Applying for WSOp (Crewman)

[Lofty]

Hello everyone!

Quick intro, I'm Scott, I'm 19, and I am currently in the TA (3 Royal Anglian, Infantry), and have just finished my first year at University studying Law - but I hate it, so I'm applying for RAF. I was an Air Cadet for 6 years.

Well thats me, I have just today made my initial interest as a WSOp (Crewman) and I am planning on filling out all of the paperwork etc asap.

Basically I have a few questions/queries that I was hoping you guys may be able to help me out with.

Firstly; I am 6' 5" - will this hinder me as OASC as I want to go crewman, with any luck on rotary.

Secondly; what is the process from initiall application or being posted to your squadron, and what are the rough pay scales inline with each stage of the training. (I have searched around and can see what I have to spend time at Halton, then Cramwell but after this I become lost)

Thirdly; this question is regarding life as a crewman - I am very close to my immediate family and friends in the area in which I live. How much time throughout training and in general do people in this role find themselves with to get home? I understand obviously from TA experience that when on Operations its a long train journey from the Stan to Essex, but in general station life.

Finally; from what I can gather the RAF is subtly pushing for Crewman, obviously because of the constant demand of the RAF on Ops - so what kind of time frame should I be looking at from now, to OASC and then result at OASC dependent, to Halton. - I understand this question is bloody hard to answer for us mere mortals, but if anyone in the know reads this please try and give me some indication.

Many thanks for reading people,

hope to hear from you soon!

Loft.

 

[vim_fuego]

Go to the blue banner bar near the top...select 'search' and type in 'WSOp crewmen' and read all that lot for a while...If you still need answers come back to me although I'm not a crewmen lots of stuff is generic...

 

[Lofty]

Go to the blue banner bar near the top...select 'search' and type in 'WSOp crewmen' and read all that lot for a while...If you still need answers come back to me although I'm not a crewmen lots of stuff is generic...

Thanks chap.

I'll do that!

 

[Lofty]

Ok, I have conducted a search and spent time looking through the posts that came up.

None of them really, in essence, answer my questions?

So my first questions still stand - if anyone could answer that would be great!

Cheers,

Loft.

 

[FOMz]

Firstly; I am 6' 5" - will this hinder me as OASC as I want to go crewman, with any luck on rotary. .

I know of at least 2 loadies over 6'5 - so I doubt it

Secondly; what is the process from initial application or being posted to your squadron, and what are the rough pay scales in line with each stage of the training. (I have searched around and can see what I have to spend time at Halton, then Cramwell but after this I become lost).

Halton for Basic Training, Cranwell for NCAITC, Then Shawbury for Rotary Course if you want to be a rotary crewman, then OCU then your line Squadron

Thirdly; this question is regarding life as a crewman - I am very close to my immediate family and friends in the area in which I live. How much time throughout training and in general do people in this role find themselves with to get home? I understand obviously from TA experience that when on Operations its a long train journey from the Stan to Essex, but in general station life.

Impossible to answer, Whilst in training you are at the mercy of the training system's leave plan, when on a Sqn, you are at the mercy of their tasking.

Finally; from what I can gather the RAF is subtly pushing for Crewman, obviously because of the constant demand of the RAF on Ops - so what kind of time frame should I be looking at from now, to OASC and then result at OASC dependent, to Halton. - I understand this question is bloody hard to answer for us mere mortals, but if anyone in the know reads this please try and give me some indication.

Do not even think that the RAF will cut any corners or speed up your recruitment because you think they are subtly pushing for Crewman. The process is swamped with applicants at the moment, and it takes as long as it takes, anything from 6 months to 18 months. Looking at some of the timescales other recruits are posting on here, it may be more towards the latter.

 

[Lofty]

Thank you very much for that reply FOMz!

Was just what I was looking for!

 

[wannabeNCaircrew]

Hi lofty, Im also applying for wsop, am currently awaiting an OASC date. Pm me if you want to talk, where are you at uni?

 

[Warwick Hunt]

Lofty,

Top tip - do NOT get bogged down with the idea of being a Crewman. There are 3 other disciplines for WSOps to be draughted in to - Acoustics, EW and Linguist, though to be a Linguist, you will need to apply specifically for that role.

During your generic WSOp course at Cranwell, you will be streamed into one of those disciplines. You will, of course, get an option of what you want to do and that choice will be taken into consideration. However, your progress in the course will be a deciding factor as well as the service need. At the moment, they are short of Rotary Crewmen so if you want to be one, you will be drafted into that role, provided you are cutting the mustard throughout the generic course. However, very soon, they will be pushing for WSOps for the new MR4A and that will be the priority. So beware about singling yourself out for one particular discipline as you may or may not follow that path.

