80 // AUGUST 2018 #365 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com
Luftstridsskolan
Swedish way
he Luftstridsskolan (Flying Training
School) at Malmen, near Linköping,
does things differently. There’s no
mandatory contract for new pilots, aircrew
select the type of aircraft they are going to fly
before they begin tuition, and the hierarchy
is so ‘flat’ that it’s almost non-existent. The
ethos here is that everyone is equal, to give
students the best possible opportunity to
become successful pilots in the armed forces.
In the past, the Flygvapnet (Swedish Air Force)
did what many air arms do today when it
comes to selecting and training new pilots. But
with less than 25% of cadets making it through
to become a pilot, the Flygvapnet decided to
reorganise the whole process in the 1970s.
The radical new approach turned its back
on the results of previous studies and
brought about an impressive improvement.
The success rate has increased to 95%
in which the remaining 5% usually fail
due to personal problems, personality or
mental attitude – not bad flying skills.
Today, the Luftstridsskolan takes 24 student
pilots annually for a two-year course (each
Swedish way
The Swedish Air Force’s Flying Training School, located at Malmen air base,
is unlike any other, as Søren Nielsen discovers.T
comprising 12 helicopter pilots, four for
transports and eight for fighters). There’s
a similar number of instructor pilots,
and all are divided into three units:- 1st squadron, basic training
fixed-wing, SK 60 (Saab 105) - 2nd squadron, advanced
training fixed-wing, SK 60 - 3rd squadron, advanced training
rotary-wing, HKP 15 (AW109)
As Capt Magnus Bragvad, commanding officer
of the 1st squadron, explained: “We changed
our philosophy of how we educate future pilots.
We start by letting the students know what they
are going to fly before they begin their training.”
When they are inducted, they can choose
between three categories – fighter, transport
or helicopter – and they need to apply for at
least two of these in order of priority. Once
accepted, they will already know
which type they are going to fly.
Capt Bragvad continued: “We don’t
want to pick out who is going to fly what,
because then we become judges and not
educators. We want them to know before
they start here that there isn’t any competition
around who’s going to fly what type. The
trainees are not competing with each other –
only with themselves to get as good as they can
get. That’s our philosophy. We look at them
as colleagues from day one – not as students.
The candidate is our future wingman.”Mutual assistance
Capt Bragvad added: “The trainees help
each other out within their community and
they wouldn’t do that if they were competing
against each other to be the best in the class,
just to be sure of flying the type they want.”
Cadet Christian Johansson, a future JAS 39
pilot, explained: “If a cadet fails, the entire
class fails. We are all colleagues and we will
work well together in the future. The best thing
is to help your colleague out, so you know
you’ll have the best wingman you can get.”
Capt Bragvad: “The instructors are
very happy when the candidates
make it and concerned
when they don’t. That’s
how I want all