YES: Naval Flight Officers (NFOs) train to fly, but they’re not pilots. They go through flight school with aviators, but their job is running aircraft systems, not controlling the stick.
Both start at Officer Candidate School, then move through Primary, Intermediate, and Advanced Flight Training. NFOs learn navigation, communication, weapons systems, and tactics. They earn Wings of Gold like aviators but operate as aircrew, not pilots.
Same physical standards as aviators. Once active, they serve in the Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. They handle aircraft systems and play key roles in missions—carrier ops, surveillance, search and rescue.
Movies like Top Gun barely mention them, but NFOs are everywhere in naval aviation. After flight school, they hit a Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) before moving to their assigned aircraft. An E-2C Hawkeye NFO might train at NAS Whidbey Island before heading to the fleet.
So, do they learn to fly? Yes. Do they fly the plane? No. They train hard, earn their wings, and run the systems that keep missions on track.
NFOs attend the same flight school as their Naval Aviator colleagues and go through the same demanding physical and mental training regimen.
Upon completion of their studies, NFOs receive their Wings of Gold and become certified aircrew members, ready to serve in a variety of roles within the Navy and Marine Corps.
