{"id":25484041,"date":"2026-09-29T11:18:06","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T09:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/"},"modified":"2026-09-29T11:18:28","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T09:18:28","slug":"fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/","title":{"rendered":"Fighter Pilot Training Explained: From Turboprop to Typhoon"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\r\n\r\n<p>Nobody climbs into a <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/eurofighter-typhoon\/\">Eurofighter Typhoon<\/a> on their first day in uniform. Between a cadet's first solo and their first sortie in a frontline fighter sits a ladder of aircraft, each one faster, heavier and less forgiving than the last. This week two very different countries showed two rungs of that ladder at once: Turkey took delivery of its first home-built H\u00fcrku\u015f-II turboprop trainers, and two Turkish Air Force pilots began converting to the Typhoon with the Royal Air Force at Coningsby.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Here is how the ladder works, using the RAF system as the worked example, and where Turkey's new aircraft fit into their own version of it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f4f6fa;border:1px solid #e2e7ee;padding:18px 22px;margin:22px 0 28px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;font-weight:700;color:#0d1117;font-size:17px\">Quick Facts<\/p><ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:20px;line-height:1.75\"><li><strong>Rung 1:<\/strong> Elementary flying training on a light piston or turboprop trainer<\/li><li><strong>Rung 2:<\/strong> Basic fast jet training on a high-performance turboprop<\/li><li><strong>Rung 3:<\/strong> Advanced fast jet training on a jet trainer<\/li><li><strong>Rung 4:<\/strong> Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) on the frontline type<\/li><li><strong>RAF example:<\/strong> Prefect T1, Texan T1, Hawk T2, then the Typhoon OCU at No. 29 Squadron<\/li><li><strong>Turkish example:<\/strong> H\u00fcrku\u015f-II turboprop now entering service; H\u00fcrjet intended to replace the T-38M Talon<\/li><li><strong>Swiss example:<\/strong> Pilatus PC-7 and PC-21 turboprops before the fighter squadron<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Rung One: Learning to Fly the Military Way<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>In the United Kingdom, the whole ladder below the frontline is run under the UK Military Flying Training System, operated by Ascent Flight Training, a consortium of Lockheed Martin and Babcock International, under a 25-year Private Finance Initiative contract with the Ministry of Defence. It trains pilots for all three services, and it starts small.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Elementary Flying Training is flown on the Grob G 120TP, known in RAF service as the Prefect T1, with No. 57 Squadron at RAF Cranwell and at RAF Barkston Heath. Since January 2018 the course has delivered 40 hours of conventional flying and 20 synthetic hours. At the end of it, students are streamed: multi-engine pilots go to the Embraer Phenom T1 with No. 45 Squadron, helicopter pilots go to rotary-wing training, and those selected for fast jets head to Anglesey.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Rung Two: The Turboprop That Flies Like a Jet<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Basic Fast Jet Training is flown with No. 72 Squadron at RAF Valley on the Beechcraft Texan T1, the RAF's version of the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/t-6-texan-ii\/\">T-6 Texan II<\/a>. It replaced the Tucano, and the course moved to Valley so that it sits alongside the advanced jet phase. A modern turboprop trainer like the Texan has a glass cockpit, ejection seats and enough performance for aerobatics, formation and low-level navigation, which lets a student learn fast-jet habits before stepping into an actual jet.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/09\/raf-texan-t1-zm324-zm329-72-squadron.jpg\" alt=\"Two RAF Beechcraft Texan T1 turboprop trainers, ZM324 and ZM329, of No. 72 Squadron flying in formation\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">Texan T1s ZM324 and ZM329 of No. 72 Squadron, the RAF's basic fast jet training unit. Photo: Alan Wilson, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fhCn3FTpO60\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Turkey's equivalent rung is being rebuilt with its own aircraft. The H\u00fcrku\u015f-II, a lighter and improved version of the TAI H\u00fcrku\u015f, received its military type certificate from the Defence Industry Agency (SSB) in September 2026, and the first two were handed to the Turkish Air Force on 28 September. The air force has 55 on order. The aircraft is named after Vecihi H\u00fcrku\u015f, the pilot who built Turkey's first aircraft in 1925.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #d32f2f;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;This is a historic day for Turkish aviation.