PLA Air Force 2012 pilot cadet recruitment starts

The Air Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) plans to recruit 35 percent more pilot cadets from this year's high school graduates than last year. The pilot cadets whose college entrance examination results meet the requirements for the first-tier colleges will account for more than 50 percent.

Relying on the Tsinghua University, the PLA Air Force plans to recruit 32 pilot cadets this year. The Peking University and the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (BUAA) plan to enroll 25 and 30 flight national defense students respectively for the first time. Besides, the PLA Air Force will also recruit over 200 pilot cadets from soldiers with college education backgrounds and students of civilian and military colleges and universities.

According to a leader from the Pilot Recruitment Bureau of the PLA Air Force, the 32 pilot cadets that the Tsinghua University plans to recruit are this year's high school graduates majoring in science. The 32 pilot cadets will form a "pilots' class" and be enrolled into the School of Aerospace and Aviation of the Tsinghua University for a four-year-long study, majoring in engineering mechanics and aerospace engineering. They will study at the School of Aerospace and Aviation of the Tsinghua University during the first three years and at the Air Force Aviation University (AFAU) during the fourth year.

The 55 flight national defense students to be enrolled by the Peking University and the BUAA for the first time will complete four-year undergraduate education at civilian universities. After graduation, they will be admitted to the AFAU, majoring in aviation flight and command, for a two-year-long training of primary trainer plane and senior trainer plane.