JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas — Several Air Education and Training Command initiatives to remove barriers for qualified candidates in the pilot candidate selection process were highlighted in the Air Force’s six-month assessment of its initial Racial Disparity Report Sept. 9.
Pilot Candidates may now:
– Use their highest composite scores from any Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) rather than the most current score.
– Complete the Test of Basic Aviation Skills (TBAS) up to three times, with the third requiring a waiver from the applicant’s wing commander or equivalent.
– Re-take the AFOQT and TBAS after 90 days compared to the previous 150-day requirement for the AFOQT and 180 days for the TBAS.
– Participate in study sessions with other individuals who have not yet taken the test if the examinee has also never taken the AFOQT.
These changes came after extensive research conducted by the pilot selection process working group responsible for identifying potential barriers while upholding the standards of excellence in the Pilot Candidate Selection Method (PCSM) used since 1993.
“Our studies concluded that these changes will result in more qualified candidates of underrepresented groups being selected for training,” said Lt. Col. Brandi King, the working group’s Air Education and Training Command lead.
Prior flying experience a barrier to qualification
Prior flying experience, the second largest component of an applicant’s PCSM score, particularly poses a socioeconomic barrier to candidates without access to or financial means to pay for flying lessons. To address this barrier, the Air Force now considers only a candidate’s initial 60 flight hours when scoring a candidate.
“There is no evidence that more than 61 hours of flight experience poses a significant benefit to pilot training success,” said Dr. Katie Gunther, chief of strategic research and assessment at the Air Force Personnel Center. “The probability of success in flight training increases substantially from 0 hours to 60 hours, then relatively plateaus.”
The working group also found that removing the higher ranges of flight hours as part of the PCSM score would result in a more-diverse applicant pool. According to the Validation of the Pilot Candidate Selection Method 2020 report prepared by the AFPC Strategic Research and Assessment branch, removing the four highest ranges of flight hour codes would have resulted in 69 more Hispanic, 47 more female, and 26 more Black/African-American qualified applicants over a 12-year period.
“Flying lessons are expensive and could potentially exclude qualified candidates from becoming pilots in the Air Force due to limited income or lack of opportunities,” said Brig. Gen. Brenda Cartier, AETC’s Director of Operations and Communications and the pilot selection process working group’s overall lead. “In order to ensure we do not eliminate otherwise qualified candidates, flight programs have been implemented at both The United States Air Force Academy and the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. Cadets receive free ground and flight training, and an opportunity to gain critical skills and directly improve their competiveness for pilot selection boards.”
Pilot selection process
A PCSM score quantifies a pilot candidate’s predicted aptitude for success at undergraduate pilot training. This score is comprised of the AFOQT and TBAS scores, previous flying experience, and other “whole-person concept” merits such as grade point average, physical fitness assessment scores and class ranking.
“Data supports that the PCSM is the best single predictor of pilot training completion. However, it is imperative that we continue re-evaluating our selection methods and remove barriers that hinder rated diversity without compromising test integrity or lowering standards,” King said.
Please tell me how they’re upholding the standards? If you’re going to AFOQT composites and three shots at TBAS that’s a material change to standards. I have no issue per se with prior flying experience. Only that, on average, prior experience better prepares you for the fundamentals. Furthermore, if your PCSM score has been a good predictor of pilot training completion- why change the scoring?
Time to start stocking up on aircraft and maintainers if they are dropping standards. Personally, I fail to see how equally applied standards in the form of testing, is in any way doing something other than picking the best applicants. Race has nothing to do with it.
Whats next mandatory PJ or combat swimmer training for inner city recruits? When did simply picking the best person become a bad idea?
So are they saying they discriminate now? Are they not promoting pilots based on their race? Or are not enough minorities becoming pilots? Isn’t that the ultimate racism to lower the standards so that more minorities move ups
? Are they really saying minorities are not capable of promoting without cheating? How about we promote the best and most capable, and not worry about race or gender? I just don’t understand any of this. If the Air Force was full of Asian women I wouldn’t care as long as they’re the best pilots in the air.
It seems to me that everything now a days is simply meant to tarnish the image of the US and reduce peoples will to fight for the country.
Yet another example of the soft bigotry of low expectations.
The Air Force is trying to color by numbers with its hiring process for pilots, this of course is also reflected in every other service’s “improved” recruiting process as well. So much for wanting the best. Now hiring is to be conducted by a racial, gender and orientation bingo chart.
Equality of opportunity I support and applaud, equality of outcome (AKA Equity) is toxic and devoid of merit and humanity.
I knew it was just a matter of time for this cancer to infect the flying arts.
It’s silly little things like this that are contributing to the decline of the west.
Maybe not a cause, but definitely a symptom.
Sad. Reinforcing myths which keep us divided.
I don’t care what racial background the pilot above me is; what I care about is his/her competence to deliver results on target repeatedly and accurately. Diluting entry requirements for people just so we can get more “minorities” in is a poor move and shows the weak mindedness of current military leadership. Let’s build a more capable force, not worry about meeting a quota for diversity. Sort your shit leadership, don’t be the ones contributing to a less effective force.
Racism of lowered expectations masking as diversity.
Ain’t Marxism fun! Lol 🙂
I’m so glad we’re focusing on this as China and Russia continue to close their capability gaps at record speed.
I’m sure online leftists will hold them accountable for their lack of diversity…
The Twitter commies usually initiate radio silence when you mention communism’s history of ethnic cleansing and homogeneity. Or deflect with “that wasn’t real communism” before jumping into another deflection.
What a load of BS. Take the tests and meet the requirements. If you pass, then great…if you don’t, oh well, there is always welding school. May the most qualified candidate win.
Elections have consequences….
The New Sec Def is on a mission to mess up everything….
General Milley is also implicated in this idiocy….