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  • 48th FTS 'Alley Cats' close the book on T-1A Jayhawk era

    That chapter reached its emotional conclusion Nov. 26, 2025. Under a cool, windy morning sky, the final four T-1A Jayhawks touched down at Columbus Air Force Base for the last time, carrying the final student pilots of the Accelerated Path to Wings (XPW) syllabus.

  • Instructor pilots: Creating world-class aviators

    In the U.S., an Air Force instructor pilot’s job is to nurture the transition of a casual officer into becoming a world-class aviator; instructor pilots feed the fight directly and have a significant role, not only in the Air Force, but the Department of Defense as a whole.