Being in the ATC is not remotely, in any way whatsoever, like being a pilot in the RAF. There are far to many ATC cadets turn up for selection when young and expect to be let into the RAF easily thanks to a lot of work with the cadets. It doesn't work like that; cadets can give you a good grounding in a lot of ways, but it's far from the be-all and end-all.
They do look for rounded people. You're going to be an officer after all. You say you're not sure what route you're going to take in because you want the most experience possible; what do you mean? You won't be looked at more promisingly because you've spent 5 years at university if you haven't filled those years well. It depends what you've been doing. I got in through an old university cadetship at 17; my lack of "experience" at that point hasn't slowed my career in the slightest so far.
There are plenty of people who don't get into the RAF despite a very, very great deal of experience in some fields. Think about exactly why you failed, and do exactly what the rejection letter tells you. If you're the right person you'll get in, if you're not, take it on the chin.
If you'd like some more advice, drop me an email at [email protected], or add me to MSN or something.
They do look for rounded people. You're going to be an officer after all. You say you're not sure what route you're going to take in because you want the most experience possible; what do you mean? You won't be looked at more promisingly because you've spent 5 years at university if you haven't filled those years well. It depends what you've been doing. I got in through an old university cadetship at 17; my lack of "experience" at that point hasn't slowed my career in the slightest so far.
There are plenty of people who don't get into the RAF despite a very, very great deal of experience in some fields. Think about exactly why you failed, and do exactly what the rejection letter tells you. If you're the right person you'll get in, if you're not, take it on the chin.
If you'd like some more advice, drop me an email at [email protected], or add me to MSN or something.
Hi Guys
I have recently been for my filter interview at the AFCO. All went reasonably well and will hopefully receiving a date to visit OASC in the coming weeks. In the meantime I would like to visit an active station to have a look around and ask questions etc. Has anyone organised trips around stations before. If so can you give me some info/advice please?
The position I am going for is Engineer Officer, so I would ideally like to get a look around an Engineering branch.
Any info will be appreciated.
Ed F
I have recently been for my filter interview at the AFCO. All went reasonably well and will hopefully receiving a date to visit OASC in the coming weeks. In the meantime I would like to visit an active station to have a look around and ask questions etc. Has anyone organised trips around stations before. If so can you give me some info/advice please?
The position I am going for is Engineer Officer, so I would ideally like to get a look around an Engineering branch.
Any info will be appreciated.
Ed F
Call your AFCO and ask.
Alternatively, drop me an email at [email protected] and I'll put you in touch with some Eng officers I know at some front line bases.
Alternatively, drop me an email at [email protected] and I'll put you in touch with some Eng officers I know at some front line bases.
Hey, i'm recently back from cranwell having applyed for pilot bursary, made it through to phase two and currently awaiting there reply. If anyone wants any sort of information about OASC just pop me and email at [email protected] or I can reply in thread , for more detailed info on the R.A.F. I would ask Wzz but I can give you OASC from an apllicants point of view. Best of luck!
Ed1000
They said I needed to do more in spare time than Air Cadets. I did LOADS with the cadets (Leadership courses, GS, AGT, Staff cadet on VGS etc.) but to them it meant nothing. They will see you as a very limited person if everything you have done is with the ATC.
The ATC is a great way of experiencing new things and developing positive qualities that will help you through RAF selection. However, everything is given to you on a plate, leaving you with little room to exercise your own initiative and sense of adventure. That is why it is essential that you have a life outside of the ATC and that you learn to go out and organise things for yourself.
I am currently living in the US but I am a British citizen and i am planning on becoming a pilot in the RAF. I was wondereing what the equivalent for 5/6 vision was because i only know the 20/20 scale.
I'd appreciate any info
Thanks,
harri
I'd appreciate any info
Thanks,
harri
Wzz
I disagree. Selection is all about potential, and people *can* get fit. I've seen a lot of people go through having failed the fitness test or been terminally average.
I've never seen anyone get through failing the interview, aptitude tests for their branch, or syndicate selection. I'd say the fitness test is the least of your worries. I was never the fittest on my IOT but still breezed it; in fact I'd say I was one of the least fit. It's nothing compared to Sandhurst, for example.
Worry about the interview. Worry about your ability to pass the entirety of part 2. Don't worry about your fitness; anyone who's not very unfit can pass, and if you don't grade "excellent," don't think it matters.
