Joining Australian air force..

[Wayne T Mathews]

Solomon, here is a bit about my experience..........

BTW, I confirm as others have suggested that very few applicants start RAAF training with a CPL. I am aware of one around my time who started with 2500 hours and he made it through training but he was really motivated to fly military. Most RAAFies obtain their civil qualifications just before they resign to pursue a civil career. This is a good way to do things.

 

I hope this helps.

Solomon, Flyvulcan has been there, done that, and bought the tee shirt. I doubt there's better advise out there for you to heed on the subject of an RAAF career...

 

Flyvulcan, thank you for taking the time to write what you have here...

 

 

[sain]

Sol, if I remeber from the photos you are pretty skinny. Based off what some of my friends went through one thing the recruiters may be concerned about is your physical fitness and/or strength.

 

Start doing some basic exercises most evenings - alternate between doing push ups and sit ups one evening and jogging, cycling or swimming the next.

 

For the push ups and sit ups you want to start with something simple and easy to do without needing to stop for a rest - i.e 10 repetitions of each. On the second week increase the target number to 20... keep working at it until you can do 20 in a row without needing a rest. Once you can do that, move on to 30 and so on. Once you can do 50 each night your exercising then keep at that level for a while, but gradually introduce slightly longer holds in the down position (or up position if your doing a sit up).

 

If you get injured then lay off the exercising until the injury heals. After all, you want to be fit and healthy when you front to the recruiters office.

 

Ignore all that if your buff, obviously. Gym work is fine too if you like that sort of thing.

 

 

 

[boingk]

Definitely get fit - when I was going through the application for various agencies the physical was what got most people. I was shocked, for example, when I turned up to an AFP fitness session and saw probably 60% or more of the candidates fail! Mind you, there also weren't many outside warming up with me beforehand ;D

 

I'd second the situps and pushups, and also the running - I did a routine similar to what sain laid out above, with the exception of timing my runs. I ended up being able to do 2 back-to-back sets of 50 situps and two back-to-back sets of 25 pushups. I was fine for situps but pushups tested me; although I passed I would recommend a minimum target of 35 consecutive in under 2 minutes. Running was 2km in under 10 minutes and I passed the required level 8 on the beep test fine.

 

One word on beep tests, too: practice one beforehand if you can. They are not intuitive and you need to know how they work. 95% of the people at my fitness session did not know how a beep test worked and I would estimate half may not have failed if they did know. Everyone was running ahead of the beeps and having to pause at the other side, when you are supposed to run continuously and place your foot on (or over) the line and turn around again at the beep. If you look 'the beep test' up on wikipedia you should find a link to an MP3 music file so you can practice it.

 

Cheers - boingk

 

 

[sain]

ohh I forgot about the timing thing..... I never found speeding up the exercises harder personally, so I keep forgetting that aspect of it.

 

Definately do what Boingk said...

 

 

[eightyknots]

Haha - just goofing off, couldn't resist! Actually I think it is a fantastic country & I'm very pro-NZ, also the lady that canned their airforce has gone now thankfully.All the best Solomon, hope it works out well for you.

The lady that canned the Skyhawk squadron (PM Helen Clark) is now in charge of UNHCR -looking after the poor in the world and receives a salary of about half a million to do so.

 

There are still propellor planes in the ROYAL New Zealand Air Force (Hercules) and some helicopters. I feel so protected: I hope that the Australian government will come to rescue me, a loyal Australian citizen, should Fiji decided to invade New Zealand.

 

 

[Wayne T Mathews]

There are still propellor planes in the ROYAL New Zealand Air Force (Hercules) and some helicopters. I feel so protected: I hope that the Australian government will come to rescue me, a loyal Australian citizen, should Fiji decided to invade New Zealand.

Sure we will Eightyknots. We went to Lebanon to get some Aussie citizens who got caught up in a punch up over there a couple of years ago didn't we? Why would it be different for you?

