Aviation

Naval Aviation is renowned for the demands it places upon its flyers. The skills and concentration required to land a high performance jet on board an aircraft carrier deck pitching in the black of night, or to track a submarine while flying at only a few feet above stormy seas, are only linked to a solid academic background or to top physical conditioning. There is more to it than that; it requires a combination of talents and dedication that many people possess, but few are challenged to use to full measure.

NROTC graduates are selected for flight training during their final year of school based on their grade point average, Aviation Selection Test Battery scores, and whether or not they are physically qualified. All are volunteers. Before commencing flight training, Student Naval Aviators must successfully complete the Introductory Flight Screening program. After IFS, they arrive at Naval Air Station Pensacola to begin the Aviation Pre-flight Indoctrination (API) program. This course involves academic training in aerodynamics, engineering, air navigation, aviation physiology, and water survival, as well as physically challenging practical applications of physiology and water survival training.

Aviation - Pilot

Upon completion of API, a Student Naval Aviator (SNA) is assigned to one of five navy training squadrons for primary flight training using the T-34C Turbo Mentor, a single-engine turboprop aircraft, or the T-6 Texan JPATS. Primary flight training includes the basics of contact, instrumentation, formation, and aerobatics. After successful completion of primary training, student aviators are selected for their community pipeline and move on to the intermediate phase. Selection is based on personal preference, individual flight performance, and the needs of the service at that point and time. Student pilots will be selected for one of five pipelines: Strike (tactical jets), E-2/C-2, Maritime, E-6, or Rotary wing (helicopter). Upon completion of their intermediate training, SNAs are awarded their wings and proceed to specific Fleet Readiness Squadrons for specialized training in their aircraft, either fixed wing (including the F-14 Tomcat, F/A-18 Hornet, A-6 Intruder, EA-6B Prowler, S-3 Viking, P-3 Orion, C-130 Hercules, E-2C Hawkeye, C-2 Greyhound) or rotary wing (SH-60 Seahawk, H-53 Sea Stallion, H-46 Sea Knight, H-2 Sea Sprite, H-3 Sea King).

Aviation - Flight Officer

Upon completion of API, Student Naval Flight Officers (SNFOs) report to the NFO training squadron (VT-10) in Pensacola, Florida. VT-10 is the largest training squadron in the Naval Air Training Command providing fourteen weeks of intense training using the T-34C aircraft. Students learn visual flight rules and basic airmanship while accumulating an average of twenty-two hours of flight time over eight flights. Additionally, they go through an extremely extensive ground syllabus concentrating on navigation and aircraft electronic systems. Flight simulators are also extensively used.

After the successful completion of primary flight training, SNFOs proceed to tactical navigation intermediate training which may be continued in VT-86 at Pensacola, Florida or at the 562nd Flight Training Squadron which is the Air Force's joint training squadron located at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas. Training will include flight time in the T-34C, the T-6, the T-39N, or the T-1A Jayhawk.

Those selected for training in the 562nd FTS will fly an average of eighty additional hours in the T-43A (a modified Boeing 737) developing skills in long range, over-water navigation using celestial, inertial, and radio navigation. After twenty-two weeks, SNFOs are awarded their wings and precede to Fleet Readiness Squadrons to train for navigator slots for the P-3 Orion patrol plane, EP-3 Aries electronic reconnaissance aircraft, C-130 transport, or E-6 strategic communications aircraft.

Those not selected to join the joint Air Force training squadron will remain in Pensacola in VT-86 for an additional fourteen weeks of training including fifty additional flight hours in the T-34C, the T-39N, or the T-1A Jayhawk. SNFOs who complete intermediate training will be selected for one of three training pipelines: Strike, Strike/Fighter, or Aviation Tactical Data System.

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