Fighter pilots are undeniably brave, insightful and skilled in the art of air war or aerial warfare, which is fought above land. They possess all the glamour required to fly alone at almost unbelievable speed and face the enemy fearlessly while in combat.
Fighter pilots must know how to operate different jet fighters – supersonic fighters’ combat airplanes, bombers among the others. However before they excel in this field, they are put through rigorous training and thorough medical check up. A candidate who persistently feels nauseated and throws up during spinning of the fighter jets is deemed unfit and is disqualified from flying.
The prospective fighter pilots have to clear different level of exams to qualify. The exams stresses on how good the candidate is at maneuvering the plane and how well he knows the instruments. The pilots are tested for exercising sound judgment under pressure. To check their presence of mind the candidate is drilled with numerous questions, this is essential as failing to do so in times of emergencies could lead to huge losses and life. Just knowing how to fly without much aeronautical knowledge can be dangerous. Therefore common sense combined with logic and good judgment is important.
Different planes are built differently and therefore respond differently to circumstances. For this reason the limitations of different aircraft and knowledge of aerodynamic forces is a must. This way, the aircraft can be maneuvered accordingly and used to the best of its capacity. The candidate’s aeronautical knowledge is also put to test throughout the exam.
During in-flight test, the pilots must be able to come up with a satisfactory explanation for every action taken by them. There is no room for compromise and second guessing while one is flying in the sky, so the mechanics of the plane, the air speed, ground speed, wind speed, visualization skills are thoroughly tested. They must have completely confidence in their flying abilities, if not catastrophe waits.
Above all a fighter pilot must be a patriot and have undying love for his country; he must defend their country to the best of his ability. All other career aspirations must be treated as secondary. It is not easy to shoot down agile, well-armed fighter jets in mid-air. Also, the enemy cannot be under-estimated for its defensive power, therefore mastering the strategies and tactics of air warfare becomes significant.
It requires a lot of perseverance and dedication to succeed. If you pass all the tests and succeed you will be known as elite. Some who are unable to top the class despite of all the dedication and hardwork are offered other revered assignments.
