The path to becoming a pilot in the Air Force is highly competitive, requiring candidates to meet a comprehensive set of rigorous standards across academic, physical, and aptitude domains. Applicants must navigate a multi-stage selection process that evaluates their potential to become both a military officer and a successful aviator. This journey begins with meeting the fundamental baseline criteria before moving into the more complex areas of education, medical fitness, and specialized testing.
Fundamental Eligibility Criteria
United States citizenship is a mandatory baseline for all candidates seeking to become Air Force officers and pilots. Age is a defining factor, as applicants must not have reached their 33rd birthday by the time they enter Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT). Waivers are sometimes granted for older candidates who are otherwise highly qualified, but the standard remains a primary gate check.
A record of outstanding moral character is also necessary, as candidates are evaluated on their personal conduct, including criminal history, drug use, and financial stability. This evaluation culminates in the requirement to obtain a security clearance, such as a Single Scope Background Investigation, which is a prerequisite for handling classified information and operating military aircraft.
Educational Prerequisites
A four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution is required for all Air Force officer candidates, including pilots. The Air Force does not mandate a specific field of study, allowing applicants from nearly any major to compete for a pilot slot. However, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees are often viewed favorably by selection boards.
While the minimum grade point average (GPA) for selection can vary by commissioning source, competitive candidates typically hold a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Selection boards use academic performance as one indicator of a candidate’s discipline and capacity to handle the intellectually demanding material of pilot training.
Physical and Medical Standards
The physical and medical requirements for Air Force pilots are determined during the Flying Class I Flight Physical. These examinations ensure a candidate can safely operate high-performance aircraft and withstand the stresses of military flight operations. Anthropometric measurements, which are necessary for safe ejection and control access in the cockpit, are a major component of this physical screening.
The Air Force has removed the blanket standing height restriction to encourage a more diverse applicant pool, replacing it with an anthropometric screening process that assesses an individual’s specific body measurements against the requirements of a variety of aircraft. This screening measures factors like eye height, buttock-to-knee length, and arm span to determine which aircraft an applicant can safely fly. Vision standards require near visual acuity of 20/30 without correction and distance visual acuity no worse than 20/70, correctable to 20/20, in each eye, along with normal color vision. Corrective eye surgery is strictly regulated, with Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) being the only generally waiverable procedure.
Required Aptitude Testing and Selection Scoring
Pilot candidates must complete a battery of standardized tests that measure both general aptitude and specific aviation skills. The Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) is a comprehensive exam that assesses verbal, quantitative, and academic knowledge, providing a general measure of officer potential. The AFOQT includes a specific Pilot sub-score, which must meet a minimum passing threshold; competitive applicants typically achieve scores in the 80th percentile or higher.
The Test of Basic Aviation Skills (TBAS) is a separate, computer-based assessment that measures psychomotor skills, spatial orientation, and multi-tasking ability. The results of the AFOQT Pilot score, the TBAS score, and any logged civilian flight hours are combined to generate the Pilot Candidate Selection Method (PCSM) score. This score, ranging from 1 to 99, is the primary objective predictor of a candidate’s success in Undergraduate Pilot Training and is a main component reviewed by selection boards.
Pathways to Becoming an Officer
All Air Force pilots must first earn a commission as an officer. There are three primary paths for a candidate to achieve this status and apply for a pilot slot.
United States Air Force Academy (USAFA)
The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) provides a four-year military education, after which cadets are automatically commissioned as second lieutenants. USAFA cadets compete for pilot slots as part of their cohort, often having the highest selection rates due to the focused nature of the institution.
Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)
The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is a college program where students attend a civilian university while completing military training. ROTC students compete for rated slots against a national pool of cadets and apply for pilot slots during their junior year.
Officer Training School (OTS)
Officer Training School (OTS) is the path for college graduates, both civilians and prior-enlisted personnel, who apply directly to the Air Force to become officers. OTS is the most competitive path for a pilot slot, as it is the smallest commissioning source and selection boards review a diverse pool of applicants.
Service Commitment and Initial Training Pipeline
Selection for a pilot slot is followed by a mandatory 10-year Active Duty Service Commitment (ADSC). This commitment begins the date pilots receive their wings upon graduation from Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT).
The initial training pipeline starts with officer training, which is either the USAFA curriculum, the ROTC program, or the nine-week Officer Training School. After commissioning, the candidate enters Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT), an intensive program lasting approximately one year. UPT is composed of academic, simulator, and flight phases, and upon completion, graduates are assigned their specific aircraft and then proceed to a six-month to one-year Advanced Flight Training course.