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Haluk G\u00f6rg\u00fcn<\/strong> &mdash; President of the Defence Industry Agency (SSB), at the H\u00fcrku\u015f-II delivery ceremony, 28 September 2026, as reported by Daily Sabah<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/09\/tai-hurkus-trainer-paris-air-show-2017.jpg\" alt=\"TAI H\u00fcrku\u015f turboprop trainer on display at the 2017 Paris Air Show at Le Bourget\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">A TAI H\u00fcrku\u015f at the 2017 Paris Air Show. Photo: Marie-Lan Nguyen, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Switzerland follows the same logic with Swiss-built aircraft. Its pilots train on the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/pc-7-turbo-trainer\/\">Pilatus PC-7<\/a> and then the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/pc-21\/\">PC-21<\/a>; the Swiss Air Force operates eight PC-21s for advanced training, a role previously filled by the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/bae-hawk\/\">BAE Hawk<\/a>, which Switzerland retired in 2003.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Rung Three: The Jet Trainer<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Advanced Fast Jet Training is where the student meets a jet. In the RAF this is the Hawk T2, flown by No. 4 Squadron and No. 25 Squadron at RAF Valley. The T2 was bought because the older Hawk T1 could not prepare pilots properly for a modern fighter: the Typhoon's arrival widened the gap between training and the frontline until the required standard for Typhoon aircrew was no longer achievable on the old jet. Hawk T2 training began in April 2012, with a glass cockpit that looks and works much more like the aircraft students will eventually fly.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/58EgS53Msjs\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>This rung is under pressure right now. After a Hawk T2 crashed shortly after takeoff from Valley on 23 September 2026, with both pilots ejecting, the RAF temporarily paused Hawk flying as a precaution. We covered the crash in <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/raf-hawk-t2-crash-raf-valley-anglesey-fleet-paused-2026\/\">RAF Hawk T2 Crash at Valley: Both Pilots Eject, Fleet Paused<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Turkey's jet rung is the one it is about to replace. The Turkish Air Force intends the supersonic TAI H\u00fcrjet to take over from the Northrop <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/t-38-talon\/\">T-38M Talon<\/a> in the trainer role and to supplement the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/f-16-fighting-falcon\/\">F-16<\/a> for close air support. The first production H\u00fcrjet flew at the end of August 2026.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZPWj-S_XyF4\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Rung Four: The OCU<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Wings on the chest do not make a Typhoon pilot. The last step is the Operational Conversion Unit, where a qualified pilot learns one specific frontline type. For the Typhoon in the RAF, that is No. 29 Squadron at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, which reformed in 2003 as the Typhoon OCU and is responsible for aircrew training on the Typhoon FGR4.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The OCU is also where allies come to learn. Two Turkish Air Force pilots joined 29 Squadron this week for up to nine months of conversion training. Afterwards they are expected to stay on as instructors until Turkey's own Eurofighters arrive, from 2030.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;It was an honour to welcome the first two Turkish Air Force pilots as they engage on their conversion training onto the Eurofighter Typhoon, where they will operate side by side with Royal Air Force personnel.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Group Captain Batu<\/strong> &mdash; Programme Director, T\u00fcrkiye Programme Management Office, quoted by the Royal Air Force, 27 September 2026<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/urz5LggKTPE\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Why the Ladder Matters<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Each rung exists because the jump to the next aircraft is too large to take in one step. Modern turboprops and glass-cockpit jet trainers have let air forces push more of the learning down the ladder, into cheaper aircraft and simulators, so that the expensive hours on a frontline fighter are spent learning to fight rather than learning to fly. That is exactly why Turkey is building its own trainers alongside its own fighters: a nation that wants to fly its own jets needs its own ladder to climb.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><em>Sources: Wikipedia (UK Military Flying Training System, No. 29 Squadron RAF, TAI H\u00fcrku\u015f, TAI H\u00fcrjet, Pilatus PC-21, Pilatus PC-7, Beechcraft T-6 Texan II); Royal Air Force; Daily Sabah. Featured image: Ian Gratton, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>How do military pilots become fighter pilots?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Military fighter pilots climb a ladder of training aircraft. In the Royal Air Force, students fly elementary training on the Prefect T1, basic fast jet training on the Texan T1, advanced fast jet training on the Hawk T2, and then convert to a frontline type such as the Eurofighter Typhoon at an Operational Conversion Unit.