Canadian Forces Aircrew Selection Centre

The Canadian Forces Aircrew Selection Centre (CFASC) is housed at 32 Buffalo Avenue on the south side of 8 Wing/Canadian Forces Base Trenton.

The mission of the CFASC is to select Pilot, Aerospace Controller (AEC),  and Air Combat System Officer (ACSO) candidates for aircrew training in the Canadian Forces (CF).  Choosing the best possible candidate results in a lower training failure rate, which ultimately reduces the costs of training.

The staff of CFASC consists of an AEC Major who is the Unit Commanding Officer, a pilot Captain who is the Deputy Commanding Officer (DCO), a Class “A” Reserve Force pilot Captain who is the Chief Selection Officer, as well as a Major Personnel Selection Officer (PSO) who is an Aviation Research and Selection Officer. The Commanding Officer (CO) and DCO are also trained selection officers. The Unit’s varied administrative needs are handled by a Cpl RMS Clerk. CFASC operates year round and can process up to 1300 Pilot candidates per year, in addition to AEC and ACSO candidates.

The selection process for Pilot candidates takes up to three days. The selection involves approximately 8-hours of computer based aptitude testing over two days using the Canadian Forces Aircrew Selection Test (CFAST) test battery, which also tests candidates' aptitude for AEC. Most candidates find it extremely difficult and stressful. Candidates also receive briefings on AEC and Pilot occupations as well as a tour of the 8 Wing Trenton airfield. Following the tour successful pilot candidates are sent to Canadian Forces Environmental Medicine Establishment (CFEME) Toronto for Aircrew medical tests on day three.

ACSO selection is still determined by the use of a series of written tests, currently administered at Recruiting Centres. ACSO testing will also eventually be included in the battery of computer based tests administered at CFASC.  AEC now use this computer based testing facility at CFASC on a number of occasions throughout the year as part of their selection process.

CFASC occasionally processes candidates from the armed forces of other nations eligible for the Military Training Assistance Program.

Motto

The CFASC motto, Selectio, simply means: to Select.

History

The selection of aircrew in Canada had its origins at 1 Manning Depot in Toronto during the Second World War. Officer selection remained a function of RCAF Station Toronto until 1951, when 2 Personnel Selection Unit (PSU) was formed and moved to RCAF Station London, Ontario.

On 1 September 1958, 2 PSU moved to RCAF Station Centralia because London was closing and, on 1 December 1961, changed its name to the Officers' Selection Unit (OSU). With the subsequent closure of Centralia in July 1966, responsibility for aircrew selection was transferred to the RCAF Personnel Applied Research Unit (RCAF PARU) in Toronto which, in turn, became CF Personnel Applied Research Unit (CF PARU). PARU was physically located on Avenue Road while the Aircrew Selection Unit (ASU) and its Link Testers were at RCAF Station Toronto (Downsview).

In 1979, ASU became the Canadian Forces Aircrew Selection Centre (CFASC) and a formation of Air Command. In 1994, the closure of CFB Toronto was formally announced.

CFASC had been in Toronto, at Downsview, for over thirty years with very little change in selection methodology. With the announced closure of CFB Toronto, CFASC relocated to 8 Wing Trenton in 1997 and introduced the Canadian Automated Pilot Selection System (CAPSS). CAPSS is a computer based system which uses five full motion simulators networked to an analysis center.

The CFASC mandate is to select pilot and navigator candidates for further processing in the Canadian Forces. Production capacity is over 600 candidates annually. CFASC is an integral unit of 8 Wing and is located in the North wing, ground floor, at 32 Buffalo Avenue.