Students in Undergraduate Pilot Training familiarize themselves with the KC-46 Pegasus cockpit during the Air Education and Training Command Fly-In Nov. 15, 2019, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. The event was geared toward educating students in McConnell’s mission and the missions of the KC-135 Stratotanker and the KC-46. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Marc A. Garcia) The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. Image: DoD
By: FEDweek StaffThe Air Force has teamed with academia and industry to test a new regimen for training pilots. Under the arrangement, the service is working with the University of North Dakota Aerospace Foundation and Brunner Aerospace to put prospective pilots through a series of initial pilot training (IPT) courses that focus on “basic airmanship, instrument and multi-engine flying competencies,” the service stated in a press release.
To date, 65 Air Force student pilots have taken part in related small group tryouts in Mesa, Arizona, and Georgetown, Texas. Under the plan, the students would complete the training in 139 calendar days, logging in roughly 110 flying hours in the process. Once they finish, the trainees will have earned their private pilot certificates, instrument rating, and multi-engine rating.
“The initial results are positive,” said Brig. Gen. Matthew Leard, director of Air Education and Training Command’s Plans, Programs, Requirements and International Affairs. “Partnership with the civil aviation sector, where expertise and capacity exist, allows the Air Force to focus on teaching military-specific aviation competencies.”
The first class to have completed IPT has since moved on to start undergraduate pilot training (UPT), flying T-6A Texan trainer aircraft, at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi in Septemer. The second group should begin similar training next month.
“The model we are testing allows for increased throughput to meet Air Force pilot production requirements, and initial data shows it does so while increasing the quality of our graduates,” Leard said. “Additionally, it establishes relationships with the commercial aviation training enterprise to create future capacity, if needed.”
In time, several more universities could become active partners. Once data is collected, analyzed and incorporated into lessons learned, the program could enable the Air Force to produce some 1,500 pilots per year.
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