USAF - Flygermangelen fører til intensivert utdanning - Curt Lewis

Air Force hopes to train 1,500 new pilots each year by 2022 to help solve shortage

Air Force Airman 1st Class Tyler Haselden, left, Pilot Training Next student, and Maj. Rachel Rehurek, PTN instructor pilot, prepare for a training flight at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas June 22. The Air Force hopes to increase its annual pilot training capacity from 1,160 in 2017 to 1,500 by 2022. (Sean Worrell/Air Force)

The Air Force hopes to be able to train 1,500 new pilots each year by fiscal 2022 as part of its effort to solve its troubling shortage of aviators.

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said at a Senate Armed Services readiness and management support subcommittee hearing Wednesday that the Air Force trained 1,160 new pilots in fiscal 2017, and expects to train 1,311 in fiscal 2019, before expanding further.

The Air Force has taken several steps to try to improve air crew's quality of life and quality of service, and solve problems that might be leading some to choose to leave the Air Force. Wilson highlighted efforts to reduce operating tempos, revitalize squadrons and restore support staffs so air crew can concentrate on flying, as well as generous incentive pay and bonuses.