I've never seen anyone get through failing the interview, aptitude tests for their branch, or syndicate selection. I'd say the fitness test is the least of your worries. I was never the fittest on my IOT but still breezed it; in fact I'd say I was one of the least fit. It's nothing compared to Sandhurst, for example.
Worry about the interview. Worry about your ability to pass the entirety of part 2. Don't worry about your fitness; anyone who's not very unfit can pass, and if you don't grade "excellent," don't think it matters.
Thank you for your advice. Of course i will worry slightly, but am going to focus on the other aspects more. This makes sense after all.
Hi Wzz/NikNak
I wonder, could you please give me some more information re the leadership excercises and computer aptitude tests.
I am hoping to become a Supply Officer and am sure if I will have to sit the same tests as pilots do? Is there any advice you can give me on how to prepare for these tests or what the format is like?
Also, what sort of things do they look for when doing the leadership excercises (the written ones as well as the hanger excercises)?
I am going to OASC in March so am quite nervous now. I would welcome any helpful comments.
Cheers, Superted
I wonder, could you please give me some more information re the leadership excercises and computer aptitude tests.
I am hoping to become a Supply Officer and am sure if I will have to sit the same tests as pilots do? Is there any advice you can give me on how to prepare for these tests or what the format is like?
Also, what sort of things do they look for when doing the leadership excercises (the written ones as well as the hanger excercises)?
I am going to OASC in March so am quite nervous now. I would welcome any helpful comments.
Cheers, Superted
Just spoke to the lady at OASC. There was a sickness before Christmas at Cranwell, and they are a bit delayed, but she has just confirmed my OASC day as 4th April!
Hope to see some more of you there!
I see lots of comments regarding people doing lots of things in their spare time. I am 21, and in my final year at uni. I have always had part-time jobs since 16, played lots of sport, and have a few hobbies now.
Is there anything else I should be looking at to help them view me as a "well-rounded" individual?
Thanks for any replies, and thank you also to those from here that I have emailed with questions in the past
Daniel
Hope to see some more of you there!
I see lots of comments regarding people doing lots of things in their spare time. I am 21, and in my final year at uni. I have always had part-time jobs since 16, played lots of sport, and have a few hobbies now.
Is there anything else I should be looking at to help them view me as a "well-rounded" individual?
Thanks for any replies, and thank you also to those from here that I have emailed with questions in the past
Daniel
Hello Equinebrit...
Just wondering, is 5/6 perfect vision? (It seems that it isn't, but I could be mistaken)
If it is not clinically perfect vision, then you will not be eligible to join as a pilot unfortunately
They will not take anyone who has, or has ever had, imperfect vision, corrected or otherwise.
Just wondering, is 5/6 perfect vision? (It seems that it isn't, but I could be mistaken)
If it is not clinically perfect vision, then you will not be eligible to join as a pilot unfortunately
They will not take anyone who has, or has ever had, imperfect vision, corrected or otherwise.Oh dear, doesn't take much of a leap to realise that 6/6 refers to meters, the European metric measure of normal eyesight, and 20/20 to feet and the American imperial measure. So 5/6 is the same as 16/20 or 17/20.
In either case the second number refers to the distance that a normal person with perfect visual acuity can read the specific line on the snellen chart (eye test chart). The first number refers to the distance at which the test subject needs to be to read the same line.
So 5/6 is less than perfect eyesight. However, that description is one of the old measurment of visual acuity (old as in about 10 years) and the newer one works slightly differently, i.e. the indictions are reversed.
So 6/6 still refers to perfect vision, 6/9 to vision whereby a subject needs to be at 6 meters to read script that a normal person could read at 9. And so onward. 6/12, 6/18 etc.
Confused yet? Ha ha!
The RAF use a further coded number system to refer to sight requirements for various jobs within the RAF, whereby the first number refers to unaided vision and the second to corrected vision (i.e. glasses). eg. 5/2 is unaided vision of 6/24 and corrected vision of 6/9.
Pilot is 1/1, so no messing about there you must have uncorrected perfect vision.
Navigator (now Weapon Systems Officer) is 5/1 so unaided 6/24 and with glasses 6/6. etc. etc.
Got a list with all the requirements for various branches on but not going to repeat it all ad nauseam. There are further requirements concerning colour perception, refraction range, stereopsis and convergeance, but the the whole subject is very very dull and quite frankly i don't understand any more than i've just written.
