Aircrew Selection/ACS (Merged)

[former00368]

Maybe I'm reading this wrong but why are people supposedly waiting months before Aircrew Medical pt II? I had my BPSO interview done in Nov 16, Aircrew Pt I in December, ACS in Trenton Jan 31st and was sent to Aircrew Pt II immediately after that, spent the night in a hotel in Toronto and Aircrew Pt II the next more at DRDC. Was supposed to get an offer in July, ended up getting an offer in August and a COS date for 19 Sep.

It can take a while to get an offer, but my situation was compounded by the fact that the person doing it went on summer block leave as well.

 

[nic32]

Hi!

Good news! I passed all three occupations. Last time, I failed for AEC. I think that the new test was way more challenging than the old CAPSS except for the last part of the CAPSS.

If you have any questions not related to the test itself (because we can't talk about it) but more related to the accomodations, etc, don't hesitate to PM me. By the way, I'm French so you can ask your question in French no problem

To anybody else that will do the aircrew selection, be prepared mentally and well rested. Give all you got. It's a really good experience overall and you will meet some great people!

Nick

 

[Roger123]

Congratulations on passing ACS for all three occupations nic! Just curious if you know how many people were on your course and the amount that passed. Curious to see if the pass rate of about 30 percent is consistent. Also, were you briefed on your test competitiveness across the three occupations?

 

[nic32]

Congratulations on passing ACS for all three occupations nic! Just curious if you know how many people were on your course and the amount that passed. Curious to see if the pass rate of about 30 percent is consistent. Also, were you briefed on your test competitiveness across the three occupations?

Hi!

6-7 (I'm not sure about a guy but other said that he didn't make it) out of 18 for pilot! Some got their choice for ASCO or AEC, some got none.
In that 6-7, one was applying for RMC and the five others are DEO.

She said to me that I got a good grade, I had three section where my mark were really good. I did not ask for more because there is so much things that make you competitive or not. CFAT, interview (I include all your resume in that, grades, etc.). I'm not sure if you score at aircrew selection is considered but I would say yes. More, it depends on who is on the merit list with you

I'm now waiting for Pt II, and now I focus on passing my last 2 courses that I have this semester to get my degree!

Nick

 

[nic32]

Hi!

I'm heading to Trenton on September 24th! Anyone else?

I passed the CAPSS back in January 2012 while I was applying for a ROTP position. I need to redo the test because it expires after five years.

I've somewhat already did the new computerized test because even if I've done the old test, we also did the new one(probably to compare both results). I do not know if I did good at it.

I'm a DEO applicant, I will graduate with a degree in Computer Science in December!

Nick

Just to correct myself, the computerized test that I did back then was only a part of the new one. Like other said, it was for AEC and a couple of part for pilot.

 

[Cazoodle]

I have recently been sent dates to do the ACS at Trenton, but am a bit lost as to why.

I had applied to intelligence and pilot and due to the low number of slots available for intelligence was denied i,. I was however cleared for pilot. The catch is I never did the initial medical or interview for either position. When I went into the centre, I was told that I was going to be skipping those stages and heading into ACS. The reason being that should I fail ACS I wouldn't need a medical, and should I pass then I would have to do one anyway. I'm a bit confused though as I have skipped the interview, and as far as I know if I pass ACS and the Air factor medical, I am merit listed. I was told I scored very high on the CFAT but I can't imagine it would allow me to skip the interview. 

TLDR; I'm curious to know if i will have to do an interview if I pass ACS and the Air factor medical, or if I have somehow skipped over it.

 

[Roger123]

I have recently been sent dates to do the ACS at Trenton, but am a bit lost as to why.

I had applied to intelligence and pilot and due to the low number of slots available for intelligence was denied i,. I was however cleared for pilot. The catch is I never did the initial medical or interview for either position. When I went into the centre, I was told that I was going to be skipping those stages and heading into ACS. The reason being that should I fail ACS I wouldn't need a medical, and should I pass then I would have to do one anyway. I'm a bit confused though as I have skipped the interview, and as far as I know if I pass ACS and the Air factor medical, I am merit listed. I was told I scored very high on the CFAT but I can't imagine it would allow me to skip the interview. 

TLDR; I'm curious to know if i will have to do an interview if I pass ACS and the Air factor medical, or if I have somehow skipped over it.

    If successful at ACS, you will still have to undergo all the other steps, including standard medical, interview and pilot medical. Also, if successful at ACS for pilot, you will be subsequently measured ( height, seated height and some other body measurements) and weighed to determine your ability to 'fit' in different airframes. I completed ACS and had my interview and medicals afterwards. In addition, my security and credited checks were completed prior to my interview. My interview was sandwiched, time wise, between ACS tests in Trenton and the ACS Pilot Medical in Toronto. Once all required steps are completed, in whatever order that may be, is your completed application sent to CFRG for selection purposes and your file manger will inform you ( had to ask in my case) that you are on the competition/ merit list. Hope this clears things up a bit. Good luck.

By the way, do you have any insight as to why so little intelligence officer slots are open to prospective forces members. While not having applied to INT Officer myself, it seems to be a reoccurring theme for quite some time now.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

  By the way, do you have any insight as to why so little intelligence officer slots are open to prospective forces members. While not having applied to INT Officer myself, it seems to be a reoccurring theme for quite some time now.

I am not at work and can't check the intake numbers from "off the street" vice "internal from occupation/classification transfers" but not long ago, the Int Op trade was preferring to take internal applicants who had operational experience...that might be the case now for Int O as well.  Again, just a somewhat experienced guess on my part.

