End of Dream - RSAF?

last SG · 2008-08-27T18:51:26+00:00

Hey bro,don't give up yet! You still mght get posted to SISPEC.You wanted a chance right?There's your chance,don't waste it! Try your best but just be menta...

quah SG

hi, i just 'pop' from bmtc on the 10th of june. Posting are to be out on the 20th of june. However i just received a letter from rsaf indicating that i do not make the cut for pilot vocation. I made a call and they told me i didn't make it for ocs(13th june). i did pass my compass test and supposingly awaiting for an interview. It all ends here now? I would really wish to fly for rsaf since young. Does it all ends here? i can't even get an interview all whatsoever. I can't do anything now? Could someone give me an advice. I'm really disappointed at how things work

Vincentshughart SG

Well if you failed to get the relevant assistance and help you would wanted through the phone, the best advice for you will be that you make a trip to the recruitment centre to sort it out.

After all, it has been said many times that the staff at the recruitment centre will be able to provide you with much more accurate information than this forum mates could probably provide with.

I guess its pretty known fact that OCS is a requirement for one to become a pilot. For those who applied for the post prior to enlistment, and who have been subjected to the relevant tests e.g. the compass, interview, and aeromedical, will be told that “okay now the next thing you need to make sure is that you qualify for OCS.”

However during BMT, NSmen are also given to option to sign on, apply for stuffs etc etc, and there are some dudes, who applied for pilot during then, that did not go to OCS, but sispec instead. Maybe they didn’t op for command school? Quite a couple of different scenarios.

It is still that you check out with AFRC.

stellazio SG

blessing in disguise.

bloodsucker SG

Eh quah dun be too sad man. Shit happens. All the frigging time. If you cant get into the air force, dun be too sad. Cos thousands of other people have applied, and quite a number are also unable to make it through.

U can consider other vocations in the rsaf, such as the AEO. Its not a bad vocation, u might want to think about it. But if u sincerely want to fly as a career, then u can consider SIA. I wont consider it at this point of time, but if I fail my interview also, then this might be my only option.

Anyway, just get on with life. Shit always happens. Dun be too disappointed. When I was 'kicked out' of syfc last year after my solo flight, I thought that it was the end of the world. But now I realise that behind every shit, there's always a silver lining. Now that I'm no more in syfc, I have much more time with my friends. Back then, I was at the syfc compound 5 or 6 days a week, spending hours and hours in there. I had no time for myself and my schoolwork, let alone going out with friends. But now that I'm out, I realise that although its sad I couldnt carry on, but then life does get a little better.

I say this much just so u can reconsider ur choices and not be too disgruntled over it. I understand how u feel, and the best advice I can give is to just let it go, and let time heal everything. Dont bother bugging the people there to give u another chance, cos even if in the rare event they let u go in, u wouldnt be happy cos u noe that u didnt make the cut.

kopiosatu SG

AEO need degree leh

actually not bad lah that job.

f*cking useless vocation, just there to sign things and approve leave.

weetweet SG

Hey.. your case sounds just like mine. Couldn't help replying to your thread.. I was in the exact same shoes as you. had a background with syfc, got my wings. Did quite well for my compass test (according to an insider), thought of signing on as pilot.

But BMT was quite a disappointment. i saw how political and corrupted the system was, the wayang-ness and how they graded the recruits. Wasn't what i'd imagine it to be.. Anyway, i didn't qualify for ocs, went to sispec instead. And, got the same rejection letter.

Appealed and they granted me an interview, which i eventually didn't make it past. was really dejected and disappointed then.. but now after 2yrs in the army. That was the best God-damned thing that ever happened.

now, im on my way to further my studies overseas. I have my freedom, and choice to do whatever I want. Not to be sourgrapes or anything, I still love flying and i plan to renew and un-restrict my PPL overseas. But some things, when it's not meant for you, just let it go.

