Optimizing the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Pilot Career Field

Abstract

The Air Force recently established a new "18X" RPA pilot air force specialty code (AFSC), separate from the traditional "11X" pilot AFSC. Graduates of the new 18X RPA pilot training syllabus receive limited flight training and do not hold the same aeronautical ratings of their traditional Air Force pilot colleagues in operational RPA squadrons. This paper explores two questions that are important to the success of the growing community of 18X pilots by using a problem/solution framework: First, what is the optimal rate of 18X pilot production? Second, what actions will foster the development of 18X leaders within the RPA community? Two rates of 18X pilot production are assessed using the limitations common to traditional pilot production. One is a conservative pilot-production rate and the other is a maximized rate. Despite technological challenges, a maximized rate will best meet the time-critical demand for RPA pilots. It will also increase 18X leadership opportunities and foster the development of an 18X "warrior culture."

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2011
Accession Number
AD1030790

Entities

People

  • Erik D. Jorgensen

Organizations

  • Air Command and Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Autonomy
  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accidents
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Personnel
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Control Systems
  • Fighter Aircraft
  • Flight Simulators
  • Flight Training
  • Military Science
  • Remotely Piloted Vehicles
  • Students
  • United States
  • Unmanned Aerial Systems
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Unmanned Systems

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering.
  • Aviation Science / Aeronautics.
  • Systems Analysis and Design