Reference & AI

DAFI 11-412

Air Force

AIRCREW MANAGEMENT

Reviewed by Guilherme Correia, active-duty U.S. Air Force

DAFI 11-412, "AIRCREW MANAGEMENT", is a Department of the Air Force publication, dated April 9, 2024.

Published

April 9, 2024

OPR

AF/A3

Headquarters, Department of the Air Force

Official document

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DAFI 11-412 — index record

NumberDAFI 11-412
TitleAIRCREW MANAGEMENT
PublishedApril 9, 2024
Certified currentApril 9, 2024
Office of primary responsibilityAF/A3
Issued byHeadquarters, Department of the Air Force
Status on the indexCurrent
Last index actionUpdateContact, May 21, 2025
Source indexAir Force e-Publishing
Index last readOctober 20, 2026

Copied from Air Force e-Publishing (index). The publication itself is the authority; this page does not summarize or interpret it. Verify the current edition on the index before acting.

From the publication itself

Text below is lifted mechanically from the official PDF (48 pages, read October 20, 2026) with no editing or interpretation. Quote the document, not this page.

Purpose, in the publication’s words

This instruction provides Air Force guidance for managing the Lt Col- and-below career aircrew force (pilots, combat systems officers [CSOs], air battle managers [ABMs], remotely piloted aircraft [RPA] pilots, and career enlisted aviators [CEAs]), specialized aircrew requirements (P/N-prefix), and non-career aircrew members (personnel with an X-prefix on their Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) and operational support fliers). It lays out the Air Force’s approach to aircrew management, assigns responsibilities, and details processes and methodologies. (Note: Unless otherwise stated in this AFI, ‘combat systems operator’ or ‘CSO’ includes navigator, CSO, weapons system officers [WSO], and electronic warfare officers [EWO].)

Summary of changes, as printed

This instruction has been completely revised and must be reviewed in its entirety. Chapters have been reorganized to follow a more logical flow. Added chapters on aircrew ecosystem and strategic communications. Added new requirements to document and report training requirements and training capacity methodologies. Establish standardized manpower (requirements) for applying instructor (K-prefix) and evaluator (Q-prefix) to Unit Manning Document authorizations.

Contents

  1. Chapter 1—OVERVIEWp. 5
  2. Chapter 2—ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIESp. 7
  3. Chapter 3—THE AIRCREW ECOSYSTEMp. 14
  4. Chapter 4—AIRCREW MANPOWER REQUIREMENTSp. 15
  5. Chapter 5—AIRCREW PRODUCTION MANAGEMENTp. 20
  6. Chapter 6—AIRCREW INVENTORY MANAGEMENTp. 29
  7. Chapter 7—AIRCREW MANAGEMENT TOOLSp. 36
  8. Chapter 8—AIRCREW MANAGEMENT STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONSp. 41
  9. Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 42
  10. Attachment 2—AFSC SUFFIXES FOR USE WITH P/N PREFIXESp. 54
All 72 contents entries
  1. Chapter 1—OVERVIEWp. 5
  2. 1.1. Purposep. 5
  3. 1.2. Aircrew Memberp. 5
  4. 1.3. Aircrew Managementp. 5
  5. 1.4. Aircrew Requirementsp. 5
  6. Chapter 2—ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIESp. 7
  7. 2.1. CSAF (Chief of Staff of the Air Force)p. 7
  8. 2.2. SF/COO (Space Force, Chief Operations Officer)p. 7
  9. 2.3. AF/A3 (Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations)p. 7
  10. 2.4. AF/A1 (Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel, and Services)p. 9
  11. 2.5. AF/A5 (Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy, Integration and Requirements)p. 11
  12. 2.6. AF/A8 (Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategic Plans and Programs)p. 11
  13. 2.7. SAF/SA (Studies and Analysis Directorate)p. 11
  14. 2.10. SAF/IA (Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs)p. 13
  15. Chapter 3—THE AIRCREW ECOSYSTEMp. 14
  16. 3.1. Overviewp. 14
  17. 3.2. Accessionsp. 14
  18. 3.3. Pre-Requisite Trainingp. 14
  19. 3.4. UFTp. 14
  20. 3.5. Intermediate Trainingp. 14
  21. 3.6. FTU Trainingp. 14
  22. 3.7. Upgrade Trainingp. 14
  23. 3.8. Retentionp. 14
  24. Chapter 4—AIRCREW MANPOWER REQUIREMENTSp. 15
  25. 4.1. Overviewp. 15
  26. 4.2. MAJCOMs will:p. 15
  27. 4.3. Force Manpower Requirementsp. 16
  28. 4.4. Training Manpower Requirementsp. 17
  29. 4.5. Test Manpower Requirementsp. 18
  30. 4.6. Staff Manpower Requirementsp. 18
  31. 4.7. Aircrew Man-Year Requirementsp. 19
  32. 4.8. CEAsp. 19
  33. 4.9. Non-Career Aircrew Member Authorizationsp. 19
  34. Chapter 5—AIRCREW PRODUCTION MANAGEMENTp. 20
  35. 5.1. Overviewp. 20
  36. 5.2. Accession and production relationshipp. 20
  37. 5.3. Career Aircrew Accession Planningp. 20
  38. 5.5. Aircrew Training and Distribution Requirements (ATDR) processp. 22
  39. 5.6. Training Metricsp. 28
  40. Chapter 6—AIRCREW INVENTORY MANAGEMENTp. 29
  41. 6.1. Overviewp. 29
  42. 6.2. Career Aircrew Inventoryp. 29
  43. 6.3. CORE Air Force Specialtyp. 30
  44. 6.4. Rated Distribution and Training Management (RDTM) Codesp. 30
  45. 6.5. Unique Qualificationsp. 31
  46. 6.6. Developmentp. 31
  47. 6.7. Retentionp. 33
  48. 6.8. Total Active Rated Service (TARS)p. 33
  49. 6.9. Cumulative Continuation Rate (CCR)p. 33
  50. 6.10. Flight Surgeons, Pilot-Physicians, and Exchange Officersp. 33
  51. 6.11. International Agreementsp. 33
  52. 6.12. CEA Crossflow Managementp. 33
  53. 6.13. CEA Aircrew Operating Requirementsp. 34
  54. 6.15. Other Development Toolsp. 35
  55. 6.16. RPA Pilotsp. 35
  56. Chapter 7—AIRCREW MANAGEMENT TOOLSp. 36
  57. 7.1. The Following are Formulas Used in Aircrew Managementp. 36
  58. 7.2. Authorizationsp. 36
  59. 7.3. Manningp. 37
  60. 7.4. Experience Mix (or Level)p. 38
  61. 7.5. Total Active Rated Service (TARS)p. 39
  62. 7.6. Production Requirements Calculationsp. 39
  63. 7.7. Absorption Calculationsp. 39
  64. 7.8. Capacity Calculationsp. 39
  65. 7.9. Descriptionsp. 39
  66. Chapter 8—AIRCREW MANAGEMENT STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONSp. 41
  67. 8.1. Aircrew Management Groupp. 41
  68. 8.2. Aircrew Management Executive Council (AMEC)p. 41
  69. 8.3. Air Force Operations Conferencep. 41
  70. 8.4. Aircrew Summitp. 41
  71. Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 42
  72. Attachment 2—AFSC SUFFIXES FOR USE WITH P/N PREFIXESp. 54

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REF: DAFI 11-412, effective April 9, 2024

Air Force e-Publishing — DAFI 11-412

This is an index record, not the publication. The official PDF is the authority; verify the current edition before acting.

Reviewed by Guilherme Correia · Military Toolkit editorial

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