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Are you applying to Aircrew or Pilot roles at the Royal Air Force? Looking to kickstart your career with the Royal Air Force? This complete guide is exactly what you need.
Here are five key things I will cover throughout:
Prepare for the stages of the Royal Air Force recruitment process with us by practising the suitable assessments to expect at each stage!
In this guide, you’ll learn more about the following:
Want to pass each stage of the Royal Air Force application process?
Prepare for the Royal Air Force recruitment process with us. Practice the suitable assessments for each stage today!
Practice Numerical Reasoning Tests
Practice Verbal Reasoning Tests
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Before we go into the details of the Royal Air Force recruitment process, let’s know more about this organisation.
The Royal Air Force is the air and space force of the United Kingdom. The Royal Air Force was a result of the merger of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). The mission of the RAF is to support the Ministry of Defence in its objectives.
As per the data available that I found, the RAF has a workforce of around 35,000 people, including the reserve and active personnel. But what job functions do these people apply to?
The RAF job functions are as follows:
Now, to be successful at these job roles, you must be aware of the Royal Air Force’s values.
Wanna know more? Let’s go!
The Royal Air Force’s core values, also known as R.I.S.E., are as follows:
R- Respect:
Service in the RAF about respect and a sense of pride in belonging to an exceptional team. Respect here includes mutual respect, self-respect, inclusion, and humility.
I- Integrity:
Integrity is about being honest and having strong moral principles. It is the basis for the trust that is essential for the Royal Air Force. This includes moral courage, justice, and honesty.
S- Service:
Service is the ultimate act of unselfish commitment, and military life is one of selfless service to the Crown and the Nation. Professional duties must take precedence over personal interests, with a willingness to serve others before ourselves. Royal Air Force service epitomises the values of loyalty, commitment, teamwork and courage.
E- Excellence:
Professional excellence is more than the trade or skills developed through training. The RAF defines it as the way to set an example, tackle tasks, take responsibility, and ensure that a job is done well.
Now that you have understood all the RAF values, let’s go ahead and break down the Royal Air Force recruitment process.
The Royal Air Force recruitment process is a comprehensive assessment process that measures various aspects through different stages of assessment. These aspects include cognitive traits, physical fitness, mental fitness, as well as vigilance and agility. Here are the different stages of the RAF assessment process:
Master all the Royal Air Force assessments with our expert preparation assessments.
Read on for our breakdown of the Royal Air Force recruitment process, starting with the Royal Air Force online application.
The Royal Air Force application process starts with you having to select the role that you prefer. You are allowed to select three roles at once. At this stage of the Royal Air Force hiring process, you are required to provide the following:
Here’s a sneak peek into the RAF application process:
Royal Air Force Online Application
Source: RAF Careers Website
Check out this short video to discover the common mistakes you must avoid for your Royal Air Force job application.
The next stage of the Royal Air Force recruitment process, after successfully applying, will likely be the Royal Air Force online assessments.
Find out more about these below!
On researching the RAF, I found that the Royal Air Force Defence Aptitude Assessments (DAA) might also be known as the CBDT, i.e., Computer Based Aptitude Tests, as they are generally held online. This stage of the Royal Air Force hiring assessment includes the following online assessments:
Want to get into the details of the above Royal Air Force online assessments? Start with the Royal Air Force numerical reasoning test.
Before you start your Royal Air Force recruitment process, explore the FAQs section below for more answers about the Royal Air Force recruitment process.
Yes, the Royal Air Force Defence Aptitude Assessments might be challenging as they require multiple cognitive skills under a strict time limit. To be successful, ensure that you practice as much as you can and build familiarity.
The exact number of the complete Royal Air Force Defence Aptitude Assessments varies, as the number of questions depends on the role you have applied for. However, the average timeline limit to complete is around 30-45 minutes.
Abortion of candidates may fail the Royal Air Force basic training due to fitness challenges, injuries, or personal circumstances. The exact number keeps fluctuating each year.
Common disqualifiers for the Royal Air Force include serious medical issues, untreated mental health conditions, criminal convictions, poor eyesight, and failure to meet nationality and residency standards.
Generally, if you fail the Royal Air Force fitness test, you are given time to improve and retake the test. However, persistent failure or lack of progress can lead to application withdrawal.
Prepare for your Royal Air Force hiring process with our expert-made aptitude tests used by over 150 UK universities and their students, and also across Asia and continental Europe. Practice with peace of mind without commitment to a full 100% money-back guarantee if you do not pass your job tests.
Prepare for your Royal Air Force hiring process with our expert-made aptitude tests used by over 150 UK universities and their students, and also across Asia and continental Europe.
Practice with peace of mind without commitment to a full 100% money-back guarantee if you do not pass your job tests.
Click below to uncover more about the RAF recruitment process:
This article was last updated on 10 March 2026. All information provided is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication, based on publicly available sources. For the most up-to-date details, please verify directly with the employer.
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