To being your career in the RSAF, you simply need to put in your application. The RSAF receives thousands of applications every year. So to stand out from the rest of the applicants, you must have shown interest in aviation, either through your participation in Singapore Youth Flying Club or related activities.
RSAF Training
For most, training starts after Basic Military Training. BMT. As a prerequisite, the individual must meet the minimum requirements for OCS before being accepted into Pilot Training. Trainees will be sent to Air Force Training Command (AFTC) where the trainee will be put through a preparation ground school for Air Grading.
Air Grading
Air Grading, as the name suggests, is more like a selection process than a training programme. Air Grading will be done in Tamworth, Australia. The RSAF leases the CT4B from the RAAF at Tamworth and operates a small training school with about 10 permanent staff. During Air Grading, RSAF trainees are put through 15 sorties to determine the aptitude of the trainee. Historically, at least 50% of the trainees drop out at this stage and many before the completion of the 15 sorties. Typically it will take 1 month to complete the 15 sorties.
OCS
After completing and passing Air Grading, the trainees will be sent to Officer Cadet School where they undergo the Common Leadership Module (CLM) and after that the Air Force Service Term (AFST). This training phase is entirely residential, and you learn crappy things like jungle warfare, etc. OCS Phase typically lasting 9 weeks,
BWC & Ground School
After OCS, the trainees return to AFTC for their ground school for Basic Wing Course (BWC). After 3 months in ground school where they learn basic aviation topics like aerodynamics, meteorology, airframe/engine, instruments, navigation, they are sent to Pearce Air Force Base, Perth, Australia, for the BWC. BWC lasts about 9–12 months. At BWC, trainees are trained to fly in state of the art PC-21 turboprop trainer. These planes are operated and owned by the RSAF, and the instructors are also RSAF pilots who are sent there as permanent staff. At the end of the BWC, trainees are streamed to Fighters, Rotary or Transport.
Fighters
Fighter trainees are generally sent to France where the RSAF’s 150 Squadron is located at. 150 Squadron operates the M346 jet trainer. This is where trainees are taught the basics of being a fighter pilot. Instead of being streamed to 150 Squadron, fighter trainees are also occasionally streamed to NFTC, Canada or SUPT, United States of America, for training. This is usually based on training slot availability. Fighter training generally takes 9 months to 1 year to complete.
Rotary (Helicopter)
Rotary trainees are sent for training in Singapore where they fly the EC-120. The EC-120 is operated by the RSAF and maintained by ST Aerospace in a private-government partnership. Generally, takes 6 months.
Transport
Transport trainees are also trained in Singapore. Training is partially outsourced to ST Aerospace. Transport training generally takes 6 months.
Graduation
After completion of the Fighter, Rotary or transport training, the trainees finally achieve their wings. From BMT to getting their wings, Fighter pilots take about 2 years to 2.5 years, while Rotary and Transport trainees take about 1.75 years to 2 years.
RSAF training bond
It is after getting their wings that all RSAF pilots are obliged to complete a 10-year training bond with the RSAF. I mean, expensive pilot training can’t come for free, right?
Operational Training
It is after getting their wings do RSAF pilots get streamed to their individual aircraft type to learn how to operate their respective aircraft type. From here, training to be operationally ready takes about 1 year. From being operationally ready to operational wingman another 1 year. From being an operational wingman to an operational flight lead another 1 year. So all in all, it takes RSAF 5–6 years to train someone to become an operational flight lead.
Other resources
If you are interested to find out how much an RSAF pilot makes, or the career options for an RSAF pilot after their 10-year bond, or read about the other options to be a pilot in Singapore.
Hello Captain Ong, I aspire to be a fighter pilot just like you. I was a Normal Academic student, currently undertaking the Direct Poly Program (two years in Higher Nitec in ITE before going to polytechnic). I chose not to go to Sec 5 and take my O Levels as I feared I would do badly. I came across several sites that mentioned that in order to be a fighter pilot, one had to have O levels, while other sites do not mention this. This worries me as I feel my hopes of becoming a pilot have been dashed. As a former fighter pilot yourself, could you tell me if O levels are a requirement to be a fighter pilot? Also, seen as most pilots are JC graduates, what are my chances of being a pilot considering that I have been an ITE student? Lastly, what advice can you offer me?
Thank you for your time
Yours sincerely,
Jensen Lim
Hi there, i don’t see this as a problem. I encourage you to work hard in Polytechnic to get a good GPA for your Diploma. I personally know someone who went through Normal Academic to Polytechnic, made it in as a Fighter Pilot and now an Airline Pilot. Keep working hard!
I will! Thank you for the guidance 🙂
Hey Captain Ong! I’m currently in the Singapore Youth Flying Club training to attain my PPL. Does having no scholarship decrease my chances of being streamed into the fighters or is the streaming based purely on flying skills and aptitude? Thanks!!
Hi there, generally speaking, streaming of RSAF Pilots to Fighters, Rotary or Transport has nothing to do with whether you are a scholar or not. It’s mostly based on your skills and aptitude. Good luck!
Hey Captain Ong! Does having no scholarship descrease one’s chances of making it through the different phases and if successfully through, lesser chances of being streamed to fighter? Thanks!
Hi there, generally speaking, having a scholarship doesn’t increase your chance of getting into fighters. But than again, i seldom hear of Scholars failing at BWC (or maybe they are just that good?).
In terms of streaming to FWC RWC or TWC, its mostly based on your aptitude and skills. Good luck!
Hi is there an age limit for applicants?
Hi there, you should visit their website to see the prerequisites.
Hi captain Ong, can i have your suggestion for the compass practice website for RSAF pilot.
Sorry I don’t know of any compass practice websites around. But if you do find one, let me know!
Hey Captain
I just finished BMT about to pop Next week.
Already done my AeroMed and COMPASS and they said there will be an interview on the 11 this month but while they have offered me a position as ADSS despite not having chosen that option, they didn’t send me an official message about pilot vocation. Am I still considered or is this the end?
Hi there. The best way to find out will be to contact the RSAF hiring officer. But it is likely you have been considered as a candidate and they decided ADSS is a better fit for your skills.