Flying

Pilot/Combat Systems Officer Qualifications: Interested in flying? See some of the general qualifications below. Once in Air Force ROTC, cadets must obtain a
Flying Class 1 Flight Physical.

Pilot

Physical Requirements

• Normal color vision
• Near vision – pilots, uncorrected to 20/20
• Meet refraction, accommodation and astigmatism requirements
• Corrective eye surgery could be a disqualifier
• Have no history of hay fever, asthma or allergies after age 12
• Meet Air Force weight and physical conditioning requirements
• Have standing height of 64 to 77 inches and sitting height of 34 to 40 inches

Combat Systems Officer

Physical Requirements

• Normal color vision
• Distant vision – 20/200 but corrected to 20/20
• Near vision – 20/40 but corrected to 20/20
• Meet refraction, accommodation and astigmatism requirements
• Corrective eye surgery could be a disqualifier
• Have no history of hay fever, asthma or allergies after age 12
• Meet Air Force weight and physical conditioning requirements
• Have standing height of 64 to 77 inches and sitting height of 33 to 40 inches

To compete for a pilot or combat systems officer allocation you need to:

• Be enrolled full-time in a school offering Air Force ROTC and qualify for the program
• Meet all physical requirements
• Achieve qualifying scores on the Air Force Officer Qualifying TestAir Force Officer Qualifying TestA standardized test similar to the SAT and ACT that measures aptitudes, and is used to select applicants for officer commissioning programs or specific training programs. A required test for all cadets and students on scholarship or in the POC.
• Maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average
• Receive a waiver for any civil involvement (for example, speeding tickets, minor infractions, etc.)
• Be commissionedcommissionedAppointed by the President of the United States. prior to reaching your 29th birthday

Getting Started

If you are interested in becoming an Air Force pilot or combat systems officer, start talking to your detachmentdetachmentThe Air Force ROTC unit at a host university. admissions officer (for college students) or Regional Director of Admissions (for high school students) as soon as possible. If you are medically qualified and desire a flying career, you must compete for pilot and/or combat systems officer allocations about 15 months prior to graduation and commissioning.

Junior Year of Air Force ROTC

Fall Term – Make sure you talk to the detachment staff and let them know you are interested in flying. There are a number of tasks that you need to get accomplished to make sure that you are qualified to compete for a pilot or combat systems officer slot.

• Have a completed physical, coordinated with Air Force ROTC, that establishes you are medically certified to be a pilot or combat systems officer. This must be completed by November of your junior year.
• Take the AFOQTAFOQTAir Force Officer Qualifying Test and achieve qualifying scores.
• Pilots need minimum Pilot and Combat Systems Officer scores of 25 and 10, respectively.
• Combat Systems Officers need minimum Pilot and Combat Systems Officer scores of 10 and 25, respectively.
• Take the Test of Basic Aviation Skills (TBAS)

Spring Term – The cutoff date for submitting updated information to your package is normally the second week of February.

Senior Year of Air Force ROTC

Once selected, Air Force ROTC pilot candidates have the opportunity to complete the Initial Flight Screening (IFS) as an AFROTCAFROTCAir Force Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet. This program consists of 50 hours of flying time. You must finish this program prior to beginning Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training.

Air Force ROTC combat systems officer candidates have the opportunity to complete the Combat Systems Officer Initial Flight Screening as an AFROTC cadet. This program consists of 20 hours of instruction covering basic navigation skills. You must finish this program prior to beginning Specialized Undergraduate Combat Systems Officer Training.

Specific duty assignments must be made prior to commissioning, based on the needs of the Air Force, individual qualifications and desires.

The Civil Air Patrol (cap) is an auxiliary to the United States Air Force. According to an article written by Mike Roberts in the February 1995 edition of Private Pilot, CAPCAPCivil Air Patrol was started on the Monday prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor in anticipation of the United States entering into World War II.

Today CAP conducts aerial searches for lost aircraft and their occupants, transports goods for disaster relief and orientation and training rides.

In addition, you can learn about some of the fundamentals of flying, including:

• Refueling procedures
• Communications
• Accountability
• Safety

Incentive Rides offer a unique opportunity for students enrolled in Air Force ROTC to gain a better understanding of Air Force operations and experience one of the most extreme thrills in the Air Force.

Rides vary by detachment and are subject to change due to real-world Air Force mission requirements. Contact the detachment at the university you are interested in to enroll in Air Force ROTC classes and take advantage of this one-of-a-kind adventure.