Aircrew Selection/ACS (Merged)
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Hey guys,
I just passed ASC for pilot recently. I have my Air Factor medical component coming up in June.
Question - can somebody explain in detail what to expect from my air factor medical in Toronto? Is it only physical tests? Or do they question you on mental health stuff too?
The reason I ask is because I was denied from entry in 2013 due to mental health issues I had as a kid / early teen. I’ve since reapplied and been reassessed and the RMO made me medically fit. I’ve been able to progress quite far as a result of that!
So now I’m worried that the issue above may affect my air factor too. If anybody can provide any knowledge / insight, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
I just passed ASC for pilot recently. I have my Air Factor medical component coming up in June.
Question - can somebody explain in detail what to expect from my air factor medical in Toronto? Is it only physical tests? Or do they question you on mental health stuff too?
The reason I ask is because I was denied from entry in 2013 due to mental health issues I had as a kid / early teen. I’ve since reapplied and been reassessed and the RMO made me medically fit. I’ve been able to progress quite far as a result of that!
So now I’m worried that the issue above may affect my air factor too. If anybody can provide any knowledge / insight, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
MotherGoose
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Hey everyone! I just finished ACS. I didn't qualify for pilot, but I did qualify for ACSO. I'm really happy with that. Here's my advice.
1)Read this thread. Lot's of great tips.
2)The testing room is kept very cool. Bring something like a sweater (layers), which can be removed. Once the testing starts, you'll probably find yourself sweating.
3)Relax! The tests are extremely hard and stressful; the resulting anxiety and stress will affect your performance. Practice relaxation exercises. Find a light fragrance/essential oil (ACS has a scent free policy, so make sure it's light and agreeable, e.g. lavender, peppermint, sandalwood...) and incorporate it into deep breathing, meditation, and relaxation exercises. Wear the fragrance on your wrists during testing, take a whiff and some deep breaths. If you practiced enough, you'll have conditioned your mind and body to relax. This will take the edge off your nerves. When conditioning for relaxation, you can add other things and create a ritual. It could be tapping your chin or the tip of your nose, smiling, singing a song in your head, whatever feels right to you.
4)When studying for the test (mental arithmetic, angle familiarization, etc.), stay relaxed and use the same fragrance. This will help with information recall during the test.
5)Mental arithmetic is very important. Make sure you know your multiplication facts. I watched a lot of tecmath on Youtube; it's got some great tips and tricks. They're very well explained, and the guy's voice is very soothing, lol. You can practice mental arithmetic AND memory easily in your day to day life. Just look for numbers and put them together: the time, the volume of your shampoo bottle, the total of your groceries, anything! You can add, subtract, multiply, divide. Whatever you want, but no pen and paper. Do it on the fly, while attending to whatever you are doing (multitasking!). Throughout your day and when you find a new number, try to remember where you were at. If you forgot, start over.
6)Each test is preceded by instructions and practice questions. The instructions are not timed (good time to sniff and breathe). The practice questions are timed. You can go over the instructions and practice questions more than once. DO IT! Familiarize yourself with the necessary keys on the keyboard and any sensory/motor equipment required.
I think that's it for now... I'll post again if anything else comes to mind.
1)Read this thread. Lot's of great tips.
2)The testing room is kept very cool. Bring something like a sweater (layers), which can be removed. Once the testing starts, you'll probably find yourself sweating.
3)Relax! The tests are extremely hard and stressful; the resulting anxiety and stress will affect your performance. Practice relaxation exercises. Find a light fragrance/essential oil (ACS has a scent free policy, so make sure it's light and agreeable, e.g. lavender, peppermint, sandalwood...) and incorporate it into deep breathing, meditation, and relaxation exercises. Wear the fragrance on your wrists during testing, take a whiff and some deep breaths. If you practiced enough, you'll have conditioned your mind and body to relax. This will take the edge off your nerves. When conditioning for relaxation, you can add other things and create a ritual. It could be tapping your chin or the tip of your nose, smiling, singing a song in your head, whatever feels right to you.
4)When studying for the test (mental arithmetic, angle familiarization, etc.), stay relaxed and use the same fragrance. This will help with information recall during the test.