There's a higher calling for you in future. forget about the wayang rsaf commercials. life inside is nothing like what you see on TV.

caleb_chiang SG

just give it up then... serve and f off..

quah SG

weetweet, didn't you make an attempt to crossover from bslc? maybe u were better. atleast you got an interview. I didn;t get mine.

bloodsucker SG

As I said, quah, just forget it. Seriously, no point harping over it. If u appeal and get in, u also wont be happy one. I always thought that if I did go all the way in syfc and get my PPL, I'd be a happy man. But then I realise now that if I really had gone in through appeal, I wouldnt be feeling good cos I'm simply not up to the mark. I'm not forcing any options on u, but then if u truly feel that being a rsaf pilot is ur calling in life (like me), then u can try to go all the way. I'm just telling u the bigger picture.

aRcTiC_sTaR SG

If it's just OCS, there's still a way in. But if you failed your COMPASS/interview, then you can forget about it.

quah SG

hi arctic, it's jsut OCS for me. I'm only left with interview which supposingly shld be scheduled after my pop. They say bslc enable one to crossover to OCS. My friends in sispec told me hardly at all. It was just a pure statement. What;'s ur advice to me now?

dkcx SG

It is possible to cross over to OCS after BSLC i believe but the chance is not high and only the top few will be able to cross over.

teraexa SG

Top 10% of BSLC can go over to OCS.

For pilots though, they are given higher priority hence can be used as a way to throw you into OCS. Do ensure that you pass your interview first.

weetweet SG

weetweet, didn't you make an attempt to crossover from bslc? maybe u were better. atleast you got an interview. I didn;t get mine.

haha.. inside BSLC i was totally slack. gave up hope on OCS already.

Which was a heng thing, coz my coy no one crossed over.. haha, to those wayang ppl.

Well i had to write out a 2 page appeal letter, and with some help through another channel, they granted the interview. but i had a feeling they didn't like sispec ppl, coz there were 3 from sispec and all failed including me.

They asked easy questions for the OCS ppl, such as the difference between F16C and D, the types of aircraft in RSAF. But for me, they asked stuff about syfc, which are the bad stuff. they asked bout my leadership qualities.. what would make a good leader.. etc. Quite unfair in the end, i had a feeling they just wanted me out. The question i remembered them asking was "can a specialist be a pilot" and i answered why not. the job is there, doesn't matter what rank to fly.

must have bruised that major's ego.
Anyway from that interview, could tell that they're not looking for talent, just someone who can be easily trained.

if u have talent, go someplace else that appreciates it.

Cdo & Pilot SG

haha.. inside BSLC i was totally slack. gave up hope on OCS already.

Which was a heng thing, coz my coy no one crossed over.. haha, to those wayang ppl.

must have bruised that major's ego.
Anyway from that interview, could tell that they're not looking for talent, just someone who can be easily trained.

if u have talent, go someplace else that appreciates it.

i was in your shoes 3 months ago. passed my compass test last nov and was called up for interview on 19th march this year and unfortunately, i failed it. i was asked about leadership stuff and i guess the panel thinks that i'm not being very honest with them about my syfc records. the recruitment officer (a major) asked mi to make it into ocs and reapply again may be to show them that i hav leadership qualities n stuff. another bad thing happened again, posted to commandos on 11th july and the recruitment officer ask mi to make it into commando OCS,i'm like wateva...hahaz...another worse scenario happened, i downgraded from pes A to C2L2 for temporary 3 months. they sent mi a new enlistment letter for pes c bmt on 24th oct but i'm only downgraded for 3 months, how the hell i'm gonna make it into oct batch unless the MO further extend my downgrade period. basically my life is pretty screwed up now,100 times more screwed up than TS. i got an advice for you TS: ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE! join SIA if you really wana fly...

AF1 SG

Well, same case here for me as bro WeetWeet. I did not make it to OCS. I could not 'tahan' the wayangness within the platoon and I did not see the need to out-wayang my platoon mates just to get into OCS. Anyway, BMT was just 2 months and if the SAF thinks it could pick quality talent from just 2 months worth of evaluation then good luck to them. However, during my last few weeks in SISPEC BSLC, they decided to call me down for an interview. I am not too sure why the last minute decision though.

