How hard is it to become an Air Force pilot?
posed a user on Quora, the popular question and answer platform. With just  The Air Force has 12,395 pilots, 3,313 navigators and 1,343 air battle managers in the grade of lieutenant colonel and below, according to personnel records. The Air Force has 26,097 nonrated line officers in the grade of lieutenant colonel and below.  Its a small number, but for those who dream of taking to the skies with the Air Force, its not impossible. The problem potential USAF pilots have is there is such a tiny number of pilot training slots compared to the number of interested candidates, wrote Jim Howard, a commercial pilot and former USAF Electronic Warfare Officer. However, Howard doesnt believe that should discourage hopefuls from trying. heck, somebody has to fly those F-22s! The only way to know if youre one of those somebodies is to throw your hat in the ring! he added. Another pilot, Michael Wales, described the pilot requirements in a lengthy post on the forum. First, all pilots in the US Air Force are officers, this means youll need a college degree and youll need to complete Officer Training School (OTS - essentially the equivalent of enlisted personnels basic training) between the ages of 18 and 29, he wrote, adding, if you pass that you might get one of roughly 1,400 pilot trainee slots available each year. Youll continue through Introductory Flight Training (teaching basic flight concepts common amongst all aviation), youll then attend Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training for a year to learn military aviation concepts. Sign up for the Early Bird Brief - a daily roundup of military and defense news stories from around the globe. Thanks for signing up. By giving us your email, you are opting in to the Early Bird Brief. Some on the forum suggest that the barrier to entry has much to do with timing, however. Its a supply and demand equation, wrote John Tringali, who identified himself as a pilot. If the AF really really needs pilots desperately (like right now) you can get through and have issues remembering which way is left and which is right. Other times, when the military is drawing down, you fail a single check ride and you get washed out.  While there was no consensus about the chances of becoming a pilot, training is not easy. And the life of a pilot can be taxing. However, one user suggested that its worth the hardships. Becoming a USAF Fighter pilot was one of the toughest things Ive ever done in my life, wrote user Charlie Alpha. It requires 110% dedication & motivation, extreme mental fortitude, resiliency, and a cant quit attitude. Not every person can do it, and once you do, you realize there are very few things you cant accomplish if you apply yourself fully.