 

 

 

[solomon]

Solomon, here is a bit about my experience. I hope this helps.

Thank you flyvulcan, that was really helpful.

 

 

[solomon]

Definitely get fit -

Thanks boingk. I do allot of sport at school, and from what i remember i got about 12 on my last beep test, i look skinny but i weigh 72kg.

 

 

[Bandit12]

Quite a few years ago I wanted to do pretty much that, except I wanted Army. I jumped through the hoops, went to Tamworth to do Flight Screening and the Officer Selection Board, passed all with flying colours and for a variety of reasons chose not to pursue that option. I often kick myself for doing so, but did for really what were the right reasons for me. A few pointers:

 

I went in with about 250 hours. They had much higher expectations about what I should be able to do, and also a number of snide remarks about how I had learnt to do everything wrong. That really didn't upset me as I knew it came with the territory, but it seemed unnecessary at the time. I would agree with what others mention about not having too much experience, as it won't be a big advantage.

 

Secondly, you are applying to be a commissioned officer, and need to keep that in mind. Average piloting skills will be overlooked if you can demonstrate real leadership potential, and real passion about the job and the RAAF. Work on your ability to stand up in front of a group and give your opinion, learn to be assertive (but not too authoritative), and take every opportunity to demonstrate to the selection board that you are THE BEST person for the role that they have ever had.

 

Finally, expect to be knocked back at the start. Ask for feedback about why, go away and work on what they tell you, come back in 12 months time and do it again. And make sure they know that you will be back every 12 months until you get in. Best of luck with it anyway!

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

One item possibly overlooked is teamwork. Recruiters look for team players. People who can work with others in a stressful situation, solve problems under pressure, and cope with knocks and setbacks. Perhaps that is why bullying seems so much a part of military schools.

 

Be adaptable, learn new stuff all the time.

 

Play team sports, learn to handle the rough and tumble of life.

 

Maybe the journey you and your folks have been through was a pretty good preparation.

 

 

[Bandit12]

Old K is spot on. I forgot to mention team sports - very highly regarded. My chosen sports were always lone sports and they definitely prefer team sports. Ideally you are the captain of the team sport too, as well as actively involved in the community etc etc. If you haven't already done so Solomon, have a look at the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, or Scouts, as a good little grounding in teamwork and leadership, and community service.

 

 

[icebob]

Hi Solomon,

 

What flyvulcan said is spot on but add fittness to that as well. The standard fittness requirement for military persons do not apply to ADFA that is 20% more as this establishment is training officers and officers have to better than the men under thier command.The other is accuracy in all your work, your training practical work will need to be spot on all the time every time no matter it be flying or human services management or situation management or a speech at a mess dinner.

 

I got there if you like through the back door as a LAME then applied for a "Special Duties" officer with the Army, then after four years then transfered to the Navy when the Navy actually had fixed wing aircraft,training never ever stopped no matter what rank you are. The basic flight time requirement after graduation was 20 hours per week, , ok on a shore establishment but hell on a ship where you could only keep the hours up flying helo's, dunk for submarines,mail run, chaplins run, dunk for subs, dunk for subs, dunk for subs,mail run, chaplins run and so on.

 

All in all a very good life, my service time was before flyvulcan as my flying was in the Auster/DC3/Seafury/venom/vampire/wessex times. I did a substantial time in the forces and do not regret any of it.

 

Bob.

 

 

[boingk]

All in all a very good life, my service time was before flyvulcan as my flying was in the Auster/DC3/Seafury/venom/vampire/wessex times. I did a substantial time in the forces and do not regret any of it.

Bob.

Awesome.... lost for words. Would love to have flown some of the aircraft that you have while in service, must've been a grand feeling mate.

 

- boingk

 

 

[fly_tornado]

RAAF sounds a lot safer than army flying

 

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/breaking-news/lessons-not-learnt-from-black-hawk-crash/story-e6frg13c-1226441508529

 

 

[icebob]

HI FT,

 

Thanks for the information, a sad case but all too common, it is never good allowing the most experianced operators leave the service without some sort of redundancy planning. not having a "real" war to hammer home this point then the"powers to be" drift into "patch it and move on and say a lot about nothing".

 

Hi boing k,

 

Yes a great time, i had the honour to be the last authorised to power run the last Seafury and in the pilots book it said about not exceeding 11.5 inchs of boost, did that one day jumped the wooden chocks and had 400kgs of cement lashed to the tail just get dragged along like it was nothing, and a max power takeoff was eye watereing, carrier deck landings were real underwear changing events and at night more so.

 

Bob.

 

PS. Good on you Solomon for giving it a go, please do not give up, the struggle makes you a better person and dreams are never easy to bring to life.

 

Bob.

 

 

[flyvulcan]

x 2 for what icebob has said. It is a great life, you make close and lifelong mates and is a time in one's life which is normally looked back on with fondness.

 

x 2 on icebob's PS as well.

 

Dave

 

 

[boingk]

Wow icebob... thats something! And yeah a carrier landing sure would be hair raising at night, crazy stuff indeed.

 

Solomon, I've got a saying; dream your life, then live the dream. I'm doing it at the moment and would advise you to as well. If the dream is to be a fighter pilot, then go for gold.

 

Cheers - boingk

 

 

[djpacro]

Career Night at RMIT is on this month and Defence Recruiting will be there so go along and talk to them.

 

http://www.raes.org.au/aerospace-industry-night-201/

 

 

[icebob]

If you would like to go to you tube and look at "flight deck operations on HMAS Melbourne", a couple of cartoon figures to cover the some say guilty(not me boss it was radar). My claim to fame on this trip is at 4 minutes on the video, a navigator who had curried egg just before takeoff for a 5 hour flight.

 

Of note centreline, and the clearance line to the right(green side:augie:) is where crossing this line the wing tips hit the island not a good look:crazy:. Also note the yellow circle, it is the fry line for the radar, a similar one is used at Sydney airport with a 300 meter boundry fence to keep people safe?????

 

Bob.

 

 

[solomon]

Hey guys i sent an inquiry letter to the RAAF and I don't comply with any of their citizen ship requirement for New Zealand citizens. So I've no option but to apply for it when im 18 and wait couple of years if i even get accepted. So i'm not going to waste my time doing that, so i'm reconsidering my choice of joining the air force sadly. I'm now thinking of joining commercial flying through Rex Aviation. Moving back to New Zealand and joining their air force is going to take me away from friends and family for a long period of time with a 12 year service contract, and very little payed leave a year. Not something i'm will to do. So i guess i might join RAAF one day when it all works out. And thank you Everyone for your comments and advice's, i really appreciate it, and it was really helpful!

 

Solomon.

 

 

[Bandit12]

Never say never Solomon. The odds were against you getting in before the age of 21 anyway, so you have time. Go for Australian citizenship, you have plenty of time.

 

 

[Guest extralite]

As an ex RAAF pilot and with a few friends still in, i would suggest you contact your nearest flying base and go talk to some junior pilots. Its pretty easy to organize, usually just a phone call to the base public relations officer or something. Being a professional pilot in the civvy world is not as attractive as it once was in terms of pay and conditons. So the natural exit of the senior pilots from the sausage machine that is military aviation is not flowing as freely as it once did, and this has repurcussions down to the boggy junior pilot and the amount of flying he/she gets. But go talk to some junior pilots at your nearest base and get the run-down. You can have a LOT of fun flying without doing it for a living.

 

 

[boingk]

extralite raises a good point - I myself am considering using my flying personally and getting a job in the sector I got a degree in... unfortunately my sector was somewhat devastated by the current government and is only now bouncing back after radical cuts in the last few years.

 

Have a chat with the people who are actually doing it.

 

Cheers - boingk