Pilot Physician Seminar comes to Tyndall Published March 3, 2010 By Airman 1st Class Rachelle Elsea 325th Fighter Wing Public Affaris TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The Annual Pilot Physician Seminar was held at Tyndall Air Force Base Feb. 16-18, with more than a dozen Airmen from around the globe taking part. This career field is one the smallest in the Air Force; less than 20 Airmen are qualified. The Airmen are fully trained as both doctors and pilots. "Traditionally, you start as a pilot and then at some point in your career, you switch and go to medical school, (at least) one year of post graduate training, and a minimum of one year as a flight surgeon," said Major Jay Flottmann, 43rd Fighter Squadron Physician Pilot. "After which, you must obtain approval from the Pilot-Physician Program director, the Air Force surgeon general and the Air Force Director of Operations. Then, you are retrained in the aircraft you were previously trained in or train in a new weapon system." Finally, after all training is completed, the pilot physicians are released into the combat Air Force, where they are assigned in a variety of duties from an operational squadron, to MAJCOM positions, foreign exchange positions, and higher headquarter positions. The program, which is not widely known about, has been around since Vietnam. "The whole purpose of our AFSC is to combine our medical expertise with our experience as pilots to provide valuable, unique, aeromedical guidance to the Line Air Force," said Major Flottmann. "One avenue where our guidance and experience can really be useful is during mishap investigation and prevention. We essentially are able to investigate the information from a medical as well as an operator standpoint bridging the gap that sometimes exists between the two communities. We then use our findings to enhance mishap prevention." During the three-day seminar, the Airmen were given a series of briefings. They touched on Tyndall's mission, disaster relief, rotary wing mishaps, science of vision and how it relates to aeromedical standards, the full coverage G-suit initiative, human performance on unmanned aircraft, the Air National Guard endorsement of the program, and the future of the United States Air Force physician pilot program. The group also took a short tour of the 43rd Fighter Squadron, where they were able to get a close look at the F-22. Major General Tom Travis, 59th Medical Wing Commander, Lackland AFB, Texas, and senior ranking pilot physician, was highly enthusiastic to be returning to Tyndall for the seminar. "I did my F-15 training at Tyndall over 20 years ago," said General Travis. "It is great to return and see the Raptors." The Pilot Physicians remain a vital part of the Air Force and without them many advances would not have been made. "Pilot physicians contribute a lot to human effectiveness and safety in the most advanced weapon systems," said General Travis. "All of us coming together to share what we know is just another opportunity to also contribute to mission effectiveness."