 

[Cazoodle]

I have been told that its due to the low turnover for the position, coupled with the policy of equality within the forces. Again this is only what has been relayed to me but, on average there are only 1-2 slots open and over hundreds of applicants. I was further told that unless I was in the top 1% for that years CFAT then I would be out of contention, even then there's no guarantees. Though as the above poster mentioned, it could also be that they have so few slots that they can choose applicants with experience in a similar field as opposed to insanely high CFAT scores. Hope that sheds some light on it.

 

[Roger123]

And here I though pilot was a competitive trade to get into 

 

[Cazoodle]

And here I though pilot was a competitive trade to get into 

lol damn, hope the selection board doesn't see this.

It wasn't my fault, the forum wasn't working ;D

 

[RADOPSIGOPACCISOP]

And here I though pilot was a competitive trade to get into 

It is, it's just pilot has hard criteria to meet. The medical and ACS screen alot of people out. If I was a betting man, I'd say in past years about 50% of candidates that passed the medical and ACS were selected. Now I suspect it's a bit higher.

INT O has a much easier bar to reach to qualify. Therefore you have a much bigger pool of potential candidates and thus it becomes competitive given the limited slots.

 

[Roger123]

It is, it's just pilot has hard criteria to meet. The medical and ACS screen alot of people out. If I was a betting man, I'd say in past years about 50% of candidates that passed the medical and ACS were selected. Now I suspect it's a bit higher.

INT O has a much easier bar to reach to qualify. Therefore you have a much bigger pool of potential candidates and thus it becomes competitive given the limited slots.

    Yes, I was just making light of the situation. When you say that pilot selection from recent years has increased for those having passed ACS and the medical(s), is that because of the different testing used in recent times? In other words, do you think the computer based testing nowadays screens out more people because it is not just a matter of passing the hand-eye coordination portion, which in turn leads to a lower candidate pool compared to the previous CAPSS testing. Or is it due to a shortage of pilots leading to a higher selection estimate nowadays ( or combination of both?).

 

[BurmaShave]

    Yes, I was just making light of the situation. When you say that pilot selection from recent years has increased for those having passed ACS and the medical(s), is that because of the different testing used in recent times? In other words, do you think the computer based testing nowadays screens out more people because it is not just a matter of passing the hand-eye coordination portion, which in turn leads to a lower candidate pool compared to the previous CAPSS testing. Or is it due to a shortage of pilots leading to a higher selection estimate nowadays ( or combination of both?).

Basically, we crush your dreams earlier now. The pass rate for CAPSS was around 50-60%, and the pass rate on Phase I during that time period was around 50% as well.

Nowadays the pass rate for pilot on ACS is around 1/5, and the pass rate on Phase I is canonically 85% (and in my observation, closer to 95%).

More generally, 1/20 applicants who write "pilot" on the form actually get in, but Ph. I, II, and III have pass rates of 85%-95% (and many of those "fails" are recourses for airsickness, family matters, etc. who later return and pass).

The change is partially due to better selection tools, and partially due to reduced budgets. In the RAF's studies, ACS performance has been a strong predictor of pilot performance, which lets us pre-select more strongly. This in turn lets us save money by training more successful candidates, and by training them less, because they have a higher skill floor.

Consequences of this remain to be determined. If I become a sad statistic when I reach squadron service, y'all can direct some "I told you so's" and "Back in my day's" at D Air Pers  ;D

 

[Good2Golf]

...If I become a sad statistic when I reach squadron service, y'all can direct some "I told you so's" and "Back in my day's" at D Air Pers  ;D

Good luck, BurmaShave...how are you finding things so far?  Are you on Ph2 now?

Cheers
G2G

 

[BurmaShave]

Good luck, BurmaShave...how are you finding things so far?  Are you on Ph2 now?

Cheers
G2G

I'm one of the Seneca mystery men, doing the first academic year. Phase 2 starts next summer.

Things have been great, honestly; I'm living the dream. The community and culture (my poor liver) is awesome, Phase 1 rocked, even NDHQ was more fun than not.

(Gimme ten years and I'll be a bitter cynic like everyone else)

 

[SupersonicMax]

(Gimme ten years and I'll be a bitter cynic like everyone else)

Don't let people or events bring you down.  Always see the positive in your day-to-day (it is difficult sometimes) and when you're flying, take a minute during a mission to realize what you are doing and how lucky you are.  This got me through without being bitter at the world so far!

 

[Sub_Guy]

Don't let people or events bring you down.  Always see the positive in your day-to-day (it is difficult sometimes) and when you're flying, take a minute during a mission to realize what you are doing and how lucky you are.  This got me through without being bitter at the world so far!

This.

My mood improves significantly after the wheels are retracted.  I always take time during a flight to reflect on things.  If I didn’t, I think I’d snap!

 

[Good2Golf]

I'm one of the Seneca mystery men, doing the first academic year. Phase 2 starts next summer.

Things have been great, honestly; I'm living the dream. The community and culture (my poor liver) is awesome, Phase 1 rocked, even NDHQ was more fun than not.

(Gimme ten years and I'll be a bitter cynic like everyone else)

NDHQ will do that to you.

Good luck on the next phase!

 

[BurmaShave]

Don't let people or events bring you down.  Always see the positive in your day-to-day (it is difficult sometimes) and when you're flying, take a minute during a mission to realize what you are doing and how lucky you are.  This got me through without being bitter at the world so far!

I'll do that. Right now, I still can't believe I get to fly the Harvard (1250hp, bubble canopy...it's basically a WWII prop fighter), much less do IF, nav, and form with it. And that's just Ph. 2!

NDHQ will do that to you.

Good luck on the next phase!

Thanks G2G