The Royal Air Force is facing its own pilot shortfall, and hopes the U.S. Air Force's experiment with virtual reality flight training could help speed up the process in the United Kingdom.
If the Air Force can start turning out 1,500 new pilots a year, Secretary Heather Wilson said last fall, it can virtually close the pilot shortfall by 2023.
The 2019 Aviation Bonus Program, unveiled Wednesday, offers mobility, special operations and unmanned aircraft pilots more money — and the option of a shorter service commitment.