r/RoyalAirForce

I'm 17 and I'm resitting my maths and English. I'm currently looking at a grade 5 in maths and a grade 3 in English (which I'm trying to raise). I just really want to know if I'm still able to become a pilot if I pass both my exams or will I be to late to apply?

Im thinking about joining as an apprentice.

Just like to hear what it’s like in a nutshell.

- What’s the pay like ?.

- How do you join ?.

- What’s in it for you ?.

- what’s RAF life like ?.

Any advice or info would help a lot.

Hey all,

Does anyone else find the cost of dining at the mess extortionate.
For example, This is the cost on average of 3 meals.
Breakfast - £1.50
Lunch - £4.50
Dinner - £5

This includes a normal meal, No particularly large portions or of high quality.

The RAF website states “We offer subsidised on-base catering for all RAF personnel (around £38 per week for three good quality meals a day)”

This means I should be paying £1.80 a meal as opposed to £77 a week.

This also doesn’t include Ketchup. Which is £0.05 a packet. Which I’ve previously been told according to the ESS/RAF contract states your allowed 2 free packets with your meal.

I just find the pricing has gone extortionate. Much cheaper to cook yourself. That is if the RAF provides adequate cooking facilities 🤦

Whats everyone’s thoughts.

Starting phase 2 at RAF Cosford soon and probably won’t have a car initially.

Can you get Tesco/Asda/Morrisons grocery deliveries onto camp or to the trainee blocks? Or do you need to collect from the gate?

Trying to work out whether I’ll need to rely on Co-op/local shops or if supermarket delivery is actually doable there.

Any advice appreciated.

Hi all,

I was booked to attend the other rank presentation online on teams last Tuesday, and when it came time to join the meeting the link wouldn’t work, repeatedly would redirect me to an error saying I was not authorised to perform that action. I attempted to join through my phone and my iPad but no luck (I was using these devices as I don’t have a webcam for desktop).

Obviously I put a message on the portal explaining the situation and asking if there was 1. any way I could try again another day, and 2. how to avoid this happening again next time.

The next day I was booked onto another meeting by them, but it’s been over a week and no response to my message on how to avoid this. So my question is has anyone had this issue before, or knows how I can make sure I can actually join my next presentation?

(tldr: teams link for other rank presentation would not work/wouldn’t let me join, any ideas what I did wrong/how can I avoid this happening again)

I just wanted to inquire about whether the residency requirements could be waived due to my circumstances. I'm a first-year medical student at the University of Manchester and would like to join the University Air Squadron this September for my second year. I will have been residing in the UK for one year this September. However, I have not been residing in the UK for the preceding 5 years, as I had to move away in 2016 due to my parents' jobs relocating. I was living in Malaysia before coming to University, and my family still lives there. However, I have no plans to leave the UK after graduation. Due to my not meeting the requirements for reasons that were largely not of my own accord, I was wondering if the residency requirement could be waived in my situation.  

I had a similar issue with home fee status when applying to uni, as there was the same residency requirement. I managed to get this waived because I had been living in the UK for 10 years before moving, which is half of my life.

Hi,
Long story short I was placed PMU because the medical team went of based of what I said and not my record due to panic at my medical exam I should’ve not said things that I wasn’t medically diagnosed with in other words if you’re not medically diagnosed with it don’t say it I learnt that the hard way and here I am I sent my appeal today which has a cover letter as to why I challenged the appeals a doctors statement clearly saying I don’t have the medical condition that place me PMU and also a summary care record I just wanted to get the weight of my shoulders and share my experience please don’t be like me and panic and say it without thinking if it’s in your records because then you’ll be stuck having to prove yourself a medical condition that you never had but yeah hopefully I got lucky with this appeal!

