Well quite, but I’m more talking about how two different parts of Cranwell are giving two different and opposite directives.
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I went to OIC before that was a thing.
I took my Baby Pilot Officer to the RAF Club for lunch, no way I was trekking to my “local” station.
My parent station is 175 miles from my house 
(one way, not a round trip)
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Not possible to simply turn of at a station as an APO to visit the mess, someone would need to sponsor your visit as CFAVs are not members of the mess but are extended tells courtesy of use of its facilities whilst on duty.
For the same reason I believe CFAV cannot simply book accommodation for off-duty reasons at stations unlike regular RAF Officers - unless anyone know different.
Mine is considerably closer, but the site the officer’s mess is on has been handed over by the MoD to A. N. Other public body so I have no idea if it’s even still open.
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I don’t disagree, simply pointing out what new officers are told to do!
Like most things it depends on the Mess Committee, RAF Northolt used to be quite welcoming if it was for social reasons but not for work as an example.
Unfortunately compared to 
years ago most Messes are now a combination of a poor boarding school and Travel Lodge.
So long as you have the right clothes (prepare for the worst but hope for the best) and you don’t park in the Stn Cdr or PMC parking space you should be fine
My last visit to Sleaford Tech I was in jeans and polo shirts all week - whilst back when we were in black and white and marched fast my jeans never left the suitcase during the whole of IOT
Nobody needs to “sponsor” a visit. One simply needs to have a valid reason for being there.
If an APO is attending a mess because it’s a recruitment of the service that they do so, then they are on duty.
With regards to ‘visiting’ messes on other occasions I tend to find that a phone call to the mess usually achieves the results one would like.
For example, a phone call to Cranwell on a Thursday afternoon to say “a mate and I are driving home from one far end of the country to another having just finished 4 weeks of camp duty. Can we please break the journey overnight in the Mess?” The answer was “Of course. See you this evening”.
Our Wg AdO at the time was awfully upset that we hadn’t “gone through Wing HQ” to book the mess. But that gripe was roundly ignored, since nobody who actually mattered in the circumstances gave a toss.
That as may be the case, but you will not gain access to the station as an APO without someone to sponsor your visit.
RAFAC APOs cannot hold a MOD90 (the minimum commissioned rank on the application form being Pilot Officer). On arrival at a guardroom you will be asked for a letter detailing the purpose of your visit (this happens for both OASC and OIC at Cranwell), and one is then asked to produce proof of ID. If you cannot produce such a letter whoever is sponsoring your visit will be asked to escort you.
APOs have no means on proving their status and ergo cannot simply turn up to a mess.
I got a Mod90 as an APO…?
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They can because they are Pilot Officers, just wear the Acting rank and are referred as such in writing only.
Verbally they are Pilot Officer Bloggs. Just like our acting sgts
Though, one could follow that to another logical conclusion in this case which is that because the purpose of the visit is to have mess etiquette and process explained to them, our APO would be visiting the mess already accompanied by someone else. There would be nothing gained by having the APO turn up alone, so it’s somewhat moot.
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Isn’t the whole point that your OC is supposed to take you and provide you with the guidance on how to behave?
I know of three people in that position that have been told their MOD90s cannot be applied for whilst APOs. Perhaps a case of differing interpretations by different Regions/ Wing staff?
My appointment letter from HQAC included the MOD 90 application form 
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Can we steer this back towards promotions as opposed to focusing entirely on initial appointment?
(Apologies for continuing the derailment @Giminion)
I was told by my WExO this week to crack on with the form for my card and I was only appointed the week before…
Who starts the process for promotion? The candidate or wing in the case of a time served basis… ?
In my wing, it’s the candidate.