5)Mental arithmetic is very important. Make sure you know your multiplication facts. I watched a lot of tecmath on Youtube; it's got some great tips and tricks. They're very well explained, and the guy's voice is very soothing, lol. You can practice mental arithmetic AND memory easily in your day to day life. Just look for numbers and put them together: the time, the volume of your shampoo bottle, the total of your groceries, anything! You can add, subtract, multiply, divide. Whatever you want, but no pen and paper. Do it on the fly, while attending to whatever you are doing (multitasking!). Throughout your day and when you find a new number, try to remember where you were at. If you forgot, start over.
6)Each test is preceded by instructions and practice questions. The instructions are not timed (good time to sniff and breathe). The practice questions are timed. You can go over the instructions and practice questions more than once. DO IT! Familiarize yourself with the necessary keys on the keyboard and any sensory/motor equipment required.
I think that's it for now... I'll post again if anything else comes to mind.
yolotuber
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going BMOQ for pilot rotp july 5. swearing in 25 june.
there is some good website to read before going there(trenton)
GO read : http://www.fledglingflyer.com/
download CBAT application ( i cant tell you why but you will understand)
go on Speed distance time website.
and as mentionned above. play with number every days.
every one can do it guys.
practice makeS perfect - col chris hadfield
there is some good website to read before going there(trenton)
GO read : http://www.fledglingflyer.com/
download CBAT application ( i cant tell you why but you will understand)
go on Speed distance time website.
and as mentionned above. play with number every days.
every one can do it guys.
practice makeS perfect - col chris hadfield
FallOfRome11 said:
All the tests they do are physical. Lung function test, heart ultrasound, eye exam, then you go over the results with the flight doctor and they ask you questions about everything, similar to the basic medical. I'm unsure about mental health, but I'm sure it'll come up.
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AliTheAce said:
That's not true. After writing my CFAT in July, 2019, the next and only step I have completed is the ASC. After successfully qualifying for ACSO & AEC, I called my recruitment detachment to check on the status of my background/security check and it is still incomplete. The detachment told me not to worry and that they're stilling moving ahead with the other components such as the formal interview and medical while they wait on the background check.
I reckon the background check processing is irrelevant to the rest of the steps of the application process to prevent a bottleneck?
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BlueFalcon109 said:
No. Processing time depends on which CFRC you apply. Toronto is completely liner, you must complete background check to start queue ACS (took me 14 months waiting from CFAT to ACS), after ACS to queue for interview and medical (another 8 months to finish medical). They do not process your file unless last step is completed, so entire process easily take more than 2 years, 3 years also very common.
Some CFRC do multi-tasking, even allow finish air-medical before ACS, so entire process to competition list only 6 month.
In general, big cities (more applicants vs less file managers) will have longer processing time (evidence that ottawa also slower), small towns are faster. 3 month to ACS is not the fastest one, but way faster than slowest.
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lid said:
Is that right? Wow, I'm glad I switched my CFRC when it defaulted to Toronto when I first applied. Having to wait 14 months between the CFAT and ACS is a ridiculously long time. I'm super fortunate that so far (fingers crossed) my application has been moving quickly. It literally took exactly two months from me writing my CFAT to me finishing ACS.
lid said:
I applied in Toronto and had my interview and medical before ACS. Not sure about background, but I think it was still in process. That said I had one trade as my choice not in Airforce. So it took me less than 2 month after Cfat for interview and medical and then I was booked for ACS.
LiveFightMove
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Hey everyone! Awesome thread with great info. I just applied this year for CEOTP and passed the CFAST in Trenton on Nov 13-14, and just did my medical at CFEME on Dec 11. Not sure if anyone answered previous questions but they check your eyes, hearing, your heart, and lungs. There’s a questionnaire as well when you get there. Nothing serious, but it’s all stuff out of your control. It’s either your body is fit or it isn’t.
My interview went well too. “Suitable” they said. So now I wait to hear if I get an offer in late April / early May. Not sure how many CEOTP applicants will be taken...
My interview went well too. “Suitable” they said. So now I wait to hear if I get an offer in late April / early May. Not sure how many CEOTP applicants will be taken...
