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Active duty Department of the Air Force officers and enlisted Airmen and Space Professionals interested in becoming a rated officer have until Dec. 31, to apply for the Spring 2021 Rated Preparatory Program.
This will be the third year that the Air Force has partnered with the Civil Air Patrol for this training. The 2021 class will take place at the Denton Enterprise Airport in Denton, Texas.
“The Rated Preparatory Program provides Department of the Air Force officers and for the first time enlisted applicants, who are interested in cross-training to a rated career field the opportunity to gain and strengthen their basic aviation skills,” said Col. Scott Linck, Aircrew Task Force deputy director. “This program will allow them to enhance their knowledge through developmental modules and acquire valuable flight time in order to increase their competitiveness as candidates for future undergraduate flying training boards.”
Applicants selected for the RPP will first complete an online self-paced ground course followed by a one-week in-resident course to introduce them to aviation fundamentals. Program participants will garner approximately seven to nine flight hours, ground instruction and additional training time in a flight simulator.
Officers who complete the program are required to apply to the next available Undergraduate Flying Training selection board. Enlisted participants who complete the program are required to apply to at least one of three Air Force commissioning sources: U.S. Air Force Academy, Reserve Officer Training Corps or Officer Training School.
Airmen who can meet the following requirements are encouraged to apply:
- Any active duty officer who meets UFT board requirements.
- Any active duty enlisted Airman or Space Professional who meets UFT board requirements and qualifies for a commission through one of the three commissioning sources (Reference PSDM 20-96 for further information).
- Be a U.S. Citizen.
- Be of high moral character and personal qualifications (members currently having open law violations or criminal investigations, previously convicted by court-martial or having received an Article 15 are ineligible to apply).
- Have the unit commander’s approval and endorsement.
- Have a current passing Physical Fitness Test score.
- Have a Pilot Candidate Selection Method score prior to the RPP class start date.
- Have less than five hours of total civilian flight time (applicants with greater than five hours of civilian flight time may apply, but will only be considered on a space available basis).
- Officers: Obtain a U.S. Air Force Initial Flying Class I, 1A, Ground Based Controller or III flight physical prior to entry into the RPP.
- Enlisted: Obtain an FAA Class III physical prior to entry into the RPP (Reference PSDM 20-96; consult a local Aviation Medical Examiner).
- Complete an online self-paced ground course that will be provided prior to the class start date.
- Be prepared to retake the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test and Test of Basic Aviation Skills at the first available opportunity upon completion of RPP, preferably within two to four weeks.
“When comparing applicant scores pre- and post-RPP, results show, on average, a 20% improvement in student AFOQT scores and a 35-point increase in PCSM scores,” said Maj. Sean Stumpf, Aircrew Task Force talent management branch chief. “Approximately 90% of officers who went through the program in 2019 and applied for UFT were selected. We are hoping for the same results from the most recent class that went through the program this summer.”
Interested applicants can find additional information on how to apply through the MyPers website at https://mypers.af.mil/.
