So far so good

[Zach15]

Forgive me if there are typos in my post, I just had my eyes dilated for part of my eye exam and as a result I have a loss of my near vision.

  This is just a post to let ya all know that I passed my CFAT, physical, medical, and interview for my ROTP application for pilot. I am extremely excited right now and can't wait to get my blood work in with my recently completed eye test. Hopefully I will be going to aircrew selection in the next month or so.


  If anyone has any questions about the application process, let me know and I will tell you what I can without violating any agreements.

Also I had my own question: Is aircrew selection something that I need to prepare for? What do you reccomend doing to prepare for it? I was thinking about buying a flight simulator to get ready for the sims I go though in ontario, would that be a good idea?

                                        Anyways, everyone have a great night and I'll see ya all around on the boards.

                                              - Zach

 

[kincanucks]

In addition to reviewing the booklet that you should have been or will be given before ASC you could review the posts about ASC on this website.  From talking to previous applicants who have successfully completed CFASC the best advice to heed is to listen to the instructions and do everything exactly to those instructions.  Good luck.

 

[ZxExN]

I'm in the same boat Zach. Only difference is I'm applying as a DEO. I've been told my medical file has been sent from Ottawa and I'm just waiting for the green flag and hopefully ACS soon.

 

[Zach15]

  Awesome man. I hope it works out for both of us.

    What do you plan to do to get ready for ACS? I am deciding on a sim to buy and then probably just going to continue reading through the "from the ground up" book that you need to read for PPL.

          I've never been so excited for anything in my life.

                Zach

 

[Quyen]

I"m pretty much in the same boat 2. I will be doing my eye test on  Jan 16th and that is the last thing i have to do before ACS. I talked to the person in charge of DEO files at CFRC Vancouver and she said I will most likely goto ACS mid february.

To prepare I got Microsoft Flight Sim 2004. I basically did the first flight school. For the final test they get u to take off, climb at a certain speed to a certain alt., then turn to a heading and decend, then turn and climb etc. I think its fairly good practice.  Good luck to all.

 

[Zach15]

  Yeah I heard Microsoft Flight Sim was good, but what I have been looking at is X - PLANE. It seems like a pretty good simulator and it actually has a FAA rating. I haven't heard anyone else talking about it so I am not too sure how legit it is, but it looks pretty decent:

http://www.x-plane.com

  Anyone use this software before?

      Zach

 

[ZxExN]

To prepare I'm not sure yet. I'm looking to brush up on my math, meterology, aeronaodics etc.,  Depends really on the ACS package I recieve and some advice from the people at the recruiting center.

Did you guys buy the flight slick for the sim aswell?

 

[Zach15]

  I was thinking of getting a Yoke and maybe some pedals, which are offered on the x-plane site. They look like it would be a good investment, but right now as a student I don't have too much extra money kicking around.


              On weds. next week I go in for my blood work and ECG, so my file will be sent off to ontario pretty soon after that.
                  Then I can start crossin' my fingers!

                    - Zach

 

[Quyen]

You have to do an ECG before ACS? I haven't had to do one, and my medical is back already. I know you get an extensive medical done after you pass ACS that includes a ECG.

 

[ZxExN]

I had to do my ECG and bloodwork first. Apparently my medical has been sent back from Ottawa on the 9th. I hope they contact me about ACS next week. *crosses fingers*

 

[23007]

I suppose you could practice with a flight sim and yoke but I wouldn't go overboard for it. As well, there is no need to study met or aerodynamics for Aircrew Selection. That is just a waste of time as none of that stuff is tested. Math might be tested for the Nav test but nothing that anyone with a grade 10 education can figure out. The sim at ACS was the first sim I EVER flew. I went in there cold turkey and managed to pass both the pilot and nav parts. Many people do this and pass with no problems. I've also heard of a few guys with ppl's and commercial licenses who have also failed. So if you are one of those guys who needs to really prepare for something before doing it, then go right ahead. But if you just relax, go in there, and take it one circuit at a time then you will pass. And don't worry about crashing the sim. I did it 5 times in 3 days and passed. Some guys did not crash it once and still failed. Its a based on a learning curve. Good luck.

 

[Zach15]

  Yeah I figure I will probably be fine, I am quite co-ordinated and good at taking instructions.

