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Hi, this is Dan. My UPT class was 82-05 at Laughlin AFB. We didn't break our wings in half at that time either. I went on the fly the T-33 at Tyndall and the C-141 at Norton. After that I flew for Northwest airlines and Delta. I'd be interested in hearing about your path. I assume class rank and what the students put on their dream sheet determines if they go to heavies or fighters.

Hi, this is Dan. My UPT class was 82-05 at Laughlin AFB. I went on the fly the T-33 at Tyndall and the C-141 at Norton. After that I flew for Northwest airlines and Delta. I'd be interested in hearing about your path.

Im just curious what makes it so challenging. Is it the amount of information that is expected of you to learn?

UPT is actually a breeze for some studs. Like those who have been fighter WSOs. You start on Day 1 being basically a copilot, knowing how to fly formation, knowing all the rules, etc. Some WSOs have even been taught how to land. Some pilots will teach this as their 'life insurance'. This video never mentions the 'retreads', but they're actually an important part of the UPT process, because those coming in as Jr Capts will typically 'share the wealth' of their experience to the 2Lts who are wet behind the ears. Class Leaders are an important aspect of how UPT classes make it through what for them is the toughest year of their life. As for washout rates being '10-20%', this video also could have mentioned the brutal years pre-SUPT when washout rates approached 50%. You'd hear stories of a 'Death House', where 5 roommates shared a place, and none of them made it through the year. Off to missles you go. Or the lucky ones got Nav School. But after you've washed out of UPT once, if you later earned Nav Wings, and even got a fighter, the USAF would not give you any second chance at becoming a pilot. At least, I've never heard of that ever happening.

@@matthewchido8450 Mathew - You ask what makes it so challenging ? 1) 12 hour days 6 days a week starting at 5am every morning. 2) If you "hook" (fail) three rides you are gone. 3) Academics that are very hard and all have Final Exams that require a 85% score. About 14 of those difficult 3 week courses. Hook 2 tests and you are gone. 4) The flying is brutal on your body. Pulling "G's is the same as a boxing match. You come back with bruises and broken blood vessels after pulling 5-6 G's. 5) You fly twice a day and you are always 3 rides away from failure. I saw guys fail a ride on a Monday and they were gone by Friday. 6) Everyone there at pilot training that you are competing with is either and Honor Graduate of ROTC (called DG - Distinguished Graduate) or a brilliant academic guy from the Air Force Academy. Good luck competing with those kinds of superstars. 7) You must pass some physical conditioning tests (1 mile run in under 12 mins // pushups // situps // etc) or you get washed out of the program. 8) We began our class with 72 guys and graduated 34 but that was back in the Vietnam War era. Our washout rate was 50%. These days it is down to 25% but there is stricter selection now. 9) Standup Orals every day to see if you know your procedures. The studying in non-stop and there is very little time to do that study. After a 12 hour day and you get home at 7 pm and get something to eat you are exhausted and have to get up the next morning at 4 am. Not a lot of time to study but it has to be done every night. 10) Only way to survive this kind of intensity is to be 100% all in. No socializing, no wife, no distractions for 2 full years. Once the 2 years is completed you can socialize again and have a life. You have no life for two full years if you can even get into this USAF Pilot training. Guys who wash out dont realize you must commit 100%. You have to accept that you have no life for 24 months. (1 year USAF UPT pilot training // 6-8 months learning your new airplane at another intense training school program // then another 3-6 months at your new base getting a local checkout from your squadron). The constant intense training for 2 years is just brutal. No let up at all until you pass 2 years of very tough flying and academics. Uncle Sam doesn't let you fly his airplanes until you prove you can pass some extensive and brutal physical and mental tests.

Best of luck to your son if he pursues pilot training. Also, thanks for catching the spelling error.

mine is very close behind yours, lol. i can never get rid of it, as it perfectly accommodates feline bodies, who love to "help". ;) as well, it is verrry comfortable. i need to set up in the bedroom...we have a small-ish apt.