![]() Judy Grojean, media relations chief at the U.S.A.F. Nearly 2,100 air force pilots are lieutenant commanders. Of these, 152 are second lieutenants, 1,288 are first lieutenants, 5,695 hold the rank of captain and another 3,539 are majors. Personnel Center reports that there are 12,772 pilots serving as of the end of August 1999. The Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) says there were about 110,000 civilian pilots in the U.S. There are also fighter pilots flying for the Marines and navy. A wing is comprised of about 144 fighter pilots, making the total number of fighter pilots approximately 2,600. The Facts In the United States, there are approximately 18 wings in the air force. Some field operations can keep a pilot away from their family for months at a time. In addition to working irregular hours, fighter pilots can be stationed in the same location or can be in the field. "Fly a mission, come back, eat, sleep, get up and fly another mission." "You just did the same thing everyday," says Milligan. "After flying you must have a 12-hour rest before flying again," says Milligan.ĭuring wartime, although still following flight regulations, work can be long. A fighter pilot is regulated by the number of hours they must spend on the ground in between flights. They train and learn new flight exercises. During peacetime, a fighter pilot usually works an eight to 10-hour day. We were stationed very close to North Korea and had to be ready."Ī fighter pilot has plenty of work to do while not at war. The same thing happened when I served in Korea. "During the Cold War in Europe the enemy was only 100 miles away - you were constantly on alert. However, the period of warning time can be less if closer to enemy lines. "If we're sitting at the breakfast table, we won't suddenly be asked to fly a mission," says Milligan. However, they'll be given a few days or even weeks notice before they have to pack up for war. "That's when I decided to get out, because without a lot of combat experience and a shrinking air force, I didn't think I would be able to achieve what I wanted," says Ron Milligan, a fighter pilot in California.įighter pilots are on call 24 hours per day. And with the end of the Cold War, American fighter bases scaled down their operations and closed or shrank air force bases. However, because of small conflicts existing around the world, there is still a need for fighter pilots. ![]() With the end of the Cold War, fighter pilots have been seeing less air time than they have in the past. "It's too early for any of the female fighter pilots who have started out to have retired. ![]() "We don't have any female pilots working for us," says Denise Jennings, who works for Air Combat, a civilian organization that hires retired fighter pilots. While many more men than women are fighter pilots, more women are joining the air force. That means hours and hours of training and air practice. FIGHTER PILOT SALARY HOW TOIn order to feel confident doing any of these missions, a fighter pilot must know how to operate the armament and fire control systems carried on an aircraft. They must be able to use navigation and communication systems, including some of the most advanced technology available in the field of aviation.Ĭarrying out a mission usually involves flying above ground troops to protect them with air strikes if they're in trouble, delivering bombs on target, or using flying tactics to defend your airspace. Frank Deker.įighter pilots have to know more than how to steer a plane. "These pilots are the only ones in their 'office' and have to make rapid decisions, as they have no others who have pertinent mission information," says Capt. Working Conditionsįighter pilots fly high-performance planes, such as the F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-18 Hornet. ![]() The intention, according to the magazine, is to allow people entering the military later in life to receive the training they need to become pilots and navigators. It's the first time the age limit has been adjusted in 45 years. The change means people up to the age of 30 can enter pilot and navigation training programs. air force is raising the maximum age for flying training, reports the September 1999 issue of Air Force Magazine. ![]()
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