Potential Pilot Qualified (PPQ)

[Humey]

Per Stars and Stripes, 530 spots were given to USAFA class of 2019 .

https://www.stripes.com/news/air-fo...s-to-pilot-training-to-stem-shortage-1.557732

From many other posts on this forum, the number of pilot spots each year is/was approximiatley 1100. This is confirmed by the Air Force Times

https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/...ilot-production-but-it-wont-be-nearly-enough/

So if I do simple math, 530/1100 = 48% are from Air Force Academy. The rest would be 52% with the majority coming from Rotc. UPT may be doing more than 1100 per year meaning that the percentage of pilots coming out of AFA is less than 48%

 

[S_Austin]

Is there anyway to check if I am potential pilot qualified on the DoDMERB site or USAFA/AFROTC sites?

There are some other threads about this, and they say that if your status is "commission qualified" you are NOT PPQ. But they are a few years old, and things may have changed.

My DODMERB status is "Qualified", but it says nothing about pilot. As far as I know (for AFROTC at least) you can't even compete for a pilot slot if your DODMERB isn't PPQ.

Thanks everyone!
(Moderators, if you think this should go under ROTC, go ahead and move it. Thanks!)

This is what shown up on my DS's DoDMERB portal for USAFA. For the other SA's, he has only "Qualified". We don't read much into the status, just feel blessed that he is qualified.

 

[rdhdstpchld]

I may be off on this, but I think in this day and age, being PPQ vs just Q is a small push in your favor; USAFA has publicly stated it's turning back to it's original mission - to produce pilots for the worlds greatest air force - etc etc ; even the welcome letter refrences this - it basically says "if you are medically qualified to fly, you will get the chance to fly" - theoretically, this could put a candidate with no medical issues (yet) - all other considerations being equal - a small step ahead of another cadet with +8.25 eyes as far as admission goes - - just something to consider.

So how does this focus merge with the stated mission of the Air Force to "fly, fight and win in air, space and cyberspace"?

I guess you'd have to go look up the stats of how many support commissions are granted (finance, personnel, CE, etc.) - plus USAFA is only a part of the commissioning sources available; it makes perfect sense that USAFA become the "pilot factory" and ROTC/OTS fill the support billets needed

USAFA has a slight majority in producing pilots but its not like its a pilot factory. I think the academy gets 500-550 spots, Rotc gets 450 and OTS gets like 50. Something like that but again while it has the most spots, it isnt dramatically more in number or as a percentage of total pilots

yes - but as recently as November of 2018 they have said they're trying to continually up those numbers at USAFA - my guess is that number will increase this year as well.


"Faced with a shortage of some 2,000 pilots, the Air Force’s service academy is trying to churn out more pilot candidates.

More than 530 U.S. Air Force Academy cadets from the 2019 graduating class have been selected to attend pilot training, pending final qualifications and commissioning, the Colorado Springs, Colo.-based academy said in a statement this week.

The number represents a 26 percent increase over last year’s graduating class, academy officials said. In 2018, 417 graduates were scheduled to attend pilot training.

The academy’s superintendent, Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria, said in a statement that “we are proud as an institution to offer more flying opportunities to our cadets.”

In looking to expand the pipeline to pilot training, the academy, officials said, is working with Air Education and Training Command to produce more candidates capable of bypassing initial flight training, a less-specialized form of pilot training that gauges aptitude for flight and introduces the rigors of military aviation and training."

 

[rdhdstpchld]

PS - with retirements/seperations the Big Blue is still 2,000 pilots short of it's desired manning level. 1100 isn't going to get them there -- I'm betting another 20% or so increase from USAFA to keep pace; but I could be totally wrong {shrug}

 

[Humey]

PS - with retirements/seperations the Big Blue is still 2,000 pilots short of it's desired manning level. 1100 isn't going to get them there -- I'm betting another 20% or so increase from USAFA to keep pace; but I could be totally wrong {shrug}

The problem has never been getting enough people who wanted to be pilots. Havings said that, I have read (dont remember where) that some years, USAFA had a little trouble filling all their available spots. However, there are more than enough kids at AFRotc and OTS who would love a chance to go to UPT. On the training side, it takes a lot of effort these days to fail and get kicked out.

 

[Tmabe204]

Hey man it seems like many people have misunderstood your question or have strayed away from the original question at hand. My USAFA portal as a complete candidate shows “qualified” however when I go to the DODMERB site and look at my qualification at the top it says potential pilot qualified and on the pdf attached it again only says qualified but it says potential pilot qualified on DoDMERB. Hope that gives you some insight to your question from a fellow candidate!

 

[wp_classof2023]

if I'm commission qualified for USAFA because I had to receive a waiver for a condition that I didn't have, is it possible to become PPQ during my time at a SA? Is there another medical screening done once you branch into aviation?

 

[Tbpxece]

if I'm commission qualified for USAFA because I had to receive a waiver for a condition that I didn't have, is it possible to become PPQ during my time at a SA? Is there another medical screening done once you branch into aviation?

Here you go. Great FAQ. Air Force doesn't really say "branch aviation", fyi. That's Army-speak. We don't have "aviators", we have pilots and CSOs.

 

[Humey]

if I'm commission qualified for USAFA because I had to receive a waiver for a condition that I didn't have, is it possible to become PPQ during my time at a SA? Is there another medical screening done once you branch into aviation?

It is almost irrelevant what they determine at USAFA because if you cant pass the FCI medical at Wright Patterson Base, you arent going to fly. I would assume you have to be PPQ in order to get a pilot spot so I would guess that would be your first priority.

 

[FMHS-79]

Based on https://www.academyadmissions.com/admissions/the-application-process/medical-evaluation/, PPQ indicates that vision, height, and hearing values you fall into the potential pilot category. However, "the DODMERB medical examination is not the official flying class examination. The flying class examination will be performed during the third academic year at the United States Air Force Academy and will encompass more in-depth testing than was used during the DoDMERB physical exam."

I would not sweat the PPQ indicator in the short term as pilot slots will not be assigned until after, and based upon, the flying class examinations.

 

[FireflyMom]

So if DS Dodmerb status for USAFA does NOT say PPQ ( only commission qualified)does that mean they won't look at them for a pilot slot down the road ?

 

[afrotc2022]

So if DS Dodmerb status for USAFA does NOT say PPQ ( only commission qualified)does that mean they won't look at them for a pilot slot down the road ?

For USAFA, it probably doesn't matter. They wait until the flight physical to qualify or disqualify applicants. The trick for those of us in ROTC is that Cadre have to put a rated package together for you, and they check to see if you are PPQ by looking at your latest physical (usually DoDMERB). If your DoDMERB results don't meet potential standards, then it might be a problem. But again, for USAFA folks, I wouldn't sweat it.

 

[FireflyMom]

So if DS Dodmerb status for USAFA does NOT say PPQ ( only commission qualified)does that mean they won't look at them for a pilot slot down the road ?

For USAFA, it probably doesn't matter. They wait until the flight physical to qualify or disqualify applicants. The trick for those of us in ROTC is that Cadre have to put a rated package together for you, and they check to see if you are PPQ by looking at your latest physical (usually DoDMERB). If your DoDMERB results don't meet potential standards, then it might be a problem. But again, for USAFA folks, I wouldn't sweat it.

Thanks for the answer , that’s good information if he goes AFROTC route if he doesn’t get into the academy he will need another Dodmerb medical anyways !