U.S. Air Force aeronautical ratings are military aviation skill standards established and awarded by the United States Air Force for commissioned officers participating in aerial and space flight. USAF aeronautical badges, commonly referred to as "wings" from their shape and their historical legacy, are awarded by the Air Force in recognition of degrees of achievement and experience. Officers earning these badges are classified as rated officers.
For all categories of aeronautical ratings, to be eligible for the rating and to wear the appropriate badge, an officer must be medically qualified to fly and also be qualified by flying status proficiency. Certified flight officers who develop medical conditions that disqualify them from flying are classified DNIF (Duties Not Including Flying). DNIF may be temporary or permanent. Officers placed on permanent DNIF status are either cross-trained into another career field, or separated from the Air Force, depending on the severity of their medical condition.
The Astronaut "qualifier" is awarded only by the Air Force Chief of Staff for rated officers formally qualified to perform duties at least 50 miles above the earth's surface and who have participated in at least one operational mission, and has a distinctive Astronaut Badge, consisting of a qualifier device superimposed on their rated badge.[1]
The five categories of aeronautical ratings are:[2]
- Pilot - awarded by the Commander or delegated wing commanders, Air Education and Training Command (AETC)
- Navigator - awarded by the Commander or delegated wing commanders, AETC
- Air Battle Manager - awarded by the Commander or delegated wing commanders, Air Combat Command
- Observer - awarded by the Senior Air Force Officer, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Flight Surgeon - awarded by the Commander, USAF School of Aerospace Medicine
Contents |
Background
Aeronautical ratings were established on 23 February 1912, by War Department Bulletin No. 6, as a new measurement of pilot skill.[3] Before that time most pilots of the Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps soloed by the "short hop method" (also known as "grass-cutting"), in which student pilots, flying alone, learned to handle airplane controls on the ground, taxied in further practice until just short of takeoff speeds, and finally took off to a height of just ten feet, gradually working up to higher altitudes and turns. The practice resulted in the first pilot death only a month into training. At least three of these pilots had been previously instructed by Glen Curtiss at North Island field, California. Concurrently, two pilots (Henry H. Arnold and Thomas DeWitt Milling) were instructed by the Wright Brothers and certified by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) in July 1911.
To establish formal standards of certification, the Army created the Military Aviator rating (MA) and published requirements on 20 April 1912. The first rating was awarded to future General of the Air Force Henry H. Arnold, on 5 July 1912.[4] The first rating requirements were:
- Attain an altitude of at least 2,500 feet;
- Pilot an aircraft for at least five minutes in a wind of 15 m.p.h. velocity or greater;
- Carry a passenger to an altitude of 500 feet, with a combined weight of pilot and passenger of 250 pounds or more, and make a deadstick landing to within 150 feet of a designated point; and
- Make a military reconnaissance flight of at least 20 miles cross-country at an average altitude of 1,500 feet.[5]
War Department General Order (GO) No. 39, dated 27 May 1913, certified 24 officers including Arnold as "qualified", and authorized issuance of a certificate and badge. A number of designs were considered before the War Department chose a design of an eagle, holding Signal Corps flags in its talons, suspended from a bar embossed with "Military Aviator", for the badge. The first group of 14 aviators was authorized to receive the badge on 29 September 1913, with the first two issued 16 October 1913, to Captain Charles DeF. Chandler and Lt. Thomas D. Milling, both of whom had also received the first ratings with Arnold on 5 July 1912. All 24 officers certified by G.O. 39 were eventually issued the badge.[6]
In 1914, Congress established the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps, replacing the Aeronautical Division. Two levels of qualification were specified in War Department Bulletin No. 35 on 4 May 1914, with aviators below the rank of captain rated as Junior Military Aviator and those captain and above rated as Military Aviator (limited to 15 by law). Ironically, the change automatically reduced the ratings of all 24 existing Military Aviators because of a prerequisite of three years experience as a JMA before becoming eligible for MA. None re-acquired the rating (and its additional 25% increase in flight pay) until 1917. The Military Aviator badge was replaced on 15 August 1917 by creation of a new "wings" badge, the first sketches of which are attributed to Arnold in early 1917.
