Urban_Fredriksson - - Updated 1995 Feb 20
In 1983 it was decided that in the future, all new officers in the Swedish defence forces first had go through the compulsory military service together with regular soldiers, as part of their training. Since retirement age for air crew was set at 40 years, and extra year of training would have been uneconomical, so they were excepted from this requirement.

Today, retirement from flight status is set individually, with the upper limit beeing the retirement age of 60 years. (Yes, we have, or have had and will have, 59-year old fighter pilots on active duty.) So now the training for pilots includes a year of regular military service, as NCOs, usually in the army.

This is the approximate figures for the pilot selection model from 1987:

                                         
Applicants                            1400-1600          
Paper and pencil tests                 850-950           
Practical coordination tests           400-450           
Considering all data for decision                        
Medical examiniation                    60-70            
Approved                                50-60            
Basic flying training                   40-42            
Combat pilots after approx 40 months    35-38
In the late 1960's only 50% of those starting basic flying training was approved to continue the training to become combat pilots, in 1970-74 when new selection methods started to the number was 67%, in 1974-80 it had risen to 95% due to improved improved education and from 1980 it has been virtually 100%.

It should be noted that the Swedish air force does not have separate streams for transport and helicopter pilots, everyone is trained to be a first class fast jet combat pilot. Transports are usually flown by ex-fast jet pilots.

Today 1-2 students per year don't go on to become combat pilots, but that's practically always because they no longer wants to be one.

Basic officer training, 21 months, starts with a general orientation course where the students get to see the different functions of the air force, and how they cooperate, as well as visit to the flight training school. After that 3.5 months together with all other professions in the air force, whereupon flight training follows. The last two weeks is in the form of an exercise at an air base, where all officers in training meet again and see what the others have learnt.

The Basic flight training takes 12 months and 125 flight hours, the first solo flight after 25 flight hours. This is how the time is spent:

                     Solo
Basic handling  32      8
Aerobatics      10      8
Formation       20     13
Instrument      13      2
Navigation      10      9
               ---    ---
                85     40
The aircraft used is the Saab 105/Sk 60 jet trainer/light attack aircraft, because it's not economical to use propeller aircraft too.

When the basic flight training is finished, there follows 6 months and 60 hours of basic tactical training:stage 1, also at the central flying school and using the same aircraft.

Basic tactical training:stage 2 takes place at the tactical school, using the same Saab 105/Sk 60.

After that, it's time to learn to fly Viggen, which takes place at another school:

First stage is five weeks of theory, including one demonstration sortie in a Viggen and 20 sorties in simulator. First solo flight follows two weeks of actual flight training (13 flight hours, of which the three first in the rear seat).

Second stage is instrument, aerobatics and navigation, both solo and with teacher. Some simulator training.

Third stage means flying closer to the limits of the aircraft and formations of two aircraft. Some simulator training.

The three stages take 5 months and include 25 hours in simulator and 45 hours of actual flying. The pilot is then assigned to a squadron, where training in how to use the aircraft in combat is started.