Posted on Mar 22, 2018
Is it possible for a commissioned officer to become an instructor pilot in the Army? Or is that track only open to warrant officers?
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Yes, there is no grade restriction for an officer attending IPC. However, it’s a bell curve. As brand new IERW grad, your chances start at impossible (need 50 hrs of PC time and some airframe IPCs have a minimum time in the aircraft). Once you get a few hours into your logbook, make PC, (Sr 1LT-CPT) your chances are improving. As you crest the oak leaf and make major (unless you are an AASF guy in the Guard/Reserves) your chances will decrease to nil again. The Only O5/O6s I have ever heard of attending IPC are State Aviation Officers (ARNG) possibly the occasional Battalion Commander, but the prospect diminishes back to improbable. BUT... if you time it right, and you are a good stick... it is possible.
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It is absolutely possible to become an Instructor Pilot as a Commisioned Officer. However, it is not very common and would very likely not happen while you are an LT. You would submit an IPC course packet just like you would for any other school. Whether it gets approved or not depends on your CoC and the needs of the Army. Right now your best bet to become an IP would be as an O-3 Apache pilot. Best of luck to you!
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I think it's more common in the Guard than it is elsewhere. I know of at least 4 commissioned officers that are IPs. One is a LTC who is our BC and the AASF Commander. Two are Majors, one of whom is also an IP at Rucker. One is a Captain, our AASF maintenance officer.
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