Enlisted Sailors Can Become Pilots

The Navy is currently conducting a test program to select highly motivated active duty enlisted Sailors in the paygrades of E-5 through E-7, and place them (as Chief Warrant Officers) in cockpits as Naval Pilots and Naval Flight Officers (NFO).The test program began in 2006, in which the Navy selected ten pilots and four NFOs. The 2007 selection board chose ten pilots and six NFOs. Over the next two years, 15 sailors will be commissioned in the paygrade of CW02, attend Chief Warrant Officer Indoctrination Training, then undergo flight training. Five pilots and three NFOs will be selected by a board in July 2008, and four pilots and three NFOs by a board in July 2009. Warrant officers are being training under this program to be pilots on P-3 Orion, EP-3 Aries, E-6 Mercury, and SH-60B/MH-60S helicopter s. Warrant officers selected for NFO will fly in the P-3 Orion, EP-3 Aries and E-6 Mercury aircrafts. Program Requirements


(1) Must be commissioned by 27th birthday (age waivers are possible).

(2) Enlisted personnel from SEAL, SWCC, EOD, Diver, Nuclear, and MA communities are not eligible for the program.

(3) Must possess an associates degree or higher

(4) Must be physically qualified for aviation duty in accordance with the Navy Manual of Medicine.

(5) Must meet Aviation Standard Test Battery (ASTB) score minimums (AGR=4, PFAR=5 AND FOFAR=5)

(6) Must be eligible for a SECRET security clearance.