Dr. Maurer Maurer, in his history of the Air Corps Aviation and the U.S. Army, 1919-1939, noted that ratings requirements in the 1930's were for graduation from Air Corps Advanced Flying School for a rating of pilot; ten years service and 1,800 hours of military flight for a senior pilot rating; and either 15 years service with 3,000 hours, or 20 years service with 2,000 hours, for command pilot. For both advanced ratings, hours as a pilot or navigator were calculated at 100%, but military flight hours in any other capacity were calculated at a 50% rate.[7]
Pilot ratings
| Pilot Badge |  |
The USAF awards pilot ratings at three levels: Pilot, Senior Pilot, and Command Pilot, to active duty officers and to officers considered as "rated assets" in the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard (i.e., the Air Reserve Components). Rating standards apply equally to both fixed-wing and helicopter pilots.
The following additional criteria are required to be rated as a USAF pilot:[8]
| Rating | Basic requirement | Flight time | Alternative flight time |
| Command Pilot | *15 years as rated pilot, and *Permanent award of senior pilot rating, and |
3000 total hours, or | *2300 hours primary and instructor flight, or *144 months Operational Flying Duty (OFDA) |
| Senior Pilot | *7 years as rated pilot, and *Permanent award of pilot rating, and |
2000 total hours, or | 1300 hours primary and instructor flight |
| Pilot | *Graduate of USAF pilot training program, or *Graduate of other US military pilot training if ordered by USAF, or *Graduate of other US military pilot training if equivalent to USAF program, or *Graduate of helicopter training in other US military and |
200 hours primary and instrument flight 200 hours in rotary flight time and instrument qualification |
Navigator ratings
| Navigator Badge |  |
The USAF awards navigator ratings at three levels: Navigator, Senior Navigator, and Master Navigator, for active duty officers and officers considered "rated assets" in the Air Reserve Components. The following additional criteria are required for rating as a navigator:
| Rating | Basic requirement | Flight time | Alternative flight time |
| Master Navigator | *15 years as rated navigator, and *Permanent award of senior navigator rating, and |
3000 total hours, or | *2300 hours primary and instructor time, or *144 months OFDA |
| Senior Navigator | *7 years as rated navigator *Permanent award of navigator rating |
2000 total hours | *1300 hours primary and instructor time, or *72 months OFDA |
| Navigator | *Graduate of USAF Undergraduate Navigator Training, or *Graduate of USN Naval Flight Officer course, VT-86 (Advanced Navigation) |
400 hours primary navigator time | None Reviewed by Aeronautical Rating Board and approved by Major Command |
Air Battle Manager ratings
| Air Battle Manager Badge |  |
The USAF awards Air Battle Manager ratings at three levels: Air Battle Manager, Senior Air Battle Manager, and Master Air Battle Manager, for active duty officers and officers considered "rated assets" in the Air Reserve Components. The following additional criteria are required to be rated as an air battle manager:
| Rating | Basic requirement | Flight time | Alternative flight time |
| Master Air Battle Manager | *15 years as rated ABM, and *Permanent award of senior ABM rating, and |
3000 total hours, or | *2300 hours primary and instructor time, or *144 months OFDA |
| Senior Air Battle Manager | *7 years as rated ABM, and *Permanent award of ABM rating, and |
2000 total hours, or | *1300 hours primary and instructor time, or *72 months OFDA |
| Air Battle Manager | *Graduate of E-3 Formal Training Unit course[9], or *Graduate of E-8 Formal Training Unit course |
No time required |
Observer ratings
| Observer Badge | |
The USAF awards observer ratings at three levels: Observer, Senior Observer, and Master Observer, for active duty officers and officers considered "rated assets" in the Air Reserve Components. The insignia is identical to USAF Navigator and is typically awarded to officers assigned as NASA Mission Specialist Astronauts and are not otherwise rated as USAF pilots or navigators. The following additional criteria are required to be rated as a USAF observer:
| Rating | Basic requirement | Flight time | Alternative flight time |
| Master Observer | *15 years as rated observer, and *Permanent award of senior observer rating, and |