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is an Operational Conversion Unit (OCU)?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">An Operational Conversion Unit is the squadron where an already qualified military pilot learns to fly one specific frontline aircraft type. The RAF's Typhoon OCU is No. 29 Squadron at RAF Coningsby, which reformed in 2003 in that role and trains aircrew on the Typhoon FGR4.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Which aircraft does the RAF use to train fast jet pilots?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The RAF uses the Grob Prefect T1 for elementary flying training, the Beechcraft Texan T1 with No. 72 Squadron at RAF Valley for basic fast jet training, and the BAE Hawk T2 with No. 4 and No. 25 Squadrons at RAF Valley for advanced fast jet training. The system is run by Ascent Flight Training under the UK Military Flying Training System.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is the H\u00fcrku\u015f-II?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The H\u00fcrku\u015f-II is a lighter, improved version of the TAI H\u00fcrku\u015f turboprop trainer built by Turkish Aerospace. It received a military type certificate from Turkey's Defence Industry Agency in September 2026, the first two were delivered to the Turkish Air Force on 28 September 2026, and 55 are on order.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What will replace the T-38 in the Turkish Air Force?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The Turkish Air Force intends the supersonic TAI H\u00fcrjet to replace the Northrop T-38M Talon as its advanced jet trainer, and to supplement the F-16 in the close air support role. The first production H\u00fcrjet flew at the end of August 2026.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Why are Turkish pilots training on the Typhoon in the UK?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Two Turkish Air Force pilots began Eurofighter Typhoon conversion training with No. 29 Squadron at RAF Coningsby in September 2026, for up to nine months. They are then expected to stay on as instructors until Turkey's own Eurofighters arrive from 2030.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Why do air forces use turboprop trainers before jets?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Modern turboprop trainers such as the Beechcraft Texan T1, Pilatus PC-21 and TAI H\u00fcrku\u015f-II have glass cockpits, ejection seats and enough performance for aerobatics, formation and low-level flying. They let students learn fast-jet habits in a cheaper aircraft before moving to a jet trainer like the Hawk T2.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How do military pilots become fighter pilots?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Military fighter pilots climb a ladder of training aircraft. In the Royal Air Force, students fly elementary training on the Prefect T1, basic fast jet training on the Texan T1, advanced fast jet training on the Hawk T2, and then convert to a frontline type such as the Eurofighter Typhoon at an Operational Conversion Unit.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is an Operational Conversion Unit (OCU)?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"An Operational Conversion Unit is the squadron where an already qualified military pilot learns to fly one specific frontline aircraft type. The RAF's Typhoon OCU is No. 29 Squadron at RAF Coningsby, which reformed in 2003 in that role and trains aircrew on the Typhoon FGR4.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Which aircraft does the RAF use to train fast jet pilots?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The RAF uses the Grob Prefect T1 for elementary flying training, the Beechcraft Texan T1 with No. 72 Squadron at RAF Valley for basic fast jet training, and the BAE Hawk T2 with No. 4 and No. 25 Squadrons at RAF Valley for advanced fast jet training. The system is run by Ascent Flight Training under the UK Military Flying Training System.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the H\u00fcrku\u015f-II?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The H\u00fcrku\u015f-II is a lighter, improved version of the TAI H\u00fcrku\u015f turboprop trainer built by Turkish Aerospace. It received a military type certificate from Turkey's Defence Industry Agency in September 2026, the first two were delivered to the Turkish Air Force on 28 September 2026, and 55 are on order.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What will replace the T-38 in the Turkish Air Force?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Turkish Air Force intends the supersonic TAI H\u00fcrjet to replace the Northrop T-38M Talon as its advanced jet trainer, and to supplement the F-16 in the close air support role. The first production H\u00fcrjet flew at the end of August 2026.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why are Turkish pilots training on the Typhoon in the UK?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Two Turkish Air Force pilots began Eurofighter Typhoon conversion training with No. 29 Squadron at RAF Coningsby in September 2026, for up to nine months. They are then expected to stay on as instructors until Turkey's own Eurofighters arrive from 2030.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why do air forces use turboprop trainers before jets?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Modern turboprop trainers such as the Beechcraft Texan T1, Pilatus PC-21 and TAI H\u00fcrku\u015f-II have glass cockpits, ejection seats and enough performance for aerobatics, formation and low-level flying. They let students learn fast-jet habits in a cheaper aircraft before moving to a jet trainer like the Hawk T2.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/turkish-air-force-pilots-eurofighter-typhoon-training-raf-coningsby-2026\/\">Turkish Pilots Start Eurofighter Typhoon Training at RAF Coningsby<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/hurkus-ii-turkish-air-force-first-delivery-tusas-trainer-2026\/\">H\u00fcrku\u015f-II Enters Turkish Air Force Service: First Two Trainers Delivered<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/usaf-1500-pilots-a-year-fupt-undergraduate-pilot-training-2026\/\">1,500 Pilots a Year: How the USAF Finally Hit Its Training Target<\/a><\/p><\/div>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From the Prefect and Texan to the Hawk T2 and the Typhoon OCU: how the fighter pilot training ladder works, and where Turkey&#8217;s new H\u00fcrku\u015f-II fits.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":25483431,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[664],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25484041","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-military-aviation"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Fighter Pilot Training Explained: From Turboprop to Typhoon | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How fighter pilot training works: from Prefect and Texan turboprops to the Hawk T2 and the Typhoon OCU, plus where Turkey&#039;s new H\u00fcrku\u015f-II fits in.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"it_IT\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Fighter Pilot Training Explained: From Turboprop to Typhoon | MiGFlug\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How fighter pilot training works: from Prefect and Texan turboprops to the Hawk T2 and the Typhoon OCU, plus where Turkey&#039;s new H\u00fcrku\u015f-II fits in.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Afterburner - MiGFlug&#039;s Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-09-29T09:18:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-29T09:18:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/09\/raf-hawk-t2-fe-raf-valley.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"853\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Joseph Duncan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Joseph Duncan\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Joseph Duncan\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b969321b26faa21775f0c40e141cdf85\"},\"headline\":\"Fighter Pilot Training Explained: From Turboprop to Typhoon\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-29T09:18:06+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-29T09:18:28+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1562,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/raf-hawk-t2-fe-raf-valley.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Military Aviation\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\\\/\",\"name\":\"Fighter Pilot Training Explained: From Turboprop to Typhoon | MiGFlug\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/raf-hawk-t2-fe-raf-valley.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-29T09:18:06+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-29T09:18:28+00:00\",\"description\":\"How fighter pilot training works: from Prefect and Texan turboprops to the Hawk T2 and the Typhoon OCU, plus where Turkey's new H\u00fcrku\u015f-II fits in.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/raf-hawk-t2-fe-raf-valley.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/raf-hawk-t2-fe-raf-valley.jpg\",\"width\":1280,\"height\":853,\"caption\":\"An RAF Hawk T2 at RAF Valley. Photo: Ian Gratton, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Startseite\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Fighter Pilot Training Explained: From Turboprop to Typhoon\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\",\"name\":\"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine\",\"description\":\"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\\/w:897\\\/h:278\\\/q:mauto\\\/ig:avif\\\/https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\\/w:897\\\/h:278\\\/q:mauto\\\/ig:avif\\\/https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"width\":897,\"height\":278,\"caption\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/MiGFlug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/migflug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/migflug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/MiGFlug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/migflug.com\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.ch\\\/migflug\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b969321b26faa21775f0c40e141cdf85\",\"name\":\"Joseph Duncan\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Joseph Duncan\"},\"description\":\"Joseph Duncan covers breaking defence news \u2014 fast, sharp dispatches on the Pentagon, procurement and the world\u2019s air forces.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/author\\\/josephduncan\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Fighter Pilot Training Explained: From Turboprop to Typhoon | MiGFlug","description":"How fighter pilot training works: from Prefect and Texan turboprops to the Hawk T2 and the Typhoon OCU, plus where Turkey's new H\u00fcrku\u015f-II fits in.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/","og_locale":"it_IT","og_type":"article","og_title":"Fighter Pilot Training Explained: From Turboprop to Typhoon | MiGFlug","og_description":"How fighter pilot training works: from Prefect and Texan turboprops to the Hawk T2 and the Typhoon OCU, plus where Turkey's new H\u00fcrku\u015f-II fits in.","og_url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/","og_site_name":"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","article_published_time":"2026-09-29T09:18:06+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-09-29T09:18:28+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":853,"url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/09\/raf-hawk-t2-fe-raf-valley.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Joseph Duncan","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@migflug","twitter_site":"@migflug","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Joseph Duncan","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/"},"author":{"name":"Joseph Duncan","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/person\/b969321b26faa21775f0c40e141cdf85"},"headline":"Fighter Pilot Training Explained: From Turboprop to Typhoon","datePublished":"2026-09-29T09:18:06+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-29T09:18:28+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/"},"wordCount":1562,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/09\/raf-hawk-t2-fe-raf-valley.jpg","articleSection":["Military Aviation"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/","name":"Fighter Pilot Training Explained: From Turboprop to Typhoon | MiGFlug","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/09\/raf-hawk-t2-fe-raf-valley.jpg","datePublished":"2026-09-29T09:18:06+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-29T09:18:28+00:00","description":"How fighter pilot training works: from Prefect and Texan turboprops to the Hawk T2 and the Typhoon OCU, plus where Turkey's new H\u00fcrku\u015f-II fits in.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/09\/raf-hawk-t2-fe-raf-valley.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/09\/raf-hawk-t2-fe-raf-valley.jpg","width":1280,"height":853,"caption":"An RAF Hawk T2 at RAF Valley. Photo: Ian Gratton, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fighter-pilot-training-pipeline-turboprop-to-typhoon\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Startseite","item":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Fighter Pilot Training Explained: From Turboprop to Typhoon"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#website","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/","name":"Afterburner - La rivista di MiGFlug","description":"Per chi \u00e8 interessato a pilotare aerei militari e argomenti correlati all&#039;aviazione.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization","name":"MiGFlug GmbH","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","width":897,"height":278,"caption":"MiGFlug GmbH"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","https:\/\/x.com\/migflug","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/migflug\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/MiGFlug","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/migflug.com\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.ch\/migflug\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/person\/b969321b26faa21775f0c40e141cdf85","name":"Giuseppe Duncan","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Joseph Duncan"},"description":"Joseph Duncan si occupa delle ultime notizie in materia di difesa, con reportage rapidi e incisivi sul Pentagono, gli appalti e le forze aeree di tutto il mondo.","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/author\/josephduncan\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25484041","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25484041"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25484041\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25484192,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25484041\/revisions\/25484192"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25483431"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25484041"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25484041"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25484041"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}