On you way to becoming a pilot, you will spend between two and a half and three and a half years in training before you are qualified to fly an aircraft operationally. All of this training will occur after you have commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force. As a result of the extensive training, you will incur a service commitment of ten years active duty after you graduate from Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT).
Training
If you are a pilot, CSO, or RPA pilot, you will attend Initial Flight Training (IFT) if you do not have a Private Pilot’s License. IFT is a two month long program where you will learn to solo the DA-20 Katana. At IFT, you will have one job, which is to master flying the DA-20. The days are 11 hours long and contain a mix of ground school, flying, and PT. To learn more about IFT, visit the USAF Initial Flight Training page. Also refer to this source (non-governmental, not endorsed by the Air Force).
After finishing IFT with newfound confidence and flying skills, you will head to Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT). UPT is known as the Year of 50 weeks, as the course is incredibly fast paced and very demanding, so it is best to take UPT one week at a time. Initially, all UPT students will learn to fly the T-6 Texan over the first 24 weeks. After flying T-6s, students will ‘track’ to be trained for their assigned airframe. There are three options:
- T-38s to fly fighters or bombers
- T-1As to fly tankers or cargo
- UH-1s to fly helicopters
To learn more about the various tracks, visit this source (non-governmental, not endorsed by the Air Force).
It is important to note that you will not know which airframe you will be flying on active duty until approximately 8 months into your training. While you will submit your preference of airframe, the Air Force will ultimately decide which aircraft you will fly.
However, if you are selected for Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) you are guaranteed to track T-38s for fighters or bombers. For this reason, ENJJPT is highly competitive, and a small percentage of cadets with pilot slots are selected for ENJJPT. Another way to guarantee your airframe before you begin training is to sign with a Guard or Reserve unit. To learn more about these opportunities, contact the cadre.
After you track select and complete UPT, you will move to your operation squadron. At your squadron’s base, you will complete the Basic Course (B-Course) for your airframe where you will learn to fly your aircraft operationally. Depending on the airframe, the B-Course may take anywhere from 6 to 18 months. Upon completion of the B-Course, you will officially be qualified for operational missions.