Training, Air Force Pilots

The U.S. Air Force’s (USAF) primary mission is to “fly, fight and win” in air, space, and cyberspace. Though the USAF is experiencing dramatic growth in its space and cyberspace missions, aerial flight remains the service’s primary area of emphasis. To provide qualified officers to operate its aircraft, the USAF has devised a rigidly defined process to screen, select, train, and continually develop pilots for myriad missions and airframes. The USAF Major Command responsible for this program is Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The USAF’s process for selecting and training pilots is considered to be among the world’s finest and is the model for a number of other countries’ programs. The initial training of USAF pilots is formally known as Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT).