Air Crew Members

Background

The military uses aircraft of all types and sizes to conduct combat and intelligence missions, rescue personnel, transport troops and equipment, and perform long-range bombing missions. Air crew members normally specialize by type of aircraft, such as bomber, intelligence, transport, or search and rescue. Air crew members operate equipment on board aircraft during operations. 

What They Do

Air crew members in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Operate aircraft communication and radar equipment
• Operate and maintain aircraft defensive gunnery systems
• Operate and maintain aircraft in-flight refueling systems
• Operate helicopter hoists to lift equipment and personnel from land and sea

Physical Demands

Air crew members must be in excellent physical condition and pass a special physical exam in order to qualify for flight duty. They must be mentally sound and have normal hearing.

Special Requirements

No information available.

Helpful Attributes

Helpful attributes include:

• Ability to work as a team member
• Ability to work under stress
• Interest in flying

Helpful School Subjects

Helpful school subjects include:

• Math
• Mechanics

Helpful Fields of Study

No information available.

Work Environment

Air crew members work inside all sizes and types of aircraft based on land or aboard ships. They fly in all types of weather and in both hot and cold climates.

Services offering this career:

• Air Force
• Marine Corps
• Navy

Hiring Practices

To serve in the military, a person must be at least 17; the maximum age for enlistment varies. To enlist, a person must pass a physical exam and an aptitude test. An enlistee must also meet military standards of discipline and be a US citizen or permanent resident alien.

This position is for enlisted personnel.

Wages

The military is competitive with the civilian world when it comes to pay and benefits. All branches offer the same basic pay and benefits.

Pay depends mainly on rank or grade as well as length of service. Bonuses and the situation in which the person is serving (for example: flight duty, sea duty, hazardous duty) also affect pay. 

Cost-of-living increases usually occur every year, based on inflation. The military also pays allowances for food, clothing, and housing. All these factors combined are called Regular Military Compensation (RMC). They should all be considered when comparing military pay to civilian pay.

There are two main parts to RMC: basic pay and allowances. There are also additional incentives for special abilities, training, or hazardous duty.

Check out the RMC Calculator to calculate your RMC based on your inputs.

Training Provided

Job training consists of seven to nine weeks of classroom instruction, including practical experience in aircraft systems operation and maintenance.

Course content varies by specialty and may include:

• Cargo, munitions, and fuel load planning
• Operation of aircraft gunnery systems
• Operation of aircraft in-flight refueling systems
• Rescue and recovery operations

Further training occurs on the job through actual flying time. There are additional courses covering air crew survival, scuba diving, parachuting, aircraft maneuvering, and combat crew training.

Civilian Counterparts

There are no direct civilian equivalents to military air crew members. However, some of the skills gained in the military could be useful in civilian government and private agencies that provide emergency medical services. Also, weight and load computation skills are useful for civilian air transport operations.

Employment and Outlook

In peace time the services have about 5,000 air crew members. In times of military action the number may be different, depending on the type of specialties required. Each year the services need new air crew members due to changes in personnel and the demands of the field. After receiving their "air crew qualified" rating, air crew members are assigned to a flying unit. They may work on one of many types of aircraft under direction of the aircraft commander. With experience, they may supervise and train other enlisted air crew members. They have the opportunity to become air crew chiefs, combat crew chiefs, or supervisors of rescue and recovery units.