Air Force Could Use Your Aircraft for Pilot Currency

Contractors living near military installations might lease their aircraft for ‘non-qualifying flight operations.’

Jack Daleo

Friday, October 17, 2025 at 05:32 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A U.S. Air Force pilot climbs aboard a Northrop T-38 before a training flight. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Air Force is facing its lowest fleet readiness in years, attributed to an aging and shrinking fleet and a significant drop in mission capable rates.
To address this, the Air Force's Air Combat Command is exploring commercial leasing agreements with private aircraft owners.
The leased aircraft would be used to help Air Force pilots maintain flying currency through "non-qualifying flight operations."
This initiative is similar to the existing Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) program, which leverages commercial airlines to augment military airlift capabilities.

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The U.S. Air Force could borrow your aircraft to maintain currency for airmen as it contends with its lowest level of fleet readiness in years.

Per a request for information (RFI) published by the Air Force’s Air Combat Command (ACC), dated October 10, the branch is exploring commercial leases with aircraft owners who live near military installations. The RFI asks interested contractors to describe the aircraft—including any FAA airworthiness certificates—and their capabilities by October 24.