How pilot training has changed over the years

2nd Lt. Joe Stara (center), a student pilot currently assigned to the 71st Student Squadron, poses by a T-37 Tweet with retired Col. Jim Faulkner (left) and retired Lt. Col. Jim Mayhall (right).

Pilot training is constantly changing to ensure studentshave an environment where they not only learn to fly, but to adapt and quicklyout-think their enemies.

With senior leadership making innovation a priority, the U.S.Air Force has changed how airmen are trained and how they become proficient attheir jobs. This in turn has changed the way the Air Force develops pilots andwhat pilot training currently looks like.

For instance, pilot training currently consists of threephases starting with the academic and simulator phase. After the academicphase, student pilots are sent to train in the T-6A Texan II, the primarytraining aircraft.

Once the students complete the second phase, they areselected for either the airlift/tanker track in the T-1A Jayhawk, or thefighter/bomber track in the T-38C Talon.

“When I went through pilot training in the late 1960s, westarted off flying the Cessna T-41 Mescalero for six weeks, the T-37 Tweet forfive months, and finished training in the T-38 Talon for a total of 52 weeks oftraining,” said Jim Faulkner, Vance Air Force Base, a graduate of pilottraining, class of 1968.

Although students in the 1960s and students today reach thesame goal, there have been adjustments made over the course of time to focuspilots on mastering the specific style of aircraft they will fly once traininghas finished.

In addition to changes in the training aircraft, there havebeen technological advancements to improve the way students operate anaircraft.

“We had simulators, but the concepts that they covered werelimited and did not give us any visual aids to look at while training,” said JimMayhall, pilot training graduate, class of 1967.

In the same way that older generations used simulators togather a feel of the aircraft and location of instruments, current students usesimulators to familiarize themselves with flying maneuvers and concepts beforethey reach the cockpit. The changes in technology have the potential to givestudents more realistic training for what they will experience in the cockpit.

“Being able to gain exposure to 360-degree videos of thelocal area, patterns and virtual-reality videos saves money and time,” said 1stLt. Jason Mavrogeorge, 8th Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot.

“Students should have seen the arrivals, departures andinstrument approaches before their first flight,” Mavrogeorge said. “Giving thestudents more flying experience gives them confidence and allows me to enhancetheir flying skills as an instructor.”

Similar to the technological changes made within pilottraining, there have been changes in monitoring the safety of pilots whileflying.

The safety standards did not require pilots to wear a G-suitin the T-37 Tweet. When the T-37 was replaced with the more maneuverable T-6ATexan II, pilots were required to wear a G-suit during flight to prevent thepossibility of losing consciousness.

All the great changes and advancements in pilot training arepossible thanks to those who laid the groundwork and figured out what to avoid.

“The only thing that remains constant in the Air Force pilottraining program is that we will continue to produce great Air Force aviatorsand future leaders,” Mayhall said.

Vance Air Force Base trains more than 350 pilots a year,totaling over 34,000 since pilot training began in 1941.

Source: US Air Force