A day in the life of an instructor pilot during COVID-19

An X flight, also known as Lightning flight, of the 434th Flying Training Squadron at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, patch rests on the back of a chair in the flight commander’s office. As a flight commander, Capt. Joshua White, 434th FTS instructor pilot, is among the first echelons responsible for safely and efficiently scheduling people, the mission, and aircraft. His job is to keep the flight pointed in the right direction and enable his instructor pilots to do their jobs. He also reports directly to his commander with trends, potential scheduling issues, and the overall "health" of the flight. “This has been by far the most rewarding job I have had in the Air Force, and although very demanding and exhausting, the people in the flight make it all worthwhile, White said. “We have to be as transparent as possible and let the students know we are all in this together. It will not be the first time in their career that they are faced with difficult times, so it's important to remind them why they choose to come here and keep them focused on the prize and not the pandemic.” (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Anne McCready)