About the Job

In this exciting role you'll look after the safety of the crew and passengers on board specialised transport aircraft, while ensuring their in-flight comfort.

As a Cabin Crew member (Crew Attendant), you will combine customer service skills with resourcefulness, initiative and have a high level of responsibility.

Along with Australian Defence Force personnel, your passengers will include VIP's, such as Government ministers, Australian and foreign heads of state, Royalty and guests of the Australian Government; so exemplary standards of grooming and demeanour are mandatory, as is discretion.

Cabin Crew members are often required to work unusual hours, but you will find every experience highly rewarding, as you'll travel to a variety of international and Domestic destinations. Effects of time zone, temperature and environmental changes are similar to those of your civilian counterparts, though your working environment is likely to be far more interesting, varied and challenging.

In addition to ensuring the safety of passengers and crew in emergency situations, your duties will include:

  • Assisting passengers as they embark and disembark the aircraft
  • Calculating aircraft weight and managing distribution
  • Liaising with the aircraft Captain
  • Managing the cabin
  • Providing in-flight food and beverage service
  • Compiling documentation
  • Performing general administration and housekeeping duties
  • Ordering of food and stock for each flight
  • Liaising with Customs and Quarantine authorities

Everything you do must comply with Workplace Health and Safety legislation, in which you will be fully trained. You will need to be flexible and resourceful with a strong command of the English language and have the ability and attitude to work both independently and as part of a team.



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Key Information

Preparing for Your Recruitment Process

This document provides information that will assist applicants for roles in the Navy, Army and Air Force, including details about the recruitment process, how to prepare yourself for assessment, and what to expect if you are successful in joining the Australian Defence Force.

Salary & Allowances

In the Air Force you'll get paid a good salary from day one regardless of your age, experience or qualifications; and your pay increases as you progress through training.

In addition to your salary you'll receive a variety of allowances, extra pay for relevant qualifications – plus 16.4% superannuation, a far higher rate than you're likely to find in the civilian world.


For more details download our Salary Scales.


Locations

After initial Cabin Crew Training, you could be posted to:

  • 33 Squadron based at RAAF Base Amberley, QLD, working on the KC-30A MRTT. The primary roles of the KC-30A, MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport), a modified Airbus A330 are air-to-air refuelling and passenger transportation
  • 34 Squadron based at Fairbairn, ACT. Working on board personnel aircraft transport such as the Boeing Business Jet 737 and the Dassault Falcon 7X entails solely VIP transportation. Ground positions are located at RAAF Base Richmond NSW, RAAF Base Amberley QLD and RAAF Base Townsville QLD

You may also be attached to other Air Force transport aircraft squadrons for special missions.


Requirements

Age

On the day you enter the Air Force you must be at least 17 years old and a maximum of 55 years old.

Applicants will not be allowed to enter the Air Force until they achieve a minimum of 17 years of age, however they may be able to initiate the application process from 16 years and six months of age.

Education & Experience

Education Experience

The requirements for acceptance into the Air Force for Cabin Crew training are:

  • Completion of Year 10 with passes in English and Mathematics

If you do not have the required passes you may be eligible to sit an Alternative Education Equivalency assessment.

Medical & Fitness

Medical Fitness Requirements

You'll have to be both mentally and physically fit to train as a Cabin Crew member. The physical demands of the job can be high at times, with manual handling of baggage and catering in unsupported and remote locations.

At various stages during the application process you'll be assessed through (1) completion of a questionnaire relating to your medical history, (2) a physical examination, and (3) a Pre-entry Fitness Assessment (PFA).

WEIGHT and HEIGHT

Cabin Crew members must be at least 152cm tall and cannot be more than 183cm tall, with a Body Mass Index of between 18.5 and 32.9

SWIM TEST

For this role you will be required to pass the Air Force swim assessment before completing Aircrew Survival Evade Resist Escape (SERE) Course. This assessment will be conducted in your first couple of weeks after recruit training. The Air Force swim assessment requires you to:

  • Swim 200 metres, split into 150 metres freestyle or breaststroke plus 50m on your back with or without the use of arms

  • Jump in and submerge to at least one metre, swim 15 metres underwater, then approach and right an overturned craft and climb into it

  • Swim 20 metres to a person, and using recognised lifesaving methods tow the patient 20 metres and safely remove them from the water

  • Retrieve a 5kg weight from a depth of at least two metres, and

  • Tread water for ten minutes.

Find out more about our medical and physical fitness standards here.

You can read about the medical examinations and screenings, what we're looking for and assessing, when in the application process it happens, and what you'll have to wear here: Medical Process for Entry into the ADF

Period of Service

Period of Service

When you embark on a career as a Cabin Crew member you'll be appointed for an Initial Minimum Period of Service (IMPS) of four years.

Subsequent periods of service may be offered subject to the requirements of the ADF and your suitability for further service. You may tender your resignation at any time provided you don't have an outstanding IMPS obligation and give a minimum of three months notice.

Additional Requirements

Licence Requirements:

At a minimum, candidates must hold a valid Australian State or Territory provisional/probationary C Class Drivers Licence upon enlistment/appointment. Candidates with suspended or cancelled licences will not be eligible to join until the suspension or cancellation has been lifted or has expired.

Selection Board Process:

If you have successfully passed your other tests and interviews, you will be required to appear before a Selection Interview Board of three RAAF members and a psychologist for an interview of about 30-50 minutes. The Board will establish your competitiveness for available vacancies with due concern for your appearance and bearing, maturity, intellectual and social ability, leadership potential, motivation, communications ability, education potential and compatibility with Service life.

