C-17 Pilot Training at Altus AFB: The Complete 15-Week Journey

Every C-17 Globemaster III pilot—whether destined for the active duty Air Force, Air National Guard, or Air Force Reserve—begins their journey at the same place: Altus Air Force Base in southwestern Oklahoma. As a former instructor pilot at the 97th Air Mobility Wing, I’m going to walk you through exactly what happens during this intensive 15-week training program.

Why Altus AFB?

Altus Air Force Base serves as the Air Force’s primary C-17 training hub under the 97th Air Mobility Wing (97 AMW). The base trains approximately 3,000 flight crew and aircraft maintenance students annually, making it the backbone of America’s strategic airlift capability.

The 97th Training Squadron manages a $2 billion contracted aircrew training program with 287 instructors training students from the United States and 15 allied nations. Besides C-17 training, Altus also conducts KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-46 Pegasus training, truly earning its nickname “Home of the Heavies.”

Pre-Arrival Requirements

Before you even arrive at Altus, you’ll need to complete several prerequisites:

• Pilot Wings: You must have completed Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) and earned your Air Force pilot wings
• Security Clearance: Active Secret clearance at minimum
• Medical Qualification: Current Class I or Class IA flight physical
• Computer-Based Training: Several CBT modules covering C-17 systems basics

Most students arrive at Altus as new co-pilots, though experienced pilots transitioning from other aircraft also go through the Initial Qualification (IQ) course.

The 15-Week C-17 Pilot Initial Qualification Course

The C-17 PIQ (Pilot Initial Qualification) course is a structured 15-week program divided into two primary phases:

Phase 1: Academics and Simulators (12 Weeks)

The first 12 weeks are spent in classrooms, computer-based training labs, and simulator facilities. This phase includes:

Academic Training (154.4 hours):

• Aircraft systems (electrical, hydraulic, fuel, flight controls)
• Flight instruments and avionics
• Performance and limitations
• Emergency procedures
• Aeromedical factors
• Crew resource management
• Mission planning

You’ll study everything from how the C-17’s advanced fly-by-wire system works to calculating takeoff and landing data for maximum weight operations on short runways.

Simulator Training:

The majority of your time in Phase 1 will be spent in the Weapon System Trainer (WST)—an incredibly realistic full-motion simulator. Simulator training includes:

• Basic Aircraft Handling: Learning to fly the C-17’s unique characteristics, including its advanced flight director and heads-up display (HUD)
• Instrument Procedures: Departures, approaches, holds, and navigation
• Visual Patterns: Tactical approaches and assault landings
• Emergency Procedures: Engine failures, hydraulic malfunctions, electrical emergencies
• Crew Coordination: Working with your copilot and loadmaster
• Night Operations: Handling the aircraft in reduced visibility
• Adverse Weather: Wind shear, icing, severe turbulence

The simulators at Altus are so advanced that many pilots say sim sessions are more challenging than actual flights. You’ll face multiple simultaneous emergencies, terrible weather, and system failures that would be unsafe to practice in the actual aircraft.

Phase 2: Flying Training (3 Weeks)

After 12 weeks of academics and simulators, you finally get to fly the actual C-17. Phase 2 consists of approximately 134 hours of aircraft training time, including:

Basic Aircraft Familiarization Flights:

• First flights focus on basic handling, takeoffs, and landings
• Learning the sight picture and feel of the aircraft
• Building confidence with the C-17’s unique handling characteristics
• Pattern work and touch-and-goes

Advanced Maneuvers:

• Tactical Approaches: Steep descents into tactical environments
• Assault Landings: Short field landings on unimproved surfaces
• Maximum Performance Takeoffs: Using full power to depart from challenging airfields
• Engine-Out Operations: Handling with reduced thrust
• Low-Level Navigation: Flying at 250 feet AGL through designated routes

Mission Training:

• Cargo and passenger operations
• Formation flying fundamentals
• Introduction to airdrop operations (visual observation only at this stage)
• Cross-country navigation flights

Daily Schedule and Lifestyle at Altus

Expect long days during your time at Altus. A typical training day looks like:

• 0630-0700: Flight briefing or mission planning
• 0700-1200: Morning sim session or academic block
• 1200-1300: Lunch (when you can grab it)
• 1300-1700: Afternoon training block
• 1700-2000: Self-study, CBT modules, or debrief

Flying days start even earlier—often 0500 or 0600 for preflight planning. Count on 10-12 hour days being standard, with self-study on top of that.

