The Air Force’s pilot shortage is a complex issue.

How Many Pilots Are There? (USA, Air Force, World)

30 Aug 2022: 

• It is estimated that there are between 1.5 and 2.3 million pilots in the world. 

• In the USA, there are 734,911 pilots including civilians and military. 

• Of those: 

160,860 are private pilots; 

103,879 are commercial pilots; 

43,300 are military pilots (19,100 Air Force); 

and 58,541 are female pilots.

FINDING ANSWERS

Task force director is looking for ways to solve pilot shortage in the AirForce. 

June 27, 2018 By Airman Magazine

The Aircrew Crisis Task Force provides recommendations to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force on issues regarding aircrew manning.

The Air Force’s pilot shortage has been well-documented over the past few years. Senior leaders – including the Secretary of the Air Force and its Chief of Staff – are aware of it and are continually looking at ways to remedy the issue.

A task force was also recently created to specifically address pilot manning. Called the Aircrew Crisis Task Force, it provides strategic direction and actionable recommendations to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force on issues regarding the aircrew manning crisis across the Total Force.

The task force’s director, Brig. Gen. Michael G. Koscheski, sat down with Airman magazine to talk about pilot manning and what the Air Force is doing to combat the current shortage.

Brig. Gen. Michael G. Koscheski is the director of the Aircrew Crisis Task Force

Brig. Gen. Michael G. Koscheski is the director of the Aircrew Crisis Task Force, which provides strategic direction and actionable recommendations to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force on issues regarding aircrew manning across the Total Force.

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO // TECH. SGT. SAMANTHA DUCKER

What would you say is the current state of the Air Force’s pilot manning?

It’s really hard to articulate because it’s not necessarily black and white – it’s shades of gray. What I mean is we are short pilots, but there’s a lot more to it than just the numbers. Overall we’re about 2,000 pilots short across the Air Force, and that’s if you include remotely piloted aircraft and our manned aircraft. Our most acute shortage is in the fighter pilot career field, and then it’s being followed by mobility. We’re seeing a decrease there, and we’re also short in the RPA career field. Eventually we’re going to run into a problem where we’re not going to have enough experienced folks in the aircraft to train the inexperienced pilots that come out of our training pipelines…so they have pilot training and undergraduate levels and then they have graduate-level training. So, once they go into the operational squadron, about three years is what it takes on one assignment to experience that pilot.

They learn to fly in undergraduate pilot training, they learn to fight in graduate, formal training units and then they learn to win through their operational squadrons. And then, as they grow through the ranks and become a flight lead and then instructor, then we’re looking to use that talent in training and test aircraft. That’s where we look now to focus on retention efforts because the Air Force has made a large investment in those aircrew and pilots. We want to retain that talent.

When did the Air Force start noticing pilot manning issues in the fighter community?

The fighter pilot crisis manifested itself because when you only have single seat fighters, it becomes a cockpit training capacity issue quickly compared to larger aircraft with multi-seats, where you have an aircraft commander and a copilot. You have a little bit more flexibility to manage your pilot training. The crisis happened quickly in the fighters because of that very reason.

But what we’re seeing is the same dynamics are in place for other career fields, and also because of the fighter pilot shortage, the mobility Air Force has been carrying some training shortfalls and pilot training to cover the shortage of fighter pilots. So, their effective manning has been hit and they’ve been doing more than their fair share, trying to help out while we heal the fighter pilot crisis.

 ENLARGE : F-35A pilot trains on bombing range.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Michael Slotten, 61st Fighter Squadron F-35 student pilot, climbs into an F-35 Lighting II at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., July 7, 2017. Slotten dropped GBU-12 Paveway II bombs for his first time from the F-35 during training at the Barry M. Goldwater Range.

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO // STAFF SGT. JENSEN STIDHAM

What are some of the challenges leading to the current pilot shortage?

The ops tempo is higher now than it’s ever been, and that’s one of the problems. The ops tempo is extremely high, and it’s an enduring challenge and folks don’t see an end state to reduced ops tempo. Folks are working really hard when they’re deployed, and then the big challenge is, when they come home, everybody says, “great, they’re home from their deployment,” and now they’re behind from being deployed and they’re trying to catch up. And they’re almost busier at home than they were deployed. That’s just a vicious cycle that we’ve got to work on getting after.

