Initial Flight Training

[1] Attendance consists of both newly commissioned USAF officers (i.e., second lieutenants) and prior-commissioned USAF officers (e.g., first lieutenants, captains and in very rare instances majors) with no previous rated flight experience.

IFT consolidated three separate programs: These three programs were originally for pilot candidates who did not have at least an FAA Private Pilot Certificate (e.g. current pilots and navigators/combat system operators), and were consolidated into the current single civilian contractor-operated program under direct USAF auspices and oversight of the 12th Flying Training Wing (12 FTW) of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) at Randolph AFB, Texas, and its subordinate 306th Flying Training Group (306 FTG) at the USAF Academy, Colorado.

IFT is conducted at Pueblo Memorial Airport, Colorado and is most similar to the former FSPOT for OTS graduates since it is conducted at a single site and all students are commissioned USAF officers.

IFT students must be undergraduate pilot training (UPT) candidates and be medically qualified with a Federal Aviation Administration Class III airman medical certificate and a USAF Flying Class 1 or 1A flight physical, as appropriate.

IFT conducts flight screening for 1,300 to 1,700 USAF officers annually.