Housing and Facilities:

Most students live in base lodging or off-base housing in the nearby town of Altus, Oklahoma (population ~20,000). The area is rural and remote—this isn’t a glamorous assignment, but the focus keeps distractions minimal and training quality high.

Checkrides and Evaluation

Throughout the course, you’ll face multiple evaluations:

• Weekly Written Exams: Testing your systems knowledge
• Simulator Check Rides: Evaluated sim sessions with check pilots
• Final Qualification Checkride: A comprehensive evaluation in the actual aircraft covering normal procedures, emergency handling, and mission execution

The standards are high. Passing requires demonstrating not just competence, but the ability to safely command the Air Force’s most capable strategic airlifter in challenging conditions.

After Graduation: What’s Next?

Upon successful completion of the C-17 IQ course, you’ll receive your C-17 qualification and be assigned to one of the operational C-17 squadrons worldwide. Bases include:

• Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington (62nd AW, 446th AW)
• Dover AFB, Delaware (436th AW, 512th AW)
• Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina (437th AW, 315th AW)
• Travis AFB, California (60th AMW)
• McGuire AFB, New Jersey (305th AMW)
• Hickam AFB, Hawaii (15th Wing)
• McChord AFB, Washington (446th AW)
• March ARB, California (452nd AMW)

At your operational squadron, you’ll continue building experience as a copilot, working toward future qualifications like Aircraft Commander, Instructor Pilot, and specialized mission qualifications (airdrop, air refueling receiver, NVG operations).

Advanced Qualification Training

Once you complete Initial Qualification at Altus, your journey as a C-17 pilot is just beginning. To learn more about the complete qualification pathway from copilot to fully mission-ready Aircraft Commander, read our comprehensive guide to C-17 pilot qualifications.

The Initial Qualification course is just the beginning. After gaining experience at your operational squadron, you’ll return to Altus or complete training at your home station for additional qualifications:

• Aircraft Commander Upgrade: Typically after 500-1000 hours as copilot
• Airdrop Qualification: Training to conduct personnel and equipment airdrops
• Air Refueling Receiver Qualification: Learning to take fuel from KC-135 and KC-10 tankers
• Night Vision Goggle (NVG) Qualification: Operating the C-17 using night vision systems
• Instructor Pilot Course: Training to teach new C-17 pilots

Each of these qualifications requires returning for additional training, simulator time, and checkrides.

Success Tips from an Altus IP

Having taught dozens of students through the C-17 course, here’s my advice for success:

1. Study Consistently: Don’t cram the night before exams. Spend 1-2 hours every evening reviewing material.
2. Chair Fly: Practice procedures mentally while sitting in a chair. Visualize every switch, every callout, every scan pattern.
3. Ask Questions: Instructors would rather answer a “dumb” question in the brief than watch you make a mistake in the aircraft.
4. Work as a Crew: The C-17 requires exceptional crew coordination. Build good relationships with your fellow students—you’ll likely fly together operationally.
5. Take Care of Yourself: Eat well, sleep when you can, and exercise. Fatigue leads to mistakes.
6. Stay Humble: Even if you were top of your class in SUPT, the C-17 is a different beast. Stay teachable.

The Bottom Line

C-17 training at Altus AFB is demanding, intense, and incredibly rewarding. Those 15 weeks will transform you from a pilot with wings into a qualified C-17 Globemaster III aviator, ready to execute the strategic airlift mission anywhere in the world.

The training is tough for a reason—the Air Force needs pilots who can land a 585,000-pound aircraft on a 3,500-foot dirt strip in a hostile environment, then execute an airdrop at 250 feet AGL, and recover safely to bring the crew and aircraft home.

If you’re headed to Altus, congratulations. Work hard, stay focused, and embrace the challenge. You’re about to join the ranks of C-17 pilots who deliver the nation’s most critical cargo when it matters most.

Written by a former C-17 Aircraft Commander and Instructor Pilot at the 97th AMW, Altus AFB.