The Air Force tends to worship at the altar of technology. I mean, we’re a technology-based service, and we forget about the human element and pilots are the lifeblood of our service when it comes to combat capability. And so, we focus so much on modernization that sometimes we lose track of Airmen development, and so I would say that the pilot crisis is an example of us shifting a little bit away from a sole focus on modernization, and we’re looking to train and grow our Airmen that we have.

But, right now, the biggest challenge we look at is just the production pipeline is too small and we don’t have the ability to get enough pilots through the pipeline.

What is the Air Force doing to combat this shortage?

We’re improving force development and talent management. We’re taking care of families better and we’re treating pilots like professional athletes and working on neck and back care, and we’re just doing a lot of things that needed to be done to take care of our Airmen. We see an opportunity to really just improve how we take care of our pilots and Airmen at large.

If you look at the pilot population, it’s basically an ecosystem. It’s just an infinite growth of pilots across a lifecycle, and you want a nice slow, smooth stream of pilots. The strategy is production, but stable production over time. That is really the ultimate fix to the pilot crisis. In the meantime, we need to focus on retention. So, our banner is “Aim high, stay Air Force,” and we’re trying to retain experience, so we can have the instructor pilots that we need to grow the pipeline.

But, we need to make sure we have the right candidates in the pipeline. We need to hold standards because quality control is absolutely essential. It would be a short-term approach to creating an even longer-term problem if we didn’t hold standards. We need to make sure that we have the right individual, the highly qualified individual that we can get through training.

Then, we need to grow the organic production capability of undergraduate pilot training. We’re working on increasing plant capacity short-term by just increasing the number of our instructor pilots. But, longer-term, we’re looking at 21st-century pilot training through more technology. So, things like virtual reality, mixed reality, automated instruction capabilities or other capabilities that are out there.

 ENLARGE: Virtual reality pilot training device.

First Lt. Jay Pothula, an instructor pilot from the 33rd Flying Training Squadron at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, tries out a virtual reality flight simulator during the 80th Flying Training Wing's Tech Symposium at Sheppard Air Force Base, Tex., May 22, 2018. The use of VR in undergraduate pilot training has drawn more interest from the Air Force within the past year as the service explores new technologies to train pilots.

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO // JOHN INGLE

One of the chief of staff’s priorities is revitalizing squadrons. Has this helped retention and improved manning efforts?

One of the chief’s big rocks, revitalizing the squadron, is helping a lot because we’re basically getting our instructor pilots to have more time to spend on instruction of the student pilots, and it takes away the additional duties requirement, or at least minimizes it. We’ve seen that help a lot, and that’s increased efficiency at both the undergraduate level and graduate level pipelines. It’s not Air Force-wide yet, and we’re working on that, especially overseas.

If there is a shortage, why doesn’t the Air Force just produce more pilots?

To be honest, that’s the biggest thing people don’t understand. They’re like, “If you’re short of pilots, why don’t you just produce more in pilot training?” It just doesn’t work that way. Producing pilots is not cheap. That’s why we need stability because changing budgets creates problems within the pipeline if we have to vary production up and down. And we need to be able to plan because we need to be able to lay these resources in place to get ready for the students, at a minimum, a couple of years out. The speed at which you can learn with technology is faster, so we’re looking to leverage that to produce more pilots at cheaper price points.

How important is pilot manning to the overall health of the Air Force?

Pilot production is critical to overall lethality and readiness, in direct support of the national defense strategy. And, in terms of readiness, pilots are basically the personnel piece that feeds overall combat readiness. Because the aircraft and the pilot and all the things that go into basing and all the things that we need for combat capability, pilots are obviously a critical piece to that. And with the shortage, we need to get those numbers back up to standards.

Once we start to heal the fighter pilot crisis, it’ll have an impact on the mobility forces and special ops forces as well to make them healthier.

 ENLARGE: Father pins wings on student pilot.

2nd Lt. Katherine Dixon has her Air Force Pilot badge pinned on by her father, Peter Dixon, at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Oct. 27, 2017.

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO // DAVID POE

You are in charge of the Air Force’s Aircrew Crisis Task Force. What is this and what is the team focused on?

