China develops distinctive way to select carrier-based aircraft pilot trainees

QINGDAO -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy has been continuously exploring and optimizing the scope of recruitment, selection methods, and training programs for carrier-based aircraft pilot trainees, gradually forming a distinctive selection and recruitment model.

This was revealed at the PLA Navy's aviation recruitment conference held in Qingdao, Shandong Province, in east China on Tuesday.

In recent years, the scope of recruitment for carrier-based aircraft pilot trainees in the PLA Navy has been expanding, Xinhua learnt from the conference.

Geographically, recruitment now covers 31 provincial-level regions, with the establishment of 14 naval youth aviation schools nationwide.

In terms of trainee sources, recruitment now includes mainstream high school graduates, graduates of youth aviation schools, recent graduates of military and civilian universities, and college-students-turned-soldiers.

In the 2024 recruitment and selection process, the selection scope of carrier-based aircraft pilot trainees will for the first time include recent graduates with master's degrees.

In terms of gender composition, the recruitment and selection process in 2023 included female carrier-based aircraft pilot trainees for the first time, creating the potential to produce China's first female carrier-based aircraft pilot.

Recruited trainees mainly undergo training at the Naval Aviation University.