Turkish Air Force Academy The Turkish Air Force Academy ( TuAFA ) ( ) is a four - year co - educational military academy located in the city of Istanbul , Turkey . It is the main human resource for the Turkish Air Force Command . It was founded in 1951 , replacing the Army Flight School , with the mandate to train the officers of the Turkish Air Force . The academy provides an engineering education to Air Force cadets from Turkey as well as a number of other countries , and prepares them for careers in their respective Air Forces . TuAFA is recognized by the Turkish Council of Higher Education , as a university accredited to grant engineering degrees . It should not be confused with the Air War College ( " Hava Harp Akademisi " ) . Since 1992 , the Academy has accepted female cadets and allied countries ' cadets for enrolment . Accepting cadets not only from Turkey , but also all over the world makes this college very unusual . The aim of the academy is to produce officers who have ; With its core values , the college seeks to develop officer candidates ' integrity , bravery and honour . History . The Air Force Academy was first founded ( as the “ Air School ” ) in order to develop Turkish Military Aviation . It began operations on July 3 , 1912 in Yeşilköy , then moved to Eskişehir in 1926 . As a result of developments in aviation , the Air School in Eskişehir was transformed into the Air Force Academy on October 1 , 1951 under the command of Staff Colonel Gavsi UÇAGÖK . The 56 Air Force 3rd Lieutenants who graduated on August 30 , 1953 were the first officers who were trained by the Air Force Academy exclusively . On the same day the Air Force Academy received its standard from the Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Fevzi UÇANER on behalf of the President of the Turkish Republic . On September 17 , 1954 , the Air Force Academy was moved to İzmir due to the inadequacies in Eskişehir . In 1955 flight training was moved back to the period after the initial two - year academic education and the number of trainees was increased from 68 to 136 . 1955 was the most populous year of the Academy with 429 cadets enrolled in that year . In the same year , a first female cadet was recruited . After 1960 the Air Military High School became the main source of Cadets for the Air Force Academy . Civilian high schools became secondary sources of students . Rapid improvements in aviation and space technologies demanded fundamental changes in the education and training provided by the Academy . On July 4 , 1967 the Academy was moved to İstanbul in order to be able to access the resources and instructors of the universities and War Academies . The facilities which were constructed in Yeşilyurt İstanbul for the Air Military High School were converted for the Air Force Academy . On August 30 , 1968 the Air Force Academy had its first graduates in İstanbul . The duration of the training was expanded from two years to three years in the 1969 - 1970 education period , and to four years in 1974 . Until 1960 female cadets had been admitted to the Academy . In 1992 after 32 years once again they began to be admitted , and a total number of 134 female officers have graduated from the Academy from 1996 to the present ( 2011 ) . Since 1992 , 120 cadets of friendly and allied countries have also been trained in the Turkish Air Force Academy . On May 17 , 2000 the Air Force Academy Dean of the Faculty was established . The foundation of the Air Force Academy Dean of the Faculty was a milestone in support of the academic activities to be implemented in a modern and efficient way . The Aeronautics and Space Technologies Institute was founded in 2001 for graduate studies . The institute serves as a higher education institute for both Air Force and other service branches . The Air Force Academy covers an area of 4 . 5 million square metres . Indoor and outdoor facilities are at Yeşilyurt , Istanbul and flight and encampment facilities are at Yalova . Program . The Academy ' s aim is to have pilot candidates who are trained in modern science and technology , and capable of dealing with the problems and issues of military daily life , and also with the attributes and abilities to strengthen the Turkish Armed Forces . The Academy uses different ways to achieve those aims via military , academic , affective domain , and physical education and training . TuAFA is a four - year institution of higher learning , providing an academic education , military training and physical training . Academic Program . Undergraduate Programs . The Academy educates cadets within the following departments in contemporary academic knowledge and skills with theoretical and practical lessons : Aeronautical Engineering , Electronic Engineering , Computer Engineering , Industrial Engineering , Applied Sciences , Military And Social Sciences , Foreign Languages , and Administrative Science . Graduate Programs . The Aeronautics and Space Technologies Institute ( ASTIN ) initially offered graduate programs in Aeronautics , Electronics , Computer , and Industrial Engineering subjects . An Aerospace program was initiated in the 2003 - 2004 academic year . The graduate program which offered 4 Master of Science ( M . S . ) programs at the start now continues with 5 programs . In addition , a Doctor of Philosophy ( Ph . D . ) program in 4 disciplines is now being offered , and as well as the Master of Science programs , there is a newly opened program in Administrative Science , which aims to increase the management abilities of the cadets . Physical training . In the Academy , cadets trained to become jet pilots are prepared both physically and psychologically for demanding situations that they will face . The aims of the Physical Training Department are to get cadets enjoy doing sports , to contribute to the physical development of the cadets , to ensure the cadets consider sports as a way of life and do sports life - time and to teach cadets the sports techniques needed to do sports by themselves . CISM ( Conseil International du Sport Militaire