I’m the director and I have a few folks that work for me, but, for the most part, everybody that works for me on the task force lives in another organization. So, I’m matrixed into all the major commands and all the deputy chiefs of staff. We call it a matrixed organization. We synchronize the tasks they’re working on and then they work for the task force overall. But they also have other jobs within their primary duties.

It’s a completely different experience from what I’ve had because I’ve had commands at all levels in other staff jobs. But this is a matrixed organization, so that is a very different experience. Instead of having teams that are directly assigned to me, I now almost exclusively work with external organizations. And that’s just a different dynamic. It’s exciting because we have access to a lot of resources, but just the dynamics of how you lead and interact are just different in this job. I rely on [my flying squadron] experience quite a bit and that understanding has really helped me in this job. That operational experience is still a good backdrop and a frame of reference for when we look at problems in the current position.

The mission of the Aircrew Crisis Task Force is essentially to get production through integration. And then also we have some other lines of effort working with industry, academia and nonprofit organizations and we spend a lot of time working with personnel on force development and force management.

 ENLARGE 3983134

Student pilots prepare to taxi on the flightline in a T-6 Texan II Nov. 1, 2017, at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The T-6 is used to train Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training students, providing the basic skills necessary to progress to more specialized aircraft.

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO // SENIOR AIRMAN COREY PETTIS

What is your job as director of the Aircrew Crisis Task Force?

Day to day I spend most of my time on production and retention, because that is what is going to move the needle the quickest. So, that’s near-term, and then I have a lot of folks who work for me that do a lot of the integration of the industry, academia, nonprofits and a lot of that work I’ve delegated, and I’m involved in, but I’d say production and retention is most of my time.

I’m also up and out, so I do outreach and I talk to external audiences, and then I keep senior leadership informed. And then I spend a lot of time going over to the [Capitol] Hill, articulating the issue with both the House Armed Services Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee. I think having a general officer in charge has been able to bring together a lot of disparate initiatives that were going on already, actually for several years, and this brought that together.

What would you tell pilots who may be thinking of leaving the Air Force?

I think the Air Force gives Airmen a chance to live a meaningful life and you get to see tangible results of the work you do. It’s important. It matters. You don’t wake up in the Air Force and go to work and go, “I wonder if what I do today, if it matters or not?”

In terms of quality of service, quality of life, I think we’ve also got a lot to offer, and folks see that and I also think pilots have seen the efforts that we’ve taken through retention, especially to try to improve things. We reduced some deployments, and we’re improving assignment processes. We’re trying to give stability to families, and they see that, and we have a lot of good faith going on right now across the force of people wanting to hang in there and stay Air Force, so they can live a life that matters, and they see that we’re trying to take care of them and make things better for them.

The Air Force’s pilot shortage is a complex issue. To get more pilots from the classroom to the cockpit, Airmen are using technology and processes in innovative ways. Take a journey through the pilot pipeline to see solutions Airmen have implemented in each stage of fighter pilot training.

( Archived in Command Interviews and tagged Air Force, airman magazine, cadets, leadership, pilot training, pilots, T-38, T-6, training. )

The Air Force Is Still Short on Pilots and Hopes Tech Will Help Close the Gap.

20 Sep 2021

Detachment 24 student pilots train on a virtual reality flight simulator.

Detachment 24 student pilots train on a virtual reality flight simulator as part of the Pilot Training Next program March 5, 2020, at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. The PTN program is part of Air Education and Training Command’s initiative to “reimagine” how learning is delivered to airmen.

The Air Force is still far from its goal of training about 1,500 new pilots a year as it seeks to close a lingering shortfall, and help keep up with the long-running exodus of pilots going to well-paying commercial airline jobs.

But Air Education and Training Command said that it's seeing progress, and hopes that a combination of technologies and new approaches will help it increase how many new pilots it can graduate each year.

AETC commander Lt. Gen. Brad Webb said in a Sept. 13 call with reporters that the Air Force's technology-fueled revamp of pilot training is starting to yield results.

[Read Next: Air Force Leaders: Time to 'Wake Up' About Racial Disparities in Service ]

"We're constantly blowing up and reinventing" the original Pilot Training Next technology, Webb said.