Hope that clears up any further or past questions about eysight.
Also, a history of refractive surgery is a bar to all aircrew and specialist branches, no matter if you now have 6/6 vision. (Is permitted in non-specialist ground branches).
Cheers
In either case the second number refers to the distance that a normal person with perfect visual acuity can read the specific line on the snellen chart (eye test chart). The first number refers to the distance at which the test subject needs to be to read the same line.
So 5/6 is less than perfect eyesight. However, that description is one of the old measurment of visual acuity (old as in about 10 years) and the newer one works slightly differently, i.e. the indictions are reversed.
So 6/6 still refers to perfect vision, 6/9 to vision whereby a subject needs to be at 6 meters to read script that a normal person could read at 9. And so onward. 6/12, 6/18 etc.
Confused yet? Ha ha!
The RAF use a further coded number system to refer to sight requirements for various jobs within the RAF, whereby the first number refers to unaided vision and the second to corrected vision (i.e. glasses). eg. 5/2 is unaided vision of 6/24 and corrected vision of 6/9.
Pilot is 1/1, so no messing about there you must have uncorrected perfect vision.
Navigator (now Weapon Systems Officer) is 5/1 so unaided 6/24 and with glasses 6/6. etc. etc.
Got a list with all the requirements for various branches on but not going to repeat it all ad nauseam. There are further requirements concerning colour perception, refraction range, stereopsis and convergeance, but the the whole subject is very very dull and quite frankly i don't understand any more than i've just written.
Hope that clears up any further or past questions about eysight.
Also, a history of refractive surgery is a bar to all aircrew and specialist branches, no matter if you now have 6/6 vision. (Is permitted in non-specialist ground branches).
Cheers
superted
Hi Wzz/NikNak
I wonder, could you please give me some more information re the leadership excercises and computer aptitude tests.
I am hoping to become a Supply Officer and am sure if I will have to sit the same tests as pilots do? Is there any advice you can give me on how to prepare for these tests or what the format is like?
Also, what sort of things do they look for when doing the leadership excercises (the written ones as well as the hanger excercises)?
I am going to OASC in March so am quite nervous now. I would welcome any helpful comments.
Cheers, Superted
I wonder, could you please give me some more information re the leadership excercises and computer aptitude tests.
I am hoping to become a Supply Officer and am sure if I will have to sit the same tests as pilots do? Is there any advice you can give me on how to prepare for these tests or what the format is like?
Also, what sort of things do they look for when doing the leadership excercises (the written ones as well as the hanger excercises)?
I am going to OASC in March so am quite nervous now. I would welcome any helpful comments.
Cheers, Superted
Firstly its NickNack not NikNak, we had that argument earlier
Having not even sat the aptitude/leadership stuff yet (going this sunday for meds/apt/int) this is only what I understand to be right: I believe everyone goes through the same leadership tests and need to reach the same standards. However, there are two aptitude tests, one for Aircrew and one for groundcrew. The aircrew one lasts ~6 hours, with different standards required for different roles. The groundcrew lasts for 3 hours, not sure about the standards needed here. Also, the medical is less demanding for groundcrew than aircrew, eg your sight doesnt have to be as good to get in for ground positions. All i can say for ur nerves is - read up on affairs, raf etc for the last year (the bbc website can help) and remember, the interview is the one thing at Cranwell you can control
Good Luck!
lbm
So 5/6 is less than perfect eyesight. However, that description is one of the old measurment of visual acuity (old as in about 10 years) and the newer one works slightly differently, i.e. the indictions are reserved.
Can you have 25/20 sight? or would that mean you can see through walls...
25/20 would mean that at 25 feet you can pick out the letters that a perfectly normal person would need to be at 20 feet to see. And yes, there are plenty of people who have better than normal eyesight. There's a system called the bates method that you can use to increase visual acuity (apparently).
6/6 etc refers to the standard PULHHEEMS test used to diagnose your phyical characteristics. The score is given out of 6, higher is worse, lower is better. With eyesight only, the second numeral (i.e. 1/x) designates your CORRECTED vision. As such, the numbers don't correspond to the measuresments you'd get at an Optometrist. However, if you take your eyesight measurements into your local AFCO then can get it checked out (and translated!) for you.