LiveFightMove
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Laooooo said:
I don't know what they're looking for exactly, but just make sure you know the trade! Also, it's an officer trade, so you can think of questions they may ask for that reason. I won't say what they asked because that would give an unfair advantage (and they said not to) but it's a relaxed setting and just a chat to see if you're suitable or not.
Odd question, I'm hoping someone has some insight. First time poster so be gentle
My daughter was up for aircrew selection in November, and just failed one of the tests at Trenton (one point short in one of seven tests). She has since been accepted into RMC for 2020 under Aerospace Engineer, but over the weekend we were informed that the ACS results had been "re-evaluated", and she is now considered to have passed for Pilot, and will need to complete the aircrew physical and anthropomorphic stuff.
My question is assuming she passes the physical what then are her chances of selection? It seems to me that there cant have been enough qualified candidates under the initial criteria, but if they have opened that door a bit wider is there an additional selection process beyond the Trenton testing to clear now too? Is the fact that she was already offered a place at RMC in February any indication that she is likely to achieve her "lifelong" (LOL, shes 17) ambition to fly with the Canadian Forces?
I guess all will become clear with the passage of time, but as her Dad, I am trying to reign in expectations a bit if I have to, while at the same time I dont want to piss on her parade!
Thanks
My daughter was up for aircrew selection in November, and just failed one of the tests at Trenton (one point short in one of seven tests). She has since been accepted into RMC for 2020 under Aerospace Engineer, but over the weekend we were informed that the ACS results had been "re-evaluated", and she is now considered to have passed for Pilot, and will need to complete the aircrew physical and anthropomorphic stuff.
My question is assuming she passes the physical what then are her chances of selection? It seems to me that there cant have been enough qualified candidates under the initial criteria, but if they have opened that door a bit wider is there an additional selection process beyond the Trenton testing to clear now too? Is the fact that she was already offered a place at RMC in February any indication that she is likely to achieve her "lifelong" (LOL, shes 17) ambition to fly with the Canadian Forces?
I guess all will become clear with the passage of time, but as her Dad, I am trying to reign in expectations a bit if I have to, while at the same time I dont want to piss on her parade!
Thanks
yolotuber
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Hello sir,
I'm a young cadet at CMR st-jean who passed the same process as your daughter last year and got a pilot slot so i'll base my answer on personnal experience.
The Armed forces only take a specific amount for pilot ROTP about 15 to 30 depending on the years. Since very few applicants are passing ACS ( congrats to her! ) if she has good marks at school, no matter what her physical condition is, she will get a slot. The physical thing you are talking about is more Health-related there is no physical fitness involved. If she is not fit, shw will have plenty of fun waking up a 5h30 am to train on supp pt Actually with me at CMR we are about 300 and i know no one who passed for passed for pilot and who is healty that havent been selected. I recieved my answer in April 2019.
Good luck to her !
I'm a young cadet at CMR st-jean who passed the same process as your daughter last year and got a pilot slot so i'll base my answer on personnal experience.
The Armed forces only take a specific amount for pilot ROTP about 15 to 30 depending on the years. Since very few applicants are passing ACS ( congrats to her! ) if she has good marks at school, no matter what her physical condition is, she will get a slot. The physical thing you are talking about is more Health-related there is no physical fitness involved. If she is not fit, shw will have plenty of fun waking up a 5h30 am to train on supp pt
Actually with me at CMR we are about 300 and i know no one who passed for passed for pilot and who is healty that havent been selected. I recieved my answer in April 2019.Good luck to her !
Ct155hawk said:Hello sir,
I'm a young cadet at CMR st-jean who passed the same process as your daughter last year and got a pilot slot so i'll base my answer on personnal experience.
The Armed forces only take a specific amount for pilot ROTP about 15 to 30 depending on the years. Since very few applicants are passing ACS ( congrats to her! ) if she has good marks at school, no matter what her physical condition is, she will get a slot. The physical thing you are talking about is more Health-related there is no physical fitness involved. If she is not fit, shw will have plenty of fun waking up a 5h30 am to train on supp pt
Good luck to her !
