COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- History took flight here as Air Education and Training Command celebrated the first graduating class of pilots trained as part of the groundbreaking Future of Undergraduate Pilot Training (FUPT) program May 16, 2025.
These 24 newly winged aviators represent a turning point in the Air Force’s ability to meet pilot production goals and forges a training pipeline to meet today’s demand with capacity to surge to future requirements.
"This graduating class is unlike any other group of graduates; they weathered the leading edge of a ‘true proof of concept’ to meet or exceeded all training standards," said Brig. Gen. Matthew A. Leard, AETC director of Plans, Programs and Requirements. "Their student performance data will help refine the program, but our assessment is that this new model enables the Air Force to increase pilot production at scale to reach our critical target of producing 1,500 pilots annually in 2026.”
These pilots, who began their journey in Spring of 2024 at Brunner Aviation in Georgetown, TX., flew approximately 110 hours, earning their FAA private pilot certificate, instrument rating, and multi-engine rating as part of a carefully crafted Initial Pilot Training (IPT) to gain basic piloting competencies.
Upon arrival at Columbus, the students began training in the T-6A Texan II, concentrating on more advanced, military-specific competencies. Under this new construct, students will log approximately 60 flying and 50 simulator hours in the T-6A and will complete the military competency phase in 108 training days.
The modified military syllabus -- tailored to complement the new IPT phase -- ensures these graduates are fully equipped for the challenges ahead, Leard said.
“Investing in these students up front, builds a strong foundation of basic airmanship, instrument, multi-engine, and crew resource management and then allows us to really focus the T-6 training, and our military instructor pilots’ time, on building military specific competencies," Leard explained. “This combination allows the Air Force to produce highly qualified military pilots in strategically relevant quantities.”
With the Air Force setting an ambitious goal of producing 1,500 pilots annually, Col. James Blech, 14th Flying Training Wing commander, emphasized the importance of embracing innovation and adaptability to meet the moment.
“Here at Columbus AFB, we’re not just adapting to change – we’re driving it. By integrating innovation into our pilot training pipeline, we’re shaping a new era of pilot development that keeps pace with the demands of the future fight,” Blech said. “We’re transforming the way we train here because the mission demands it – and I have full confidence in Team 14 to rise to this challenge and continue delivering world class pilots.”
To maintain momentum toward this goal, Blech stressed the importance of continuous process improvement of the FUPT model.
“Refining the production process has been a foundational piece of Air Force pilot training going back to the Army Air Corps in WWII,” Blech said. “Every lesson learned, every innovation applied, helps us build a leaner, faster, more capable pipeline to meet the needs of tomorrow’s Air Force.”