Pilot training in the Imperial Japanese Navy
Pilot training in the Imperial Japanese Navy had several programs, which expanded, evolved and changed throughout the years. The aim of these programs was to train aircrew for the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. Initially, the pilot training program was open only to officers who graduated from the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy. However, the training was extended to include non-commissioned officers in March 1914 and eventually also to enlisted navy personnel in May 1920. Over the years, the number of NCO and enlisted pilots significantly surpassed the number of commissioned officer pilots, and officers would typically only command units and lead formations in combat. As the Pacific War progressed and attrition impacted the units, it was not uncommon for NCOs to lead battle formations due to the lack of officers, and some units even ended up without officers, as in the case of 204th Air Group in summer 1943 after Operation SE. Prior to the Pacific war, the training programs were extremely selective and competitive, and produced only a small number of elite pilots every year. However, during the Pacific War, a rapid increase in the demand for replacement pilots significantly reduced the selectiveness and training time.
Officer pilot training programs
Graduates of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy would first serve as midshipmen for a year before being commissioned as ensigns. Newly-commissioned ensigns were selected for pilot training based on the results of an aptitude test that typically lasted three weeks and took place at Kasumigaura Airfield. After the officers were selected for flight training, they would first receive one month of training in a two-seater aircraft with an instructor. Normally the first solo flight would be flown after twelve to thirteen logged hours of dual flight time. After passing the solo flight, they would proceed with more advanced flight training for the next several months. The whole course took about nine months, and after its completion, the graduates were assigned to a specific aircraft role and were sent to various air groups for specialized type training. By the time an officer pilot was posted to his combat unit he would be a lieutenant (junior grade).In November 1934 the Air Reserve Student program was created, which enabled male civilian university and college graduates to enter pilot training. The candidates had to be under the age of 26 in the case of a university degree and under the age of 24 in the case of a college degree. After successful completion of the training, the candidates were commissioned as ensigns. However, the officers from this program were distinguished from the academy graduates by their titles; academy graduates were called "Officers", while university and college graduates were called "Reserve Officers". The reserve student program remained very limited for many years, with the first class comprising only five students and the eighth class in 1941 only 48 students. The program was only significantly expanded after the war situation grew worse for Japan in 1943.
To distinguish officer pilot trainees from NCO and enlisted trainees, they were called "Flight Students", as opposed to "Flight Trainee" used for NCO and enlisted trainees.
NCO and Enlisted pilot training programs
Prior to June 1930, the NCO and enlisted pilot training program was called Flying Technique Trainee program. After that date, the program was renamed to Pilot Trainee program, which was typically shortened to Sōren for practical use. The trainees were selected from the personnel already serving in the navy based on a competitive written exam and then further through rigorous physical and flight aptitude tests. The flight training took place at Kasumigaura Airfield. Same as the officer pilot students, NCO/enlisted pilot trainees were normally allowed to go for the first solo after one month of flight training with an instructor.In 1928, a new parallel program was created to enable also civilian population to enter the training directly, which was called Flight Reserve Trainee Program program or Yokaren for short. The first class began their training in June 1930. Yokaren program drew from male civilians aged from 15-17 and made the selection through a competitive written exam. Selected candidates then went through three-year training that involved basic education and learning of various naval skills. Due to the increased demand for pilots, the training duration was afterwards shortened to two and a half years during the Second Sino-Japanese War and to two years during the Pacific War. On the other hand, since Sōren program candidates were older and already received basic education in the navy through Kaiheidan units, the program progressed quickly to the actual flight training, thus lasting only about a year in total.
Major changes to the NCO and enlisted programs were made in May 1937. A new program aimed at civilians between age 16-19 was added and named A-Class Flight Reserve Trainee program. Due to the higher education level of candidates at the entry into the program, the training only lasted one year and a half in total. To follow suit, the original Yokaren program was renamed to B-Class Flight Reserve Trainee program, where B-Class indicated the lower age of candidates at the entry compared to A-Class. In October 1940, Sōren was also renamed to C-Class Flight Reserve Trainee to fit into the same system.
The flight training part of the programs was called Flight Trainee or Hiren for short, and lasted for about seven months: 2 months in a primary trainer aircraft and 5 months in an intermediate trainer aircraft. After the introduction of classes, the flight training was standardised for all classes. Same as the officer pilot students, the NCO and enlisted pilot trainees were at the end of the course sent to various air groups to specialise in a specific role: fighter, dive bomber, torpedo bomber, land-based bomber or seaplane. The specialisation was called Extended Education and took from five to six months, depending on the role.