Thanks for the feedback, that sounds like grounds for cautious optimism. Now our next hurdle is from the US Immigration people! We are living in the US as temporary NAFTA residents, so she is a "NAFTA Dependent" based on my Employment here on a "TN" visa. But the crap in the sandwich is that we have just done all the paperwork for changing to Permanent Status after having to wait 90 days since last coming back in from Canada after the Interview and selection week in November. We figures she would not be leaving the country till July so any travel restrictions would not be a problem while we switch Visa class. Now though if she leaves the country to do the medical before we get "advanced parole" and permission to travel, when she come back to the US to finish school they might not let her back in! My "TN" visa status is no longer applicable (due to the desire to become a permanent resident) so she no longer has a NAFTA person to be dependent on. Hopefully the company lawyers can fix this, or else we postpone the medicals as long as we can and hope we get advanced parole in time.
Our other "first world" problem is she was awarded a prestigious USAF RJOTC private pilot scholarship for this summer, but with basic training starting in mid/late July she might have to pass it up as there isnt an 8 week period between then and her high school graduation date. Which would be a metaphorical kick in the nuts, albeit a blow that would be softened by being accepted into the CF pilot training program!
It's a long (excessively long) path to achieving one's Wings these days, due to atrocious gaps between courses, including gaps between Wings graduation and a slot at an Operational Training Unit (OTU).
It's also a lot of hard work.
And there is no guarantee of success at any stage.
It is, however, more than worth the effort.
Your daughter should be exploring the relevant threads on this Site herself, as well. There is a ton of useful information and advice here, and she may as well begin her studies now.
There is no value in worrying about her chances of selection or successful completion. The statistics are meaningless for predicting those things for individuals. She will either meet the required standards or she will not, be competitive enough or not (and that is what she can influence the most at this point), have the required raw talent and ability or not, be able to learn at the required rate and perform to the required high standard or not, and be hungry enough for those Wings to do the required work or not.
I wish her the best.
Keep us updated, please.
It's also a lot of hard work.
And there is no guarantee of success at any stage.
It is, however, more than worth the effort.
Your daughter should be exploring the relevant threads on this Site herself, as well. There is a ton of useful information and advice here, and she may as well begin her studies now.
There is no value in worrying about her chances of selection or successful completion. The statistics are meaningless for predicting those things for individuals. She will either meet the required standards or she will not, be competitive enough or not (and that is what she can influence the most at this point), have the required raw talent and ability or not, be able to learn at the required rate and perform to the required high standard or not, and be hungry enough for those Wings to do the required work or not.
I wish her the best.
Keep us updated, please.
yolotuber
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Good luck with the pursuit of the process, with everything going on right now it might be a bit stressful.
I also had to choose between a free ppl and postponing my entry at RMC or don't miss the change and just go at 17 yo, so I cant relate to her for that.
Keep us updated !
I also had to choose between a free ppl and postponing my entry at RMC or don't miss the change and just go at 17 yo, so I cant relate to her for that.
Keep us updated !
Thanks, Well the PPL thing has taken care of itself as the USAF JROTC has cancelled due to Covid.JoNugget said:
We are still wondering if the Canadian Forces are proceeding with aircrew medicals under the circumstances. Not getting any response to email enquiries from the OUTCAN team, but its possible I suppose that they really dont know what the situation is likely to be at the end of May when she is scheduled. My greencard application is going nowhere fast under the lockdown, so the whole area of travel is a nightmare between that and the quarantine requirements, so Im hoping the medical can be postponed.
Dailyrcaf123 said:
Hi y’all,
Responding to a comment to my post from a few years ago, this comment is correct.
My femurs are too long to fit in the Hawk, not the CF-18. This was told to me at the selection centre when my results were displayed to me by a Captain.
Apologies for seeming discouraging to anyone who may have felt discouraged.
Of course in the air force there are other pilot jobs that don’t involve training in the hawk, such as for helicopters. As well, everyone gets three attempts.
Nonetheless I’m pursuing a career in commercial aviation now. So, the selection course was still worthwhile, because in hindsight it sparked my passion for my career path.
Kind regards.