Hi I am writing this post hopefully to get some more clarity on the training pathway for a WSOP as part of my preparations for OASC as I am able to find the outlines of the training but not the in depth information week by week that I would require to know if asked in the interview. Any further advice for the interview for this specialisation would also be helpful.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

The RAF website says that without the required UCAS points one can still go for control officer and can still apply presuming you have the required CBAT score.

I am confused whether this is suggesting you can follow the direct entry Sgt route or whether you can still be an officer.

Hi everyone,
I’m 19(f)
I just need advice back in January I did my medical and with that a question was asked about headache and migraines I was unsure what to say or what no too as it was my first time I told the medical person that I have light headache they don’t come often it’s nothing serious she flagged it up and i became TMU for four months I’ve been chasing my gp because I’ve never been diagnosed with a headache or migraine nor do I have treatment for it gp sent my record and I even got a letter from my gp saying that I do not suffer from any headache migraine or period issue I just got an email saying I’m PMU? I’m absolutely confused could I appeal? Because I got rejected for no reason at all?

Hi All,

Just wondered what some of the distances from home to squadron people are doing or are going to be doing for reserve roles. Presume there are no proximity restrictions?

Thanks

I’m basically making this post for insight into other people’s reasons for joining the RAF not RN or army to build on my own reasons and make sure I’m making the right decision.
I’m confident I want to join the military to be a part of something and serve my country and for the lifestyle that comes with it.
Im leaning towards joining the RAF honestly because I think planes are cool and I’d either love to fly them or work on them but I’m aware there are similar opportunities across all 3 services so I’d appreciate hearing other people’s reasons to make as informed of a decision as I can, thanks.

Hi all, Im 32YO and have been a civilian cop for 8 years. No real previous military service though did 3 years in OTC when I was at uni.

Ive applied for and got through the RAF recruitment process for RAF police as a commissioned officer. Just recently passed my OASC and have been told that I am "likely" to be offered a place on MIOT next year.

I am still very much in two minds as to whether or not I will take the offer (if it comes). I applied originally as I am fed up of CivPol and the way British policing is going generally. I was excited at the idea of a new kind of policing, a more secure career and the opportunities military life might provide for my children.

My reservations lie with having to live away from my kids and partner and the role/benefits potentially not living up to what is advertised.

Does anybody have any insight they can offer? Any ex civvie cops serving in RAF police now?

Hi all, going through the reserves application process (at the medical stage). Just wondering what uniform you get as a reserve and when you generally get it. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks guys!

Hello everyone,

I’m currently at a base very far from home. (Not Lossiemouth) I’m finding it really difficult to settle in where I’m currently located and was wondering what the procedures would be to potentially move posting early. I currently am based at a very quiet station with only around 30 raf personnel who all go home on weekends so it gets very isolated and quiet. I was told my posting here would be 18 months but when I arrived in November I was told it was 3 years? Any ideas on what I could do as I’m really struggling here.

thanks

I’ve recently applied for this role and am in the process of completing my application steps. I applied to this role due to my interest in the avionics industry and the qualifications i would gain. But i’ve been seeing a lot of people complain about the workload compared to the pay in this role. Is this a serious problem with the role or is it manageable? I’m not bothered about earning loads of money, more in it for the experience but obviously is a factor I should consider. If so are there any better professions I could apply for?

For basic, will there be ironing boards on base? I don't have a car and I'll be travelling to Halton via train so not needing to take an ironing board would be optimal.

The kit list says take your own but I've heard that lots get left on base?

Edit: thank you for the advice people, will definitely be taking an ironing board to Halton 😂

Just got an email saying I am the incorrect Pstat on JPA for the second time,however this time it said due to this I will incur an accommodation charge debt since April 2025.
Now I have told HR that I was the incorrect Pstat months ago and I heard nothing back so assumed all was being taken care of.The email mentioned that the debt will reflect in my next pay check,will this be taken in monthly instalments or as one big chunk?
Cannot see how taking essentially my entire pay check off me for a month is going to be the case but thought I’d best ask to be sure.