
The following paragraphs detail these opportunities by military branch.Īlthough the army is best known for its land-based occupations, it also employs military pilots to serve in combat, rescue, and reconnaissance settings. Opportunities as a military pilot are available in all five branches of the U.S.

Fighter pilot requirements how to#
Military aviation specialties include flight navigators or radar technicians, who use radio, radar, and other equipment to help military pilots determine aircraft position and determine its route of travel, and flight instructors, who teach flight students how to fly via classroom training and inflight instruction. They must also present a written or oral flight report to their commanding officer. After landing, military pilots must follow “afterlanding and shutdown” checklist procedures, and inform maintenance crews of any discrepancies or other problems noted during the flight. At times, military pilots may be ordered to transport equipment and personnel, take reconnaissance photographs, spot and observe enemy positions, and patrol areas to carry out flight missions. They also are responsible for coordinating their takeoffs and landings with airplane dispatchers and air traffic controllers.

In addition to actually flying aircraft, military pilots are also responsible for developing flight plans checking weather reports briefing and directing all crew members and performing system operation checks to test the proper functioning of instrumentation, controls, and electronic and mechanical systems on the flight deck. Aircraft range from combat airplanes and helicopters, to supersonic fighters and bombers. Military pilots operate many different jet and propeller planes. In addition to military action, the administration planned to use diplomatic, law enforcement, and financial strategies against those believed responsible for the attacks. troops, warships, and dozens of fighter planes were deployed to south-central Asia and the Middle East and air and ground strikes began. President Bush said the war against terrorism would likely be a sustained effort over a long period of time. Reaction to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, suddenly changed the role of the military from a peacekeeping force to an aggressor in the attempt to destroy the strongholds and training camps of terrorists around the world.

Since then, military pilots have played an integral role during the Cold War, Korean War, the Vietnam Way, the Persian Gulf War, and countless smaller skirmishes and engagements, as well as in noncombat and peacekeeping situations. Two years later, the various branches of military service were unified under the Department of Defense. Recognition of the strategic importance of air power led to the creation of the now wholly independent branch of service, the U.S. A large part of America’s military success was due to the superiority of its air forces. When the war ended, the United States emerged as the strongest military power in the Western world. At its height, 13 million Americans fought in the different branches of the military services. With the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, America was plunged into World War II. As a result, the United States began to assert itself as an international military power, and accordingly, the Army Air Service was created as an independent unit in 1918, although it remained under army direction for a time. Air power proved invaluable a few years later during World War I, bringing about major changes in military strategy. By 1907, a separate Aeronautical Division was created within the army. In 1892, a formal Balloon Corps was created as part of the army’s Signal Corps. military, when a balloon corps was attached to the Army of the Potomac. The Civil War marked the first use of aircraft in the U.S. The air service grew from somewhat unusual beginnings. There are approximately 16,000 airplane pilots and 6,500 helicopter pilots in the military. More than 2.6 million people served in the Armed Forces in 2005, and 1.4 million of these were on active duty. Those who choose to join the armed forces dedicate their lives to protecting their fellow Americans. Pilots within these branches train, organize, and equip the nation’s air services to support the national and international policies of the government. Armed Forces are composed of five separate military services: the army, air force, marines, navy, and coast guard (which is now part of the U.S. Military aircraft make up of one of the world’s largest fleets of specialized airplanes. Military pilots fly various types of specialized aircraft to transport troops and equipment and to execute combat missions.