Aptitude

The Job Opportunities Assessment (JOA) is completed as part of the application process to join the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Some jobs may also require you to complete a further evaluation at a later date.

The JOA is used by Defence to establish suitability for ADF entry, and then identify jobs that best match your abilities.

Further information about the JOA can be found in the Guide to the Job Opportunities Assessment for the ADF.

To get a feel for the types of questions that are used in the Job Opportunities Assessment and how they will look on your screen some examples can be found in the Job Opportunities Assessment Example Questions.

Citizenship

To serve in the ADF you must be an Australian Citizen.

If you are a permanent resident of Australia, the ADF may consider a temporary deferral of the citizenship requirement if the position for which you are applying cannot be filled by an applicant who meets all the citizenship requirements, and then only in exceptional circumstances. You will be required to obtain Australian Citizenship as early as possible following enlistment or appointment.

Find out more in our Citizenship page or ask your local ADF Careers Centre.

Security Requirements

The Department of Defence requires ADF employees to have a security clearance appropriate to their employment.

A process of background checks, collection of relevant information and if required, interviews, enables the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) to make an informed assessment of an applicant's suitability for a security clearance.

The minimum security clearance level required is Negative Vetting Level 1 (NV1), and current policy requires applicants to have a checkable background for the previous 10 years.

This means applicants must provide credible referees (non-family members) who are able to provide information about the applicant covering an extended period of time. Required information for an NV1 includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Residence
  • Employment
  • Education
  • Financial information
  • Travel

Some ADF jobs may require a higher level of security clearance such as Negative Vetting Level 2 (NV2) or Positive Vetting (PV). Your individual circumstances will determine the number and complexity of the questions and the supporting documents required for these levels.

Australian Citizenship is a requirement for a security clearance and a clearance will only be granted to a non-citizen in exceptional circumstances.

The security clearance is critical to an applicant's successful progression through the recruiting process. It is strongly recommended that all applicants action the Security Clearance Package (ePack) and provide the required documentation without delay to provide the best opportunity to commence training and be employed in their preferred employment category.

For more detailed information on the security vetting process and specific clearance level requirements set by AGSVA, please refer to the AGSVA website.

Support will be provided by DFR during the initial application process.

Training

Military Training

Location: RAAF Base Wagga, NSW
Duration: 9 weeks

During this training you will transition from civilian to Service life, acquiring the basic knowledge, skills and physical fitness required for your role; and learning to become an effective and productive member of the Air Force.

Follow the link to learn more about what to expect at No. 1 Recruit Training Unit (1RTU)

Employment Training

Employment Training
General Entry Aircrew Initial Course
Duration: 2 weeks
Location: 285SQN, RAAF Richmond, NSW

Introduces students to a variety of aviation principles including:

  • Air Traffic Control
  • Meteorology
  • Basic theory of flight
  • First aid
  • Crew Resource Management
  • Aviation Risk Management
Aviation Medicine
Duration: 1 week
Location: School of Aviation Medicine, RAAF Edinburgh, SA
  • Prepares aircrew for the physiological effects of flying
  • Teaches theory and practical exposure using a hypobaric chamber
Aircrew Survival Evade Resist Escape (SERE) Course
Duration: 13 days
Location: Combat Survival Training School, RAAF Townsville, QLD
  • Trains aircrew who may be forced down or separated from friendly forces in a combat environment
  • Teaches evasion, resistance to interrogation, indoctrination and exploitation, and escape
  • Involves practical exercises conducted in the sea and along the coast, and in arid and jungle environments
  • Includes a swimming component
  • Culminates in an evasion and capture scenario
Dangerous Goods Awareness Course
Location: Online course/self paced workbook

Provides aircrew with:

  • The ability to identify the classes of Dangerous Goods
  • A comprehensive awareness regarding Dangerous Goods and acceptance of non-dangerous
  • Knowledge to identify items and substances that are classified as dangerous goods
  • Knowledge of hidden dangerous goods when travelling by air and the actions to be taken should they find Dangerous Goods.
Crew Attendant Basic Course
Duration: 10 Days
Location: Mascot, NSW

Topics covered:

  • General service knowledge
  • Wine education
  • Responsible Service of Alcohol
  • Airfield ground safety
  • Cabin Crew duties responsibilities
  • Cabin crew emergency procedures
  • Aircraft safety equipment
  • In-flight drills and emergencies
Crew Attendant Aircraft Conversion Course
Duration: 2 Days
Location: Mascot, NSW

Topics covered:

  • Cabin crew emergency procedures
  • Aircraft safety equipment
  • In-flight drills and emergencies
  • Aircraft specifications
  • Pre, during and post-flight checks and procedures
  • In-flight service and flight documentation
  • Publication interpretation

After the ground phase is complete, students will consolidate their training by conducting a flying phase, which takes anywhere between four and sixteen weeks to complete.

Crew Attendants will also be required to complete a three day pistol qualification course.

Further Training

Further Training

The Air Force provides clear routes for career advancement and promotion, along with ongoing training. For instance, courses such as Dangerous Goods Packaging and Acceptance training, Airborne Instructional Technique and Work Place Assessor may be offered to Cabin Crew members who have attained the rank of senior Corporal or Sergeant.

On completion of an initial flying tour, you will be posted to a designated ground position for a minimum of three years to develop further skills and broaden your experience as a Senior Cabin Crew member. You will be posted into ground positions after each flying tour.