FUPT Graduation: Air Force Ushers in New Era of Pilot Training Published May 16, 2025 By 14 FTW Public Affairs 14th Flying Training Wing 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. The first graduating class from the Future Undergraduate Pilot Training model pose for a group photo before the start of the official graduation ceremony on May 16, 2025, at the Columbus Event Center on Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. The pilot graduates completed over 100 flight hours to earn their private pilot certificate, instrument rating, and multi-engine rating as part of a new Initial Pilot Training to gain basic piloting competencies. (U.S. Air Force photo by Sharon Ybarra) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res 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.” A 43rd Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot examines a T-6A Texan II before flight at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., May 13, 2025. The flight was part of the curriculum for the first graduating Future Undergraduate Pilot Training (FUPT) class, a reimagined training model designed to produce highly qualified pilots on an accelerated timeline. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Joseph Curzi) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res 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. An M1 Support Services T-6A Texan II mechanic observes as an instructor pilot and student in Future Undergraduate Pilot Training (FUPT) perform final checks before flight at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., May 13, 2025. The first FUPT class has successfully graduated, underscoring the Air Force's commitment to competency-based learning, data-driven program refinement and newly-minted aviators meeting the highest standards of quality and readiness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Joseph Curzi) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res 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.” Technical Sergeant Tristen Brown, 14th Operation Support Squadron Aerospace Physiology Instructor, teaches a student pilot from the Future Undergraduate Pilot Training program in class 26-01AB on the lateral drift trainer at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, May 14, 2025. The first graduating class from the Future Undergraduate Pilot Training model represents a true proof of concept for the program designed to help the U.S. Air Force reach its goal of generating 1500 pilots annually. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Sharon Ybarra) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res 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.” Airman 1st Class Bryson Esmond, 14th Operation Support Squadron Aerospace Physiology Technician, instructs Future Undergraduate Pilot Training (FUPT) student pilots in the Altitude Chamber at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, May 13, 2025. The first FUPT graduates demonstrated a successful proof of concept test, highlighting the program’s potential to increase pilot production while maintaining high standards. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Sharon Ybarra) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res 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.”