Life as an Instructor Pilot

What is life like as an Air Force Instructor Pilot (IP)?

The tasks and responsibilities of an Instructor Pilot can vary greatly depending on if you have previously flown a Major Weapons System (MWS) or are beginning your flying career straight out of UPT as a First Assignment Instructor Pilot (FAIP). That being said, all Instructor Pilots begin this assignment by attending a course called Pilot Instructor Training (PIT).

Pilot Instructor Training is completed at Joint Base San Antonio – Randolph. It is roughly a 4-6-month training course created to develop, train, and support Air Force Instructor Pilots. During PIT, pilots are educated on how to effectively teach students in the T-6 Texan, T-1 Jayhawk, or T-38 Talon. During PIT, experienced aviators learn how to communicate and instruct others to become proficient to fly. This includes instructors learning how to productively communicate with student pilots.

PIT can be a challenging experience. There are both physical and mental demands put on instructor pilots. Because of this, it is important to stay in a quality military PIT pad in San Antonio. Royal Retreats Crash Pads offers multiple military PIT pads both central to downtown San Antonio and closer to JBSA Randolph. Each of our military crash pads is fully stocked and furnished, which alleviates some of the stress during PIT. Our San Antonio military PIT pads provide all the comforts of home and the services of a hotel-like stay. Whether you choose to travel solo, bring your family and pets, or share the house with a roommate, our military crash pads include all of your needed amenities. We make it our mission to provide you with incredible military PIT pads for the best TDY lodging experience in San Antonio.

With all the services and amenities provided, our San Antonio military PIT pads make it a breeze to focus on and complete Pilot Instructor Training and get you back to your home base. Following your completion of PIT, you will head to your assigned duty station as a newly minted Air Force Instructor Pilot. After in-processing, your role will require you to complete Theater Indoctrination (TI). In TI, new Instructor Pilots fly with experienced IPs to learn the flow, techniques, and ropes of the local area.

After TI, your squadron will consider you an ‘inexperienced IP’ as well as a ‘Line IP’. Typically, you will fly 6-9 sorties per week with the more advanced student pilots in your squadron while you build up your instruction hours, gain experience, and get the hang of the whole IP job. As you continue to grow as an IP – in experience, knowledge, hours, and leadership – you will begin instructing students of all levels assigned to your squadron. Roughly a year into your role as an IP, you will be considered an ‘experienced Instructor Pilot’ and begin to be picked for leadership positions, either within your current squadron or in other flying squadrons on base.

Are you looking for a comfortable military PIT pad for your TDY in San Antonio? Contact us today!