Unregistered
Hi Pete
I also want to be a pilot in the RAF too.
It takes a lot of skill and knowledge to become one!!!!
Consider buying FLIGHT SIMULATOR 2002 (or the PRO) version!!!!!!
Lots of people use it to help them become a pilot.
Good luck!!!!!!!!!!
I also want to be a pilot in the RAF too.
It takes a lot of skill and knowledge to become one!!!!
Consider buying FLIGHT SIMULATOR 2002 (or the PRO) version!!!!!!
Lots of people use it to help them become a pilot.
Good luck!!!!!!!!!!
could you please tell me where this simulator can be obtained
Many Thanks
J P Badger
badger22!
could you please tell me where this simulator can be obtained
Many Thanks
J P Badger
Many Thanks
J P Badger
You can get "flight simulator 2002 Pro" off ebay.co.uk for ~£20, or flight simulator 2002 standard for ~£10. However, its been replaced in the shops by "Microsoft Flight simulator 2004: A century of Flight". This ones about £40 depending where you go. Currys, PC World, comet, Game, WHSmiths all sell it.
Theres little difference really between 2002 and 2004 though, and you can download additional aircraft/scenery off the net.
I suggest you go for 2002 pro, but its your money
hiya my DAD is in the RAF not a pilot
i think that what ur doing is great and i wish you all the best of luck the only one bad thing about the RAf is that is you have a family with kids you move around alot which can be a pain in the *** for the kids as now my mum and me now arent living on an RAF base and i got to college whihc is not full of RAF kids its harder to make friends as the people there would have grown up together and so they have all there little groups then theres a good side you get to travel to amazing places
if you become a pilot you have to viste cyprus its kool over there
anyway GOOD LUCK
i think that what ur doing is great and i wish you all the best of luck the only one bad thing about the RAf is that is you have a family with kids you move around alot which can be a pain in the *** for the kids as now my mum and me now arent living on an RAF base and i got to college whihc is not full of RAF kids its harder to make friends as the people there would have grown up together and so they have all there little groups then theres a good side you get to travel to amazing places
if you become a pilot you have to viste cyprus its kool over there
anyway GOOD LUCK
Hello everyone
I had my AFCO interview about 2 weeks before xmas but still haven't heard from Cranwell, but today one of the people I put down as a character ref got asked for the ref....so...does this mean they are still deciding on me, or am I going to Cranwell?? I can't take waiting anymore!!!!!
I had my AFCO interview about 2 weeks before xmas but still haven't heard from Cranwell, but today one of the people I put down as a character ref got asked for the ref....so...does this mean they are still deciding on me, or am I going to Cranwell?? I can't take waiting anymore!!!!!
Samuel
Weight: 56.8 to 94kgs (upper limit approx. 14.5 stones)
Height: 172 and 188 (cm) (Upper limit approx. 6’ 2”)
Height: 172 and 188 (cm) (Upper limit approx. 6’ 2”)
Where did you read this? just that im a bit freaked as im 172cm and 58kg. hope im not too borderline...
i dont know about aircrew-specific sight, but the boundaries of sight for entry to the RAF ar -7/+8 dioptres. it also says "a history of refractive eye surgery may preclude selection for service", not sure if this extends to laser-eye surgery though. Do you need glasses/contact lenses as i dont *think* you can be a pilot if you do.
oh, and if your lucky enough to goto cyprus, they work 6am-12 then have the rest of the day off due to the heat - nice!!
Related discussions
- RAF Pilot Qualifications
- Pilot
- Becoming a pilot
- Becoming an pilot within the RAF
- Stressing about RAF
- RAF application for pilot
- Courses after GCSE
- University Air Squadron FAQ (WIP)
- Private Pilot License in RAF
- Raf role qs
- RAF roles
- RAF Medical Officer
- Becoming a Pilot
- Becoming a pilot, A-Level subject choices
- Royal Navy FATs
- What option would you recommend and why?
- Are Maths, Physics and Chemistry good subjects for A-Levels?
- Which A-levels are most suitable for aspiring pilots?
- RAF Pilot Recruitment
- What are the best A-levels to do , if I want to be a pilot?
Latest
Trending
Last reply 3 months ago
How can I go about appealing my army application after medically unfit report?Trending
Last reply 3 months ago
How can I go about appealing my army application after medically unfit report?