Anyway, I went for the interview and was rejected. I was asked by a COL many questions on why I was not selected for OCS. He particularly arrowed me a lot of questions on my BMT and SISPEC performance. I was also asked, "Do you know that to become a pilot, you need to make it to OCS and become an officer?" I could sense the 'inferiority' that he was trying to put across to me just because I did not make it to OCS. I pitied the MSG who was also among the judges on the interview panel.

It might be a blessing in disguise for not being selected like one of the bros have mentioned here. Aim for SIA. I believe they have better employee remuneration as compared to RSAF. If not, get a PPL in Malaysia or go overseas and self-sponsor your ATPL.

Good luck to your aviation dream.

Fatum SG

you know, boys ....

reading some of the replies here ... I can't help getting the feeling that some here are calling the grapes to be sour cos they couldn't get to taste it .....

at least the fella haven't gave up hope .... don't ever trample on other people's dreams, no matter how far fetched it might have been for you ......

if you say you totally slack up after you failed to get into OCS, aren't you admitting that you were also wayanging just to get your kit kat bars and nothing else ? .... perhaps, then, I'm glad you didn't make it ...

don't give up hope TS .... nevermind the other people, do what you have to do, and do it well ... see how much intestinal fortitude you have to pursue your dream ....

AF1 SG

Good point there, Fatum.

Vincentshughart SG

Agreed. Good point Fatum. I didn’t even bother to read some of the replies, because for a matter of fact, they still do not understand what exactly went wrong. Pretty amusing actually.

tetsumi SG

hmm… seems like quite a few of u r similar to me.
my advice to TS n the rest, dun give up yet.

i applied for pilot b4 i enlisted n went for the COMPASS test b4 i enlisted.
AFRC didnt get back to me until my BMT was finishing n they told me i had passed, next up will be the interview.

i didnt make it to OCS n was posted to SISPEC. i rem it was in BSLC that they called me up for interview. i went to CPMB in my no 4 as a PTE for the interview. the interview panel had 4 pple, 1x COL, 1x MAJ, 1x CPT n 1x female DXO. the DXO had all my particulars, right up from pri sch n even minor details of me which i’m rather surprised.

i was bombarded wif several qns by all 4 of them n had my integrity tested by the DXO which i wont reveal wat they asked. n yeah, the COL asked me “how come u r not in OCS n in BSLC now?”

not sure whether i answered correctly, i replied “guess my instructors didnt tink i was outstanding enuff, that’s y i didnt make it.”
they then went on to probe abt my CCA n sad to say, my CCA records were very poor. they commented that i’m quite low profile in my sch yrs n i said yeah.

then they asked me abt how i am coping wif army life n if i didnt make it pass this interview, would i consider signing on for WSO. i told them straight in the face that it’s only pilot for me, nothing else.

my interview stretched quite long, abt 1/2hr n at when i walked out of the room, i tot i confirm fail the interview as i wasnt outstanding enuff. but surprisingly within mins, i was told that i passed the interview. next up will be the medical checkup which i waited 4 mths for it.

i proceeded on to ASLC n went for the medical checkup. took them quite a long while to get back to me. AFRC called me when i was in taiwan for training but luckily it was during R&R n i was abt to pass out from ASLC n they told me that i’m cleared to join air force n i have to wait for the next available batch of trainees.

i subsequently passed out as a 3SG from SISPEC n went over to air force sch. the 1st day there was quite memorable, i rem the culture shock i had. nobody wore headgears n the RSM told me to remove my 3SG rank n put on the OCT rank asap. it was quite a pain as the 3SG wasnt achieved easily n i had to remove them less than 2 weeks after putting them on.

sorry for the long post, juz wanna encourage those who have passion n desire to join air force as a pilot. i am 1 example of a SISPEC trainee who made it to Air Force Sch as a pilot trainee. dun give up guys!