Pilot class qualification

Fighter pilot's "Pilot-sniper" badge of the Ukrainian Air Force

Pilot class qualification — a professional grade level of piloting skills, commonly used for qualifying military pilots of state aviation in Ukraine and some other countries. As qualifiers used number of flight hours pilot has been reached during career in a total or on some specific type of aircraft, weather conditions pilot has been able to supersede to successfully complete missions, etc.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Pilot classes by country

Ukraine

Since 1993 and till 1998, Ukrainian heraldist Valeriy Lyakhov [uk], supported by Ukrainian historian Maksym Tsarenko [uk], designed heraldry of the Ukrainian Air Force, including badges and name tags for pilot class qualification identification.^[6]

Navigator's (Bombardier's) class qualification badges of the Ukrainian Air Force

Since 2015,^[7][8][9] in Ukraine there are next qualification classes in ascending order:

• for fighter pilots and navigators (bombardiers): 3rd Class, 2nd Class, 1st Class, Sniper;
• for instructor pilots and navigators (bombardiers): 3rd Class, 2nd Class, 1st Class;
• for test pilots: 3rd Class, 2nd Class, 1st Class.

Fighter pilots' qualification classes defined as next:

• 3rd Class pilot — a pilot with more than 150 flight hours, able to complete missions at day time simple weather.
• 2nd Class pilot — a pilot with more than 200 flight hours, able to complete missions at day time extreme weather, and at night time simple weather.
• 1st Class pilot — a pilot with more than 400 flight hours, able to complete missions at day and night time all-weather.
• Pilot-sniper — a pilot with more than 550 flight hours, able to complete missions at day and night time all-weather, and having no serious or any aviation accidents in the last 12 months.

• 
  Pilot-sniper Vasyl Nikiforov
• 
  1st Class fighter pilot Oleksandr Oksanchenko
• 
  2nd Class fighter pilot Andrii "Juice" Pilshchykov
• 
  Name tag of Ukrainian 2nd Class fighter pilot "Juice"

3rd Class qualification receives pilots and navigators (bombardiers) with the rank of Lieutenant upon completion of study at the Ivan Kozhedub National Air Force University.^[10]

Pilot with less than 150 hours commonly recognized as trainee pilots. Other aviation personnel, beside pilots, has similar scheme of class qualification.

Publications

• Roman Nevzorov. Pedagogical Measurement of Physical Condition as a Component of Professional Readiness of Tactical Aviation Pilots // Res Militaris, Vol. 12, No. 6 (2022). – pp.1329-1337. ISSN 2265-6294 URI: https://resmilitaris.net/menu-script/index.php/resmilitaris/article/view/2644

References

1. "Про затвердження Інструкції про порядок присвоєння класної кваліфікації льотно-випробувальному складу Збройних Сил України" [On adapting the Instruction on the procedure for assignment of class qualification of the flight and testing personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine]. Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Order by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine) (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-09-05.
2. "Не підтвердивши нинішню льотну кваліфікацію, наступну не отримати" [Without confirming the current flight qualification, the next one is not obtained]. lexinform.com.ua (in Ukrainian). 20 December 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
3. "ДНДІ проводить власну підготовку пілотів-випробувачів: що це дасть Збройним Силам України" [State Scientific Research Institute of Armament and Military Equipment Testing and Certification conducts its own training of test pilots: what it will give the Armed Forces of Ukraine]. defence-ua.com (in Ukrainian). 9 January 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
4. Пагулич, Роман (20 July 2021). "Хто захистить українське небо? Військові льотчики звільняються з Повітряних сил ЗСУ" [Who will protect the Ukrainian sky? Military pilots are released from the Air Force of the Armed Forces]. Радіо Свобода (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 5 September 2023.
5. Кузьмін, Андрій (30 March 2023). "Як стати пілотом F-16. Фаховий розбір" [How to become a pilot F-16. Professional analysis]. glavcom.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 5 September 2023.
6. Ляхов, Валерій (2019-10-28). "Історія створення нагрудних знаків і знаків класності ВПС" [The history of creating Ukrainian Air Force's badges and class qualification badges]. Ukrmilitary (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-09-06.
7. "Про затвердження Інструкції про класифікацію авіаційного персоналу державної авіації України" [On adapting the Instruction on classification of aviation personnel of state aviation of Ukraine]. Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Order by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine) (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 5 September 2023.
8. "Про затвердження Інструкції з присвоєння класної кваліфікації льотно-випробувальному складу державної авіації України" [On adapting the Instruction on the assignment of class qualification of the flight and testing composition of the State Aviation of Ukraine]. Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Order by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine) (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 5 September 2023.
9. "Льотчиків-випробувачів в Україні готують за стандартами НАТО" [Test pilots in Ukraine are prepared by NATO standards]. armyinform.com.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 5 September 2023.
10. "У Харкові перші офіцерські погони отримали 86 випускників військового вишу" [In Kharkiv, the first officer shoulder straps received 86 graduates of the military university]. kharkivoda.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). 25 October 2019. Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 7 September 2023.