 

[dani_r]

Lofty,

Top tip - do NOT get bogged down with the idea of being a Crewman. There are 3 other disciplines for WSOps to be draughted in to - Acoustics, EW and Linguist, though to be a Linguist, you will need to apply specifically for that role.

During your generic WSOp course at Cranwell, you will be streamed into one of those disciplines. You will, of course, get an option of what you want to do and that choice will be taken into consideration. However, your progress in the course will be a deciding factor as well as the service need. At the moment, they are short of Rotary Crewmen so if you want to be one, you will be drafted into that role, provided you are cutting the mustard throughout the generic course. However, very soon, they will be pushing for WSOps for the new MR4A and that will be the priority. So beware about singling yourself out for one particular discipline as you may or may not follow that path.

Hi, my first post so please be gentle!

I am applying for WSOP with the hope of being a rotary crewman. My background is in Loadcontrol, Operations and Aircraft Handling here on the Isle of Man. Would my background perhaps help in my future plans to become crewman? (providing I do well in the crewman course).

Also, what happens if when I get to the end of the 6 month crewman training course and I get streamed to become EW for example, what happens if I don't want to do that? Is it tough or can I perhaps apply again for crewman?

Many Thanks

Dan

 

[Portcullis]

Hi, my first post so please be gentle!

I am applying for WSOP with the hope of being a rotary crewman. My background is in Loadcontrol, Operations and Aircraft Handling here on the Isle of Man. Would my background perhaps help in my future plans to become crewman? (providing I do well in the crewman course).

Also, what happens if when I get to the end of the 6 month crewman training course and I get streamed to become EW for example, what happens if I don't want to do that? Is it tough or can I perhaps apply again for crewman?

Many Thanks

Dan

From my limited experience working with Rotary, it appears that it's what you can do now, rather than what you used to do that counts. If you have previous relevent experience it will help you on the course, (and possibly during the interview) but it will not 'get you off' from doing the whole course.

What I would advise is that you use any such experience to help the team through - teamwork is everything, especially in the SH and AT world!

 

[vim_fuego]

The Guys at 55(R) work with you to come to a conclusion on the path you will take...At the moment they aren't pushing any EW/ACO through until the MR4 training program has spat out the first course which consists of the new OCU staff...They will hopefully be ready to train new blokes and re-treads after that which is a little way off in the distance yet...But be warned that when the system spins up it will be grabbing people to fill places on future OCU's...

But back to the first point I was making...The staff will identify your strong points and talk to you about your way ahead...Your opinion is taken on board but every now and then someone will not get what they want and the difference between crewmen at Benson and Odiham is a country mile from sitting up at Kinloss in the Scottish wilds flying at low level over the often bumpy sea...great flying (I can vouch for it) but not to everyone taste or stomach strength!)...

My advice would be to study hard during the generic phase and be top in all the crewmen based topics...top of the class should get preference over any crewmen slots available...if there is any when you hit the sausage factory...

 

[dani_r]

The Guys at 55(R) work with you to come to a conclusion on the path you will take...At the moment they aren't pushing any EW/ACO through until the MR4 training program has spat out the first course which consists of the new OCU staff...They will hopefully be ready to train new blokes and re-treads after that which is a little way off in the distance yet...But be warned that when the system spins up it will be grabbing people to fill places on future OCU's...

But back to the first point I was making...The staff will identify your strong points and talk to you about your way ahead...Your opinion is taken on board but every now and then someone will not get what they want and the difference between crewmen at Benson and Odiham is a country mile from sitting up at Kinloss in the Scottish wilds flying at low level over the often bumpy sea...great flying (I can vouch for it) but not to everyone taste or stomach strength!)...

My advice would be to study hard during the generic phase and be top in all the crewmen based topics...top of the class should get preference over any crewmen slots available...if there is any when you hit the sausage factory...

That's great advice Thanks very much! I just hope I do well in my interview next week! Learning everything is quite tough. This is made a touch harder as it now appears they have changed the format for Aircrew training and there's a few grey areas as to where it all fits in. (For me anyway) I phoned my AFCO this afternoon but they weren't sure. I'll try again tomorrow.

If anyone knows how the new training format is structured and could let me know I'd be most appreciative. It appears that there is a 12 week aircrew training course (NCAITC) and from what I can gather, that course happens after your 10 week leadership training course at Cranwell.