3000 total hours, or | *2300 hours primary and instructor time, or *144 months OFDA |
| Senior Observer | *7 years as rated observer, and *Permanent award of observer rating. and |
2000 total hours, or | *1300 hours primary and instructor time, or *72 months OFDA |
| Observer | *Graduate of NASA Mission Specialist training | No time required |
Flight Surgeon ratings
| Flight Surgeon Badge |  |
The USAF awards flight surgeon ratings at three levels: Flight Surgeon, Senior Flight Surgeon, and Chief Flight Surgeon, for active duty officers and officers considered "rated assets" in the Air Reserve Components. The following additional criteria are required for rating as a USAF flight surgeon:
| Rating | Basic requirement | Flight time | Alternative flight time |
| Chief Flight Surgeon | *15 years rated service as flight surgeon, and *Permanent award of senior flight service rating, and *1 year current active service as flight surgeon, and |
750 logged hours, or | 144 months OFDA |
| Senior Flight Surgeon | *7 years rated service as flight surgeon, and *Permanent award of flight surgeon rating. and *1 year current active service as flight surgeon, and |
350 logged hours, or | 72 months OFDA |
| Flight Surgeon | *Graduate of Aerospace Medicine Primary Course, and *Unrestricted medical license, and *Awarded Air Force Specialty Code 48XX |
No time required |
Pilot-Physicians
Flight surgeons may also perform duties as Pilot-physicians. Pilot-physicians are primarily assigned to an operational flying squadron in their respective aircraft, with their main assignment as a pilot, but also with clinical duties seeing patients, usually the flight medicine clinic, depending on the pilot-physician's medical specialty. While the number of available positions is not specifically authorized, the numbers are small because of service commitments required for both USAF pilot training (10 years) and USAF-sponsored medical training (4 years), and because of authorized limits of pilot slots in specific aircraft types. Pilot-physician is also an alternative track for NASA astronaut candidates.[10]
Pilot-physicians are eligible for advanced ratings as both flight surgeons and pilots. They may apply toward advanced pilot ratings any USAF pilot years of aviation service, months of operational flying duty, and total flying hours accrued before achieving flight surgeon status. After attaining status as a pilot-physician, all hours flown as a pilot, and months of operational flying duty credit accrued as a pilot, may be "dual-credited" toward both advanced pilot and flight surgeon ratings as long as the officer is on aeronautical orders as an active pilot-physician. Hours flown as a flight surgeon, however, may be applied only towards advanced flight surgeon ratings.[11]
Notes
- ^ Air Force Instruction (AFI) 11-402, Paragraph 2.2.2
- ^ AFI 11-402. Paragraph 2.2 defines the categories of aeronautical ratings and Paragraph 2.4 the authority making the award.
- ^ Hennessy, Juliette A. (1958). USAF Historical Study No. 98: The United States Army Air Arm, April 1861 to April 1917, USAF Historical Division, p.58.
- ^ John T. Correll, "The First of the Force", AIR FORCE Magazine, August 2007, p. 50.
- ^ Hennessy, Appendix 8, p.227.
- ^ Hennessy, p.59.
- ^ Maurer Maurer (1987). Aviation in the U.S. Army, 1919-1939, Office of Air Force History, Washington, D.C. ISBN 1410213919 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK]. P. 380.
- ^ AFI 11-402 Table 2.1. This table defines requirements for all five categories of ratings.
- ^ FTU is an umbrella term for both current Undergraduate ABM Training (UABMT) and previous Programmed Flying Training (PFT) in a flying unit
- ^ AFI 11-405 Pilot-Physician Program
- ^ AFI 11-402, Paragraph 2.9
References
- AFI 11-402, Aviation and Parachutist Service, Aeronautical Ratings and Badges, 29 July 2003
- Correll, John T. "The First of the Force," AIR FORCE Magazine, August 2007, Vol. 90, No. 8, the Air Force Association, Arlington, Virginia
- History: The 1913 Military Aviator's Badge awarded to Captain Paul W. Beck, U.S. Infantry, by Walter Schott The Early Birds of Aviation, Inc.
See also
- Badges of the United States Air Force
- Military badges of the United States
- Obsolete badges of the United States military
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