But there are still bottlenecks in the process -- particularly a problem with short-staffed simulator instructors -- which are holding the Air Force back from producing all the new pilots it needs.

The service graduated 1,263 new pilots in 2020. By the time fiscal 2021 ends later this month, Webb hopes this year's tally will hit about 1,350 graduates.

The Air Force needs about 21,000 pilots across its total force, which includes the active duty, National Guard and Reserve. At the end of 2020, the most recent year for which numbers were available, the service was short 1,925 pilots in all, leaving it with somewhere around 19,075. The active duty was short 800 pilots; the Guard, 675; and the Reserve, 450.

That's an improvement from the roughly 2,100-pilot shortage the Air Force recorded in fiscal 2019, but still represents a 9% shortfall. The severe economic blow dealt to commercial airlines in the early months of the coronavirus pandemic led them to greatly slow their pilot hiring. In spring 2020, for example, the Air Force gave at least 171 pilots who were slated to retire or separate permission to stay on longer.

But with commercial travel recovering this year, Webb said, that "grace period" is coming to an end, and pressure again is building for the Air Force to push to create more pilots.

One of the main bottlenecks in the process is simulator training, which is typically taught by civilians. Staffing is "not great," Webb said, and at about 80% across all flying training bases.

That means locations such as Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma, Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi and Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas have been forced to pull instructor pilots, who otherwise would be taking students up in actual training planes, off the flight line to teach on simulators. This makes it harder for students to get real in-flight experience and has hurt pilot production, Webb said.

The Air Force is looking for ways to get around those logjams, such as by conducting remote simulator instruction. For example, a commercial airline pilot who lives elsewhere in the country could "pipe in virtually" to training bases and instruct aspiring Air Force pilots on simulator flying, a technique the service hopes to prototype by next year, Webb said.

The Air Force in recent years has adopted a suite of other technologies and methods, originally developed under the Pilot Training Next program, that sought to streamline undergraduate pilot training by using virtual reality headsets, biometrics and artificial intelligence.

Officials in 2018 touted the VR-fueled training revamp, in which students at times simultaneously train in a series of stations next to each other, as far cheaper and more efficient than the legacy simulators. The AI and biometrics components track how a student pilot is doing on a virtual sortie and are capable of making the flight tougher if the pilot is finding it too easy -- such as by turning the weather stormy -- or easing up on the challenge if the pilot is having a hard time and growing frustrated.

But, Webb said, the push to incorporate VR training is still worthwhile, even if it hasn't been able to cut traditional simulator sorties out of the process. The combination of VR flights, traditional simulator time, and actual sorties in T-6 Texan II trainers is allowing the Air Force to award wings to new pilots earlier than ever, he said.

In March, the first class of pilots graduated from the Undergraduate Pilot Training 2.5 program, which includes the lessons and techniques developed under Pilot Training Next. Those 10 new pilots got their wings after seven months of instruction, as opposed to the traditional yearlong process.

This technology- and AI-fueled revamp of undergraduate pilot training is fully in effect at Vance, as well as Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph in Texas. This fall, it will launch at Columbus, and then at Laughlin next spring.

The Air Force earlier this year began a program called Accelerated Path to Wings, which aims to graduate new pilots after about nine or 10 months, quicker than the traditional year timeframe. Some students in that course came in with previous flight experience, allowing them to move through the process faster. Others already know which aircraft they want to fly, such as mobility aircraft or helicopters, so the program allows them to go straight to the T-1 Jayhawk trainer or training helicopters, and skip the usual period of flying the T-6, after finishing their preflight academics.

Another planned program, called Helicopter Training Next, also would allow aspiring helicopter pilots to go straight to learning to fly rotary-wing aircraft and free up about 90 T-6 training slots per year, Webb said.

The Air Force is still heavily focused on VR technologies, looking at training for jobs beyond flying aircraft, such as for maintainers or civil engineers, under a program now called Tech Training Transformation.

A detachment at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, is developing training methods that use VR goggles and a "virtual hangar" that maintainers-in-training, or other airmen, can use to hone their skills.

There are multiple ways this virtual hangar can be used beyond maintenance training. For example, air transportation airmen, who are in charge of loading passengers and cargo aboard aircraft, can practice driving their cargo loading vehicles virtually without tying up a real vehicle.