So if I'm correct the courses are as follows:

9 Weeks Halton - RTS

10 Weeks Leadership Course - Cranwell

12 Weeks NCAITC - Cranwell

28 Weeks 'Common Phase' WSOP Training - Cranwell

Streamed -

If Crewman (Loadmaster) it is:

8 Weeks basic Crewman course - Cranwell

After this point the whole process gets very confusing. If someone could maybe point me in the right direction that would be great

Thanks again

Dan

 

[vim_fuego]

I went through the system double digit years ago but you do have one thing wrong...Its Haton first for the 9 weeks then 10-11 weeks of Non-Commisioned Aircrew Initial Training Course (NCAITC)...Then you do a bit of flying...get streamed and do a bit of loady training...Then you arrive at the bottleneck that is Shawbury for ever and ever!

Why not phone 55(R) Sqn, explain that you've had no joy from the AFCO and that you're boarding at OASC in a few days and was just showing some initiative...

 

[Warwick Hunt]

Hi, my first post so please be gentle!

I am applying for WSOP with the hope of being a rotary crewman. My background is in Loadcontrol, Operations and Aircraft Handling here on the Isle of Man. Would my background perhaps help in my future plans to become crewman? (providing I do well in the crewman course).

Also, what happens if when I get to the end of the 6 month crewman training course and I get streamed to become EW for example, what happens if I don't want to do that? Is it tough or can I perhaps apply again for crewman?

Many Thanks

Dan

Dan,

If you are streamed into one of the other WSOp branches, you will be required to complete a full tour first (usually 3 years) before applying to re-branch over to Crewman. However, do not hold out in the hope that you will get re-streamed as vacancies within the branch at the time and the requirement for people in the branch that you are in will always be the deciding factor.

 

[Warwick Hunt]

That's great advice Thanks very much! I just hope I do well in my interview next week! Learning everything is quite tough. This is made a touch harder as it now appears they have changed the format for Aircrew training and there's a few grey areas as to where it all fits in. (For me anyway) I phoned my AFCO this afternoon but they weren't sure. I'll try again tomorrow.

If anyone knows how the new training format is structured and could let me know I'd be most appreciative. It appears that there is a 12 week aircrew training course (NCAITC) and from what I can gather, that course happens after your 10 week leadership training course at Cranwell.

So if I'm correct the courses are as follows:

9 Weeks Halton - RTS

10 Weeks Leadership Course - Cranwell

12 Weeks NCAITC - Cranwell

28 Weeks 'Common Phase' WSOP Training - Cranwell

Streamed -

If Crewman (Loadmaster) it is:

8 Weeks basic Crewman course - Cranwell

After this point the whole process gets very confusing. If someone could maybe point me in the right direction that would be great

Thanks again

Dan

The system is:

RTS - 9 weeks (or 11 if you don't meet the fitness standard on PRTC)
NCAITC - 10 weeks
Generic WSOp Phase (55 Sqn) - This has changed recently. I believe to 10 weeks, but I could be wrong. I'll check and let you know.

Then branch streaming

Assuming you become a WSOP Crewman (RW):

42 weeks at 60(R) Sqn Shawbury
OCU
Operational Sqn

 

[dani_r]

The system is:

RTS - 9 weeks (or 11 if you don't meet the fitness standard on PRTC)
NCAITC - 10 weeks
Generic WSOp Phase (55 Sqn) - This has changed recently. I believe to 10 weeks, but I could be wrong. I'll check and let you know.

Then branch streaming

Assuming you become a WSOP Crewman (RW):

42 weeks at 60(R) Sqn Shawbury
OCU
Operational Sqn

Cheers for that

I am still having a bit of trouble fitting this into what it says on the Cranwell website. I phoned my AFCO and they have told me that the Cranwell website will be the most up-to-date.

Perhaps you could take a look at it for me and perhaps advise?

The link to the page I'm getting the info from is here:
http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcranwell/aboutus/55sqnAATrain.cfm

The first part mentions AAITC, but as far as I was aware this is no longer that, but the NCAITC.

With regards to initial WSOP training you mention a 10 week course, but the cranwell info is saying 28 weeks, then you get streamed.

There is also not much info around regarding what happens once you get streamed to LM. You mentioned 42 weeks at Shawbury, but I can't find mention of that anywhere!

Also, with the OCU, would that be at Odiham or Benson? How long is that for?

Sorry for all the questions, it's just that there are so many numbers being flung around it's hard to keep up.

Many thanks for your help

Dan

 

[wannabeNCaircrew]

Dani, get yourself down to the AFCO and ask for up to date leaflets on the training pipeline. It is always changing, so make sure youre looking at the right stuff! Best of luck mate.

 

[MILZ]

Hi I am also looking at applying for this trade, can someone quickly clarify what OCU is, and do we end up doing some training at Benson?

 

[Mick Fry Odiham]

OCU; Operational Conversion Unit

 

[MILZ]

Cheers! so does anyone know if any training is done at Benson?