Flight course (Israeli Air Force)

The Israeli Air Force Flight Academy trains aircrew to operate Israeli Air Force aircraft, qualifying fighter, helicopter and transport pilots as well as combat and transport navigators.

The IAF flight course is considered one of the most prestigious courses in the IDF. It lasts for three years and is held largely in the Hatzerim Airbase near Beer Sheva. Graduates of the course receive the rank of lieutenant and a BA from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. After their training, the graduates must undertake mandatory military service of nine years. On average, only one out of nine students completes the course successfully.

The first IAF flight course was completed in March 1949 in Hatzor Airbase. The first four graduates, including Mordechai Hod and Danny Shapira, had received their training in Czechoslovakia. In May 1949 12 more graduates completed the second IAF flight course, which also took place mostly in Czechoslovakia. The first flight course held entirely in Israel was held at Camp Sirkin, near Petah Tikva, and began on 14 February 1950. The first base commander was Benjamin Bune (Bunisslvsky), The first chief training officer was Gideon Shohet, The first commander of the primary flight school was Pinchas Ben-Porat and the first commander of the advanced flight school was George Lichter. Most of the flight instructors at the time were foreign and the official language of the course was English. The course ended on 10 August 1950 and had 13 pilot graduates and four navigator graduates. In order to prepare them as fighter pilots, in December 1950 a separate operational training squadron was established, flying the Supermarine Spitfire.

Until 1955 the flight courses took place at the Sirkin Airbase, before moving to the Tel Nof Airbase. In April 1966 the IAF flight course was transferred once more to Hatzerim Airbase. With the increasing need for helicopter pilots, in 1965 a helicopter flight school was established within the IAF flight school. Until then all the helicopter pilots were trained in Europe and the United States.

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