Or aeromedical evacuation technicians can virtually practice securing all the equipment necessary to safely fly patients experiencing medical emergencies where they need to go.

Eventually, as this technical training technology becomes more standardized and commonplace, other parts of the Air Force outside of AETC could start to take advantage of it, according to officials.

Singapore Provides 🇸🇬 Republic of Singapore Air Force Fighter Pilot Programme 

Everything You Need To Know About an RSAF Pilot Career

Updated 12 April 2023

Securing employment as a pilot with the Republic of Singapore Air Force provides you with opportunities to earn attractive salaries while putting your piloting skills to good use. The RSAF receives thousands of applications yearly, which is evidence of its appeal. You can improve your chances of getting into the competitive RSAF pilot programme by following certain guidelines. In this article, we explain the common roles of RSAF pilots, average salaries and steps involved in becoming one.

[ Related: 9 Highest-Paying Aviation Jobs (With Salaries and Duties) click here ]

What does an RSAF pilot career involve?

An RSAF pilot career requires you to serve as a member of the national armed forces, with defending the country being your greatest duty. RSAF pilots undergo rigorous training on manoeuvering aircraft, including fighter jets, helicopters and other military aircraft. They apply their flying skills to defending the country against aerial attacks. Here are common responsibilities of RSAF pilots:

● Preparing for missions by evaluating intelligence reports, reviewing weather information and outlining mission objectives with other crew members

● Developing and submitting flight plans and attending crew briefings before take-off

● Overseeing inspection, loading, fuelling and other activities involved in preparing aircraft for flying

● Collaborating with air force commanders to create mission plans and implementing directives

● Communicating with crew members and air traffic control officers during missions

● Performing reconnaissance, surveillance, navigation and rescue missions

● Coordinating instruction of junior fighter pilots, monitoring performance and providing feedback

How do I become an RSAF pilot?

Here's a guide on how to become an RSAF pilot:

1. Meet basic requirements

The RSAF has some basic requirements to meet before being considered for admission into the pilot programme. Below is a summary of important criteria that the organisation watches out for when evaluating applications:

● Age and nationality: To join the RSAF as a pilot, you must be a Singapore citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident. Also, you must be at least 18 years old to apply to the RSAF fighter pilot programme.

● Physical fitness: According to regulations, the ideal candidate for the RSAF must be between 1.62m and 1.90m in height. Prospective fighter pilots are fit and must receive professional fitness assessments from RSAF (Republic of Singapore Air Force) personnel before joining.

● Excellent eyesight: Superior visual health is also a requirement for individuals who desire to serve in the RSAF as fighter pilots. Candidates must not have myopia than 600 degrees per eye and astigmatism not over 200 degrees per eye.

2. Acquire educational qualifications

To be considered for an RSAF pilot role, it's important to possess a degree or diploma in a relevant field or an GCE 'A' Level or IB certificate . Here are some relevant courses for prospective fighter pilots:

●Aerospace engineering

●Computer science

●Chemistry

●Physics

●Aviation

●Aeronautical science

3. Complete the COMPASS test

The COMPASS test is a five-hour computer-based test that measures a candidate's capacity to succeed as a military pilot. COMPASS stands for "Computerised Pilot Aptitude Screening System." The COMPASS test evaluates your core skills, including your ability to multitask, handle stressful situations, make decisions under pressure, employ spatial awareness and deploy psychomotor skills in action. Passing this test takes you to the next phase of becoming an RSAF pilot, which is the board interview.

4. Pass the board interview

Upon completing the COMPASS test and passing, candidates usually field questions from interviewers to prove their capacity to fly. The interview board mostly comprises three to four RSAF officers and a military psychologist. While there are no specific formulas for passing the board interview, practicing your delivery beforehand is likely to improve your performance in the actual interview.

Related: Interview Question: 'Tell Me About Yourself , click here 

5. Undergo fighter pilot training

If you meet the basic requirements, pass the COMPASS test and impress the board interviewers, you're likely to get admitted into the Flying Training Institute—the RSAF arm dedicated to training recruits and preparing them for life as fighter pilots. The RSAF pilot training comes in six phases, with each new stage more demanding than the last. To pass these training phases and become a full-fledged RSAF pilot requires dedication, perseverance and hard work. Here are the phases of the RSAF pilot training programme:

1. Air grading

This phase requires candidates to undergo a six-week training course to gain flying skills. During this training, RSAF pilot recruits spend around 15 hours practicing flying manoeuvres with light propeller aircraft. The air grading exercise tests your skill and capabilities at piloting aircraft. Your ability to withstand stress and adapt to challenging situations is also likely to face examination at this stage.