    However, I feel like this is one of the defining points of my life and if I can make it than I will have my dream job. So I want to make SURE I am not going to get to ACS and screw it up.

                            And yeah, ECG is on my little list of stuff for the hospital to do with me, including my blood work.

          Thanks for the input guys, I love reading anything that has to do with what I am going through right now. Keep it comin'!

            - Zach

 

[Quyen]

Ohh your going to a hospital?. I just went to a little clinic and they took 3 viles of blood.

On another note i had my eye exam today with the ophthamologist and I got 20/20 in my left eye, and 20/25 in my right. Looks like i'm headed to ACS woot woot

 

[ZxExN]

I called yesterday and booked for my ACS. There are multiple dates and they're going to get back to me on which specific date I'm going on. I suggest never wait for them to call you cause chances are, they probably won't. Give them a call instead and get things moving.

 

[Zach15]

  I got my doctors note today, tomorrow is the blood work.

     Did you call Trenton to book your ACS or did you call your local recruiter?

    Oh yeah and my vision is good too. I have 20/20 in both eyes for my far vision and I have 20/20 right eye near vision and 20/25 left eye near vision. The eye doctor told me I met the requirements for every aircraft, which I was excited about.

 

[WannaBeFlyer]

I had my vision test this morning. I am glad I had my shades on me for after the test!

So you guys did have to do an ECG? There was some doubt at the CFRC on whether or not I was supposed to. I thought it was strange since I had to do one for my CAT 1 and not the CF. I guess I will call them and confirm.

Good luck to everyone.

 

[kincanucks]

I suggest never wait for them to call you cause chances are, they probably won't.

You are going far.

Did you call Trenton to book your ACS or did you call your local recruiter?

The file manager looking after your file will call you when your file is ready to be booked.  Don't assume because you think that you have finished every all the process that you have.  Your blood test and your eye test results and medical file are sent to Ottawa and you can only be booked for CFACS when you meet the common enrolment medical standards.

 

[MattL]

Hey ASC hopefuls =)

I got back from my aircrew selection at the end of November, and I'll say that buying Microsoft Flight Simulator was a good idea, just for familiarity with the instruments and their layout.  I used a joystick to control the sim, and I'd recommend that instead of using a keyboard (which makes it near impossible to control).  Shelling out for the whole yoke and rudder thing is probably going a bit far as preparation for the ASC, though.

Check out the Air Force forum as well as the recruiting forum, there was a lot of good info on there too.  As far as good advice that I got, the most important sentence in the whole candidate study guide is "A proper and efficient crosscheck is the secret for smooth and accurate flying."  That's why the flight sim is a good idea.  And follow all instructions exactly.  That's what they want to see.  For the NAV tests, practice doing basic math (like up to Grade 10) QUICKLY.  I went in ready for calculus, physics, and aerodynamics questions (I'm going DEO and my degree's in aerospace engineering), and it didn't help me one bit.

I had to do my ECG and bloodwork at the CFRC level before going to DRDC, but the DRDC guidelines say that "For Pilot/Navigator candidates the ECG will be done at CMB (no ECG is required at CFRC/Base level)." (http://www.toronto.drdc-rddc.gc.ca/medical/glfs_e.html)  Bloodwork and urine testing is clearly under the "preliminaries" part that needs to be done before you go to DRDC.  Despite this, the med section at CFRC Toronto told me at my initial medical that all pilot applicants needed to have an ECG at the CFRC level as well.  When I got to DRDC, they did another ECG anyways.  So who knows how things actually work...  ;D

The staff at Trenton are nice and friendly, the sims are actually fun to fly (after you get over the fact that everything you do is being evaluated), and the quarters they'll put you up in are brand new and nicer than a lot of hotels I've stayed in.  So good luck and have fun!

Matt

 

[Zach15]

  I got a call from the nurse today who reviewed my blood work, and apparently I have 'high-normal' cholesterol. I am really nervous right now because although I know I can fix it by making my eating habits different, I don't want to miss out on the upcoming ACS. I don't really understand it, I mean I have always been very healthy and athletic, involved with sports my whole life including now and it has never affected me. Hopefully my cholesterol levels are still within what is acceptable...


    Wish me luck.. I feel like crap right now.

        Zach

 

[Quyen]

you don't have to worry bout missing out on an upcoming ACS because they run them every week I believe.