Image of the Air Force wings with the museum name underneath

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Crossroads: Basic Flying School

During basic flight training, a cadet received approximately 70 hours in the air during a nine-week period. The basic school made military pilots of those who had learned only the fundamentals of flight in primary school. In addition to operating an airplane of greater weight, horsepower and speed, such as the BT-9 or BT-13, the cadet learned how to fly at night, by instruments, in formation and cross-country from one point to another. Also, for the first time, he operated a plane equipped with a two-way radio and a two-pitch propeller. At this point in his training, it was decided whether he would go to single-engine or twin-engine advanced flying school.

Click here to return to the AAF Training During WWII Overview.