Navy announced the launch of the Aviation Professional Flight Instructor (PFI) program, designed to improve aviator retention by offering a new career path for officers who have successfully completed an aviation department head tour, Sept. 28, in NAVADMIN 241/18.  

Aviators selected by the FY-19 PFI board will return from their department head assignment to serve as flight instructors for a minimum of 36 months, with an option to serve in repeated tours as a flight instructor beyond their initial obligation.

The program will provide selected officers career flexibility, greater assignment stability, and rewarding experiences training the newest naval aviators, with the goals of improving aviator retention and flight instructor manning.

Officers selected for the PFI program can serve until they reach statutory retirement with no further operational assignments, so long as they continue to meet applicable performance standards as a flight instructor.  

Officers selected for PFI are no longer eligible for command consideration.

Applications for the first PFI board, scheduled to convene November 20, are now being accepted from qualified 1310 and 1320 designated lieutenant commanders and commanders with a projected rotation date in calendar year 2019. 
 
Full-Time Support and Selected Reserve officers are not eligible to apply for this program.

For program details, eligibility, and application procedures, visit the Navy Personnel Command Aviation Bonus website at https://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/officer/Detailing/aviation/Pages/Professional-Flight-Instructor.aspx or read NAVADMIN 241/18 at www.npc.navy.mil.
 

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