2. Officer cadet school (OCS)

Candidates who complete the Air Grading exercise proceed to the Officer Cadet School to complete the Common Leadership Module (CLM) and Air Force Service Term (AFST). The programme lasts about nine weeks and covers jungle warfare, flying skills and other fundamental survival training.

3. Basic wings course

The Basic Wings Course is an intensive training programme that trainee pilots complete after air grading and other required training exercises. In this course, cadets get instruction in flying, including lessons on flying theory and survival training. For the latter, trainees are required to complete G-force training and drills designed to enhance their water survival skills.

The BWC exposes you to knowledge areas, such as aerodynamics, navigation, meteorology and understanding of aircraft components. Trainees may travel to Perth, Australia, to take the BWC. Their training comprises practice exercises with several military aircraft, including the popular PC-21 training aircraft, lasting around 100 hours.

4. Advanced flying course

Completing the Advanced Flying Course is required before you can finally receive accreditation as an RSAF military pilot. The Advanced Flying Course has different segments, with each being designed to each candidate's skill and performance capacity. These include:

● Fighter Wings Course

● Rotary Wings Course

● Transport Wings Course

When you complete any of the advanced training courses, you receive the coveted RSAF military pilot wings, making you a full-fledged member of the nation's air force. Afterward, your career may start with a posting to an operational squadron, where you continue flying training while going on missions.

What skills do RSAF pilots need?

Succeeding as an RSAF pilot requires possessing the right mix of technical and soft skills. The list below outlines the most important skills critical to your career as an RSAF pilot:

● Active listening: Airforce pilots need excellent active listening skills for effective performance. They listen attentively during mission briefings, communicate effectively with flight crews and stay alert to specific sounds in the cockpit to accomplish operational objectives.

● Time management: Most airforce missions, including combat, reconnaissance and transport operations, are time sensitive. As an airforce pilot, you are expected to achieve mission objectives within the specific timeframe.

● Coordination: Airforce pilots are typically adept at coordination. Effective pilots manage their flight controls effectively and coordinate their operations with airborne and ground crews to ensure the attainment of objectives.

● Attention to detail: Airforce pilots, especially combat pilots, are detail-oriented. They have acute situational awareness, are adept at reading and interpreting data from their sensor suites and support crews and able to respond quickly to emerging threats in the operational theatre.

● Excellent decision-making: In the fast-paced environment of airforce operations, the ability to make quick decisions can make an enormous difference. Airforce pilots make decisions based on the threat level and the contingencies of their operation.

● Ability to act under pressure: During war and peacetime, pilots often work in contested spaces under intense pressure. Successful pilots can function effectively under these conditions and make the correct decisions regardless of the situation.

● Problem-solving skills: Pilots are excellent at solving problems. A lot of things can go wrong during operations, but an effective pilot can leverage their training and experience to achieve the best outcomes.

How much does an RSAF pilot earn?

According to the Ministry of Defence, these are the salary ranges of airforce pilots: ( amount in SGD )

● OCT: $2,420-$4,890

● 2LT: $2,660-$3,660

● LTA: $2,890-$5,170

● CPT: $4,890-$6,060

● MJR: 

 ( US Air Force Pilot Salary, click here )

Your earnings as a pilot in the RSAF depend on many factors, including your job type and academic qualifications. The best way to receive higher pay is to get promoted through the ranks and enrol in continuing education programmes for better academic qualifications.

AirForce Pilot Pipeline: FLY. FIGHT. WIN.

Fighter:

F-16C/D/D+, 

F-15SG

Attack helicopter:

AH-64D

Patrol:

G550 AEW, 

Fokker 50 MPA

Reconnaissance:

Heron 1, 

Hermes 450

Trainer:

M346, 

PC-21

Transport:

C-130 Hercules, 

Fokker 50 UTL, 

A330 MRTT, 

CH-47SD/F Chinook, 

AS332M Super Puma, 

H225M .

25 JUN 2021 | MILESTONES

FIGHTER PILOT ISKANDAR FLIES HIGH

CPT Muhammad Iskandar is among the 724 SAF personnel to be promoted to the next higher rank this year.

Being able to watch over Singapore skies as a fighter pilot was a childhood dream come true for Captain (CPT) Muhammad Iskandar Dzulfadhli Bin Abdul Rahman, an F-15SG pilot from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF).

Since joining the RSAF in 2008, there were several occasions where he had to scramble his fighter aircraft within minutes, in response to potential air threats.

"The adrenaline (from) being put at the tip of the spear, responding to an actual scenario...knowing that I'm able to apply the years of hard work and training was something that I will always remember," said the 33-year-old who will be promoted to the rank of Major on 1 Jul.

CPT Iskandar (left) receiving his promotion certificate from Deputy Commander Fighter Group, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Mark Tan, at Changi Air Base on 24 Jun.

Here are five things you need to know about him:

1. Flying is his childhood dream

Since young, CPT Iskandar was exposed to the world of aviation by his dad who was an aircraft engineer with Singapore Airlines. As a kid, he would often be at Changi Airport, watching the planes while waiting for his dad to knock-off from work.

With his parents at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Flying Training Center, Canada. Then-Lieutenant Iskandar (centre) was there for training from 2010 to 2011.

In secondary school, CPT Iskandar joined the Singapore Youth Flying Club, where he learnt to build model planes. When he was in junior college, he progressed to actual flying training.

"That's where I first really experienced flying. Some of the instructors were former Air Force pilots and they were an inspiration to me, so I decided to pursue a career in the Air Force," said CPT Iskandar.

2. He's great at flying

From 2015 to 2019, CPT Iskandar was away in Canada and the United Kingdom for his university studies. Despite not having flown much for over those four years, he showed that he still had the moves – he won the Most Outstanding Pilot award during his F-15SG fighter pilot conversion course this year.

CPT Iskandar gearing up for a flight mission on board an F-15SG fighter aircraft.

"Before I left for my studies, I was trained to (fly at) a high level (of proficiency). So by the time I came back four years later, I was able to pick it up quite fast, because of the (strong) fundamentals," said CPT Iskandar, who used to fly the F-5S/T fighter aircraft.

He was part of the 144 Squadron that won the Best Fighter Squadron in the SAF Best Combat Unit competition in 2015

3. He's smart

CPT Iskandar has a Master's degree in Public Policy from the University of Oxford, one of the top universities in the world.

An SAF Academic Scholarship recipient, he also obtained a first class honours degree in Political Science with International Relations from the University of British Columbia, Canada.

CPT Iskandar graduated with a Distinction Award from the University of Oxford in 2019.

4. He's a proven large force mission commander

In 2015, he led over 70 aircraft from the Royal Thai Air Force, the United States Air Force and the RSAF to successfully complete a large force mission in Exercise Cope Tiger.

It involved fighter aircraft, helicopters, transport aircraft, and tanker aircraft. CPT Iskandar had to understand the capabilities of each aircraft type, put together a mission plan, coordinate and lead these warplanes to complete the mission in a safe manner.

5. He's keeping his feet firmly on the ground

He has won several international and local awards in his military career. For example, he was the top graduate twice at the NATO Flying Training Center, Canada, in 2010 and 2011.

And just two weeks ago, he was awarded the Distinguished Graduate for the SAF Tri-Service Warfighter Course. This is a course that develops mid-level officers for joint operations between the Army, Navy and Air Force.

But he is keeping his feet firmly on the ground, crediting his success to support from his peers and instructors in the Air Force as well as his family. "It's not a solo effort; I was really fortunate to have strong support, both at work and at home," he said.

CPT Iskandar will be taking on a staff appointment in the Air Operations Department in RSAF. On top of his flying duties, he will be working on strategic policies and doctrines related to fighter aircraft operations.

"I'm really living my dream of being a fighter pilot. And in the RSAF, any position that you hold, in any unit, there is a purpose and a mission to it. I don't consciously chase for certain positions or rank, I just do my best on the task at hand." — CPT Iskandar on his career aspiration