RAF Application

[Downwind.Maddl-Land]

Gnomey, when you do the team exercises in the hangar, find out if anyone has any skills that will help (knot-tying, physical strength or lightness). Then thoroughly BRIEF your Team on the plan carefully so that everyone knows what YOU intend and what THEY are going to do. At the end of the brief, select a team member and quickly CHECK that they understand the PLAN (ie have you communicated it clearly); do not get worked up if you are going to run out of time to complete the exercise its the LEADERSHIP qualities they are looking for: be positive, decisive and encouraging; when someone does well be generous in the praise but don't damn failures. And maintain a sense of humour!

Oh, by the way; JOLLY good luck!!!!!!

[Gnomey]

Cheers guys.

I will take a note of the Downwind, will certainly come in useful. I already knew it wasn't the challenge that was being tested by the leadership qualities. Most groups don't complete the challenge.

[Gnomey]

Right heading off tomorrow (if the trains work). It is going to take 9 hours (with 4 changes) to do a journey that should be 5 or so (and direct) due to engineering works and it being a Sunday and all that crap. Think I have prepared it all fine. Done a a fair amount of hand, eye coordination practice recently as well as Speed Distance Time and the problems they provide on top of current affairs work. So I should be prepared enough for the Aptitude, the interviews and the group work. Just going to get through the medical and physical now...

Any final points are welcome.

[rochie]

good luck and my very best wishes Gnomey

[Heinz]

Good luck mate!

[Glider]

All the best

[Captain Dunsel]

Best of luck to you!

CD

[Airframes]

Just be confident of your own abilities; best of luck Hugh, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

[Gnomey]

Thanks guys, I'll let you know how it goes.

[Gnomey]

Well that was a bit anti-climatic.

I'm back home now after completing the aptitude tests. The reason? If I went any further with the course I would have to repeat it all again next January if I wanted to graduate (if completed I would of been doing Initial Training in the summer which would mean I missed my final semester of University). Because of this I choose to leave after the aptitude tests so that I can complete University before starting my initial training (if I get through) and I didn't want to to the aptitude tests again and risk failing them.

So in short, I got pilot on the aptitude tests () and because I didn't want to do the whole course again next year, I choose to leave and complete the rest of the course in the summer. This is the option they offered me to allow me to complete my degree without having to repeat the whole of OASC.

Still the day I was down there was great fun and I am looking forward to go back to it in the summer.

[lesofprimus]

Excellent news Hugh, sounds like u got the pilot slot u were wanting.... Way to go man...

[rochie]

well done Gnomey, congatulations

[Glider]

So far so good, could be a lot worse

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Way to go my friend!

[Gnomey]

Right quick update.

Week before last I phoned up Cranwell to arrange a visit down to continue where I left off. Wherein the promptly said that because I had left I had left and had failed the aptitude tests. At which point I corrected them and told them what the review officer had said and gave them my reference number. At which point they went "oh" and started arranging things for me to return. So I am returning to Cranwell to finish from where I left off on the 5th of July which I am really looking forward to.

My 3 Branch choices are as follows: 1) Pilot, 2) Intelligence and 3) Medical Officer (Bursary though Medical School).