Well, not just the expensive FTA, but also just the other schools there. I say brighton because it is A. A good aerodrome and B. very central south coast.
As some of us have been pushing for for years!!
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CoAARcNtJqO/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Looks like we definitely can use Tayside for flying opportunities, not just scholarships!
Perfect. Iâll submit a mileage claim from southern England to Dundee, plus VA, plus accommodation and messing just so we have a chance of getting someone airborne.
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Please do. Make sure you are present when the request is reviewed, with a video camera
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I think thatâs Flying Aces again?
Why is that ?
Anyone know ?
Iâm sure Iâve heard of flying schools inEngland and WalesâŚ
Spotted within the IBN regarding CBAT opportunities;
âPlease be aware that undertaking CBAT is likely to become a requirement for selection to ACPS, in future years.â
Another way to reduce how many people even think about applying, the need to spend a day at Cranwell will be massively opportunity-limiting.
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And theyâre prioritising people who meet the CBAT pilot standard. I would take a guess pilot standard will be the requirement they set in the futureâŚ
Now⌠If they make it forward compatible, and the RAF gives credit for this in selection, then if I squint I can just about see how this makes sense.
But. The RAF will never go for that, they are bending over backwards to give everyone an equal chance at selection. And they donât want pilot candidates who may already have bad habits they have to retrain.
So no. Canât see this helping.
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So when we were black and white and marched fastâŚ
At 6th form you could apply for âTests in Advanceâ (todays CBAT) to see if you had the chance of getting through.
On application I was told âYou are an Air Cadet so apply for a Flying Scholarship - same tests but you get here quickerâ. So I applied, did the tests and interviews at OASC Biggin Hill and 6 weeks later got my dates for a scholarship
It sort of makes sense - if they are valid for 3 years then can be used for UAS application, Flying Scholarship, and any number of other things the RAF deem them suitable for.
At least OASC is now a bit more central at Cranwell and not stuck in the South East as it was.
Yep, did exactly the same - although had also done the âtests in advanceâ - got a scholarship too. 
Bit of a trek from the Isle of Wight to Biggin thoughâŚ
Ahhh Biggin Hill, flown through there a few times in the past.Much preferred Northolt and the pilot with a box of chocolate bars to âbribeâ the fire crews to assist us when we returned.
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Back in the day a couple of my mates and cadets I knew after did their FS at one of 3 local flying schools all within 25 miles of where we are, as did all the other local . It worked for years and was one of those things that didnât need to change, except for the sake of it.
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My glimmer of hope is that it makes the ACPS more worthwhile in terms of funding from a recruitment point of view.
âHereâs an 18 year old with five years cadet experience, master cadet, senior NCO. Theyâve passed CBAT with a score of 140, and have passed an aircrew medical. Weâd like to give them a scholarship to keep their interest in the RAF as a career before they go to uni as we think theyâd be a good fit for a UASâ.
Given the cost of one scholarship is about 0.1% of the cost of training an F35 pilot, it seems an absolute no brainer to fund them.
Not saying that thatâs exactly the line it would take but you see my logic I hope. Yes I included a bit about the medical, arguably not unrealistic. If it needs CBAT itâs pivoted massively towards direct recruitment so seems a logical addition.
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The medical is basically the same for the civil sector as well.
Southampton for me, easy peasy for travel.
I would hope so too, but having seen too many other examples where the âjoined up writingâ hasnât connected the dots, Iâm not holding my breath.
Its a real shame that, for all Tonyâs interests and preaching of âinclusionâ, the CBAT scores could potentially rule out a number of cadets who would have been eligible for ACPS prior to this momentâŚ
Would like to see whether thereâs any mention of Reasonable Adjustments in the policy document which underpin the IBNâŚ
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Questions:
Didnât they offer CBAT slots last year and only a handful of cadets, (nothing like the 160 places they are offering) went?
Will the extremely challenging pilot pass score of 112 apply to cadets?
Will there be 160 over 18âs who are âgraduates from the senior courses offered by RAFAC (eg Junior Leaders;Qualified Aerospace Instructorsâ Course; Gliding Scholarships and Flight Staff Cadets; orother âgold-levelâ RAFAC coursesâ who will be interested in a CBAT?
If it does become a requirement for ACPS selection, can Cranwell handle the hundreds of applicants who apply for ACPS every year?
What will be the cost of the hundreds of extra rail warrants?
If you have to be over 18 to take the CBAT, how old will a cadet be by the time they have passed the other selection stages and been allocated an ACPS course?
Does it run the risk of cadets who fail the CBAT, bailing out early, because they realise they have no chance of becoming a pilot?
Timing is everything with a CBAT test. Would you risk taking a test, failing a test and excluding yourself from a resit for 12 months?
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