Hey guys, i am glad i found this forum. Let me first introduce myself. My name is Daniel, and i am currently 19 years old. Ever since the age of 12 i have wanted to become a fighter pilot. My father is a commercial airline pilot, which i guess stimulates my interest in flying.

I finished high school last year, getting above passes in advanced english, physics, computer science, business and economics. I studied advanced math but failed. I still managed to get into university and i am currently studying Business Commerce which i finish in about one and half years. I doing very well at university so far. But one problem still haunts me..my math grade. The Australian Airforce do offer opportunities for uni graduates not having the initial high school grades. But the conditions state an 'individual assessment' - i am unsure what this means if someone could please clarify for me?

The next little problem is my eye sight. I do wear glasses currently and i am trying everything to get rid of them naturally. I just need to ask if PRK (laser treatment) is 'frowned' up in anyway? and also accepted in the Australian Airfroce?

My lectures at uni tell me that my character is a very strong one, in the sense that people tend to listen to me and have faith in what i am saying. Whenever there is group work, i get nominated to be leader 90% of the time purely becasue i am easy going but also get the job done.  My lecturers tell me that i possess very good leadership qualities. I believe the course i am doing at uni has helped me grow that essence of leadership which i guess would be plus in the fighter pilot field?

Sorry for the lengthy post, there are just some things i wanted to get off my mind.
I look forward to your relpies,
Cheers
Daniel ....'Dex"

Hi Dex.

An individual assessment is what is probably ADFA speak for what uni's call ROC, or Range Of Criteria. You'll probably be asked to take some written tests, have an interview (or three), they'll look at secondary and tertiary reports and grades. My advice for these sorts of things is just be yourself -even if you don't think you're quite right - because the moment you start bullshitting its very easy to tell - the people who interview you probably see hundreds every year.

You will have to approach ADFA about the PRK issue - I had a mate who went through RAAF screening and was told the whole way through that his corrective lenses wouldnt be a problem. He flew through the tests with exceptional scores and then failed the medical - for eyes. So there may be some inconsistencies there - just check it out with them

I'd also recommend that you maybe try and do some flying in the meantime - at least up to GFPT or even PPL level. I say this for two reasons. If you don't like it, then you can not worry so much about doing ADFA! If you do like it, (which is the more likely outcome), you'll have another string in your bow when it comes time to sit down in front of those interviewers.

Remember to though that RAAF pilots dont actually fly heaps - depending what Sqdrn and type you're assigned to it can be as little as once every two to three weeks! The rest of the time you'll be doing ground school or drills and other kind of... boring stuff.

Anyway, all stuff to think of and mull over.

Soft landings

Pete

Pete,
Thank you for your reply it was very helpful. I am going to visit an information centre regarding the airforce this weekend and hopefully get some more info.

Thanks again,
Dex