Abilities and Aptitudes

You must be assessed as:

• suitable on tests for commissioning into the Pilot specialisation;
• suitable on tests for pilot training;
• showing common sense and good judgement;
• able to process new information quickly and accurately and apply learned procedures under pressure;
• able to allocate priorities amongst competing sources of incoming information;
• able to think and act quickly and relevantly in stressful situations (eg in unusual or emergency situations);
• able to perform complex cognitive tasks while carrying out precise manual activities; and
• able to visualise the relationship of moving objects to each other in space, time and direction.

Personal Qualities

You must be assessed as having:

• the personal attributes to accept the status and fulfil the responsibilities of commissioned rank; and
• the personal attributes appropriate to training and subsequent employment as a Pilot.

Experience

The nature of Military flying is in many ways distinct from that you may have seen during any civilian flying. Therefore the Military Pilot's course has a different training philosophy to that of many civilian flying schools. You will be expected to progress on course at a rate, which will confirm your suitability for subsequent operational conversions to front-line aircraft. Previous flying experience, in a civilian environment, does not necessarily confer any advantage for the military flying course .

There is no Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for previous practical or theoretical aviation studies available for the ADF Pilot's course. All successful applicants will fly exactly the same syllabus sorties regardless of previous experience.

The ADF neither encourages nor discourages potential applicants to consider flying lessons.

Interests

It is essential that you be assessed as having:

• a satisfactory level of interest in the Service; and
• a satisfactory level of interest in flying and in the roles of the Air Force Pilot specialisation.

The Australian Defence Force Pilot Selection Agency (ADF PSA)

The ADF PSA is a tri-service unit formed at Tamworth in Jan 2002 to faciliate ADF Pilot selection.

Basically all applicants interested in a career as an ADF Pilot will apply under the new scheme whereby all ADF Pilots are processed in a standardised manner throughout all of the selection process. An applicant is treated as an ADF Pilot applicant with the only change at the recruitment and initial testing phase being the candidate's allocation of preferences for a particular service. A candidates preference is paramount in the final decision as to service allocation: however all candidates need to be aware that in the highly competitive ADF Pilot selection processes, a willingness to nominate, and possibly accept, a second or third preference will greatly enhance the opportunities available.

The ADF PSA will choose applicants for further processing at FSP. This selection is made on a nation wide basis and relies heavily upon tested aptitude as well as comments from the Recruiting Units.

The ADF PSA procedures incorporates the Flight Screening Program (FSP) and will include an Officer Selection Board (OSB) at the completion of the FSP. The OSB will be conducted at Tamworth on completion of the FSP and will incorporate such selection processes as written and verbal problem solving, group interaction scenarios and a short individual interview with a panel made up of members from all three Services and a Psychologist. At the completion of the OSB a candidate will be informed of success or otherwise and the relative competitiveness with respect to their preferences. A candidate will not be notified of the actual outcome until all applicants for a particular Pilot's course intake are considered; consequently a wait of up to 3 months may be required before an offer from a particular service.

For detailed information on the Flight Screening Program (FSP) and the ADFPSA please click on this link:
The Australian Defence Force Pilot Selection Agency (ADF PSA)

Physical Requirements.

For the purposes of Special Medical Requirements, Pilots are classified as 'Aviation Class 1'.

Weight/BMI Aviation Class 1:

Navy Pilots - acceptable BMI range is 18.5 to 29.9 and a nude body weight of between 55 and 105kg (measured in underwear). A body weight outside this range in incompatible with pilot training.

Height Aviation Class 1:

Height - minimum 163 and maximum 193cm.
Sitting Height - maximum 100cm.
Buttock to knee length - maximum 67cm.
Buttock to heel length - maximum 122cm.

Have speech that is clear and free from impediment.