Selected for pilot screening

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

Originally Posted by Hans Tucker

....I manage the Hypobaric (Decompression) Chamber for the RAAF at the Institute of Aviation Medicine (AVMED) which, if your son makes a RAAF Pilot, he will no doubt become familiar with as part of his Altitude and Hypoxia training....I could arrange a video to be taken of him succumbing to Oxygen deprivation

Hi Hans...the hyperbaric chamber in Edinburgh? Worst job is opening that damn chamber door!

I've seen 6'2"+ fighter pilots in F18s.

Originally Posted by Gem

Angus Houston is quite tall when you see him in person!

.....Angus was a F111 driver. Titheridge was taller than Angus..... and had a bigger chin. I always wondered how he fitted in a Mirage and got his mask on!

Problem is everyone wants to be a fighter jock. No shame is wanting to fly other types as long as he can convince the board of your desire and reasons to do this. Lets say...flying heilo's...the challenge of flying close support or Herc's you like the team environment....remember key words!

[h0ughy (David)]

hope he does well Mike - he deserves a good chance

[Ric]

What an amazing career path Mike.

Hope he does well.

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

Originally Posted by wasyoungonce

Hi Hans...the hyperbaric chamber in Edinburgh? Worst job is opening that damn chamber door!

I've seen 6'2"+ fighter pilots in F18s.

.....Angus was a F111 driver. Titheridge was taller than Angus..... and had a bigger chin. I always wondered how he fitted in a Mirage and got his mask on!

Problem is everyone wants to be a fighter jock. No shame is wanting to fly other types as long as he can convince the board of your desire and reasons to do this. Lets say...flying heilo's...the challenge of flying close support or Herc's you like the team environment....remember key words!

Yes, the chamber at Edinburgh which is the last operational one in the Airforce, the one at the RAAF Museum will only be a static display.

In my time at 2FTS I had seen a number of tall student pilots going through. I know that the RAAF had concerns with pilots being tall in the torso particularly if their head (with helmet) extend above the canopy breakers on the ejection seats. If they were tall in the legs then they risk losing their knee caps to the instrument panel when the leg restraints pull their lower legs in before ejection.

Problem is Fighter Pilot wannabee's have big ego's and they were the problem children at 2FTS...I don't have an issue with confidence but you would always have arguments with these guys and they wont admit when they are wrong on a maintenance issue. I don't tell them how to fly so I don't expect to be instructed on how to repair an aircraft.

[rat156]

Originally Posted by Gem

Angus Houston is quite tall when you see him in person!

From the man himself, he lied about his height on his application form, then "ducked" a little in the medical.

Presumably they catch these things these days.

Cheers
Stuart

[Kunama]

Hi Mike, all the best of luck to Riley. Its such a competitive area, you need luck as well as skills but above all the you need the right attitude.
You're rightfully proud of him!

A friend from my Duntroon days in 1976 is now the head of Army Aviation Systems and has always loved his life in the Army. Another friend was one of the design team heads of the Joint Strike Fighter.

Hope all goes well.

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

I got knocked back from the RAAF in Melbourne recruiting due to Asthma (late late 70's). I had done years of rowing and never had an issue ....had bigger lung function than the charts could measure.

The Army would take me though.

2 weeks later applied in Sydney...fibbed...got in and did a 26
+ years service. Never had an issue.

Winning It pays not to tell the truth sometimes.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Thanks for the well wishes guys Riley is getting a lot of advice from a number of avenues, he will have to sort it out himself now but I appreciate the sentiments .

Mike

[FlashDrive (Poppy)]

At the age of 16 ( closer to 17 )... I applied to join the Army to be a Apprentice Radio Technician.
They wrote back to me and said....apply again when your 17 ( 15 and 16 year olds can be an apprentices ...your too close to being 17 ...sorry don't want you just yet. )

Well ....stuff you I thought ( typical cheeky kid I was ) ....I'll try the Airforce,....so......sat all their ' entrance ' exams....6 weeks later ..I was on my way to 1RTU at Edinburgh SA....that was 40 years ago this year.

As it turned out...........I did Aircraft Engineering ...specializing in Aero Engines ( sumpy's as we were known as )...went to Amberley when the 1st F111-C's arrived.

Good luck Mike with your Son's endeavors....

Flash..........

[Matt Wastell (Matt)]

On ya Mike - hope it goes well for Riley.
One thing that stands out - surely you are too young to have a 21 year old son!

[Satchmo]

He will also probably have to agree to kill another human being if instructed by his authority - I was told this was part of the admission questionnaire by I young guy that went through the entry tests for the air force. I guess thats getting down to the nitty gritty . Some people may prove to have a conscientious objection when directly confronted with that question

[SingleMalt]

Originally Posted by wasyoungonce

Problem is everyone wants to be a fighter jock. No shame is wanting to fly other types as long as he can convince the board of your desire and reasons to do this. Lets say...flying heilo's...the challenge of flying close support or Herc's you like the team environment....remember key words!

I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment but respectfully disagree with your advice. With the current shortage of fast jet pilots, the RAAF is not going to be interested in hiring guys who don't want to fly fighters. They're having enough problems convincing newly-winged 2FTS grads to go to 79SQN as it is (which is understandable), without throwing into the mix people who never wanted to go to jets in the first place.

My advice? If he wants to be a maritime/transport/VIP pilot, that's awesome. Go to Tamworth, work his backside off though the selection process, and tell the board that he wants to fly fighters. Hopefully he gets selected, goes to BFTS and 2FTS, continues working his backside off. 2 weeks before he gets his wings, when they ask him for his preferences as to what he wants to fly, put down whatever he wants as his first preference.

Good luck.

[pilot.raaf]

I'm a former RAAF Pilot that graduated from both BFTS and 2FTS. I am now looking at helping others attain their dreams of becoming Military Pilot's.

I have still have copies of the SATG and other materials like the CT4 type manual and instructors handbook, these will be a more comprehensive copy of the materials they will provide you on flight screening.

If anyone would like to get access to these resources send me an email at pilot.raaf@gmail.com

I am happy to help out as needed

[LewisM]

I too have a BUNCH of documentation,manuals etc, but civilian. If anyone legitimately needs instructor manuals (helps prepare you for what the instructor will show you by reading in advance what you will be taught from BOTH sides) drop me a PM. It could take me a while to find some of them from deep storage (especially any SFC manuals etc) but I do have ready access to my FAA instructor manuals, CAA/CASA manuals etc.