Summary: Although it has reduced the rate at which new pilots are produced, the Air Force is training more pilots than it needs and is incurring costs unnecessarily. More pilots are graduating from pilot training than there are cockpit assignments available. As a result, about half of the pilots completing the program are being temporarily assigned to nonflying positions--for up to three years--while waiting for cockpit assignments to open up. The Air Force incurs unnecessary costs because the pilots (1) take requalification training before they advance to weapon system training and (2) receive aviation career incentive pay while in their nonflying positions. In addition, the pilots' careers are shortened by about one-third, reducing the usefulness of the Air Force's investment in pilot training. GAO found that the Air Force will spend about $311 million on 757 pilots who it could have delayed from entering the training program but chose not to. GAO notes that the Air Force could incur another $195 million in such costs for about 500 pilots who are expected to enter the training program after July 1993 and subsequently be assigned temporarily to nonflying positions. GAO recommends that the Air Force reinstate delayed entry into the pilot training program until enough cockpit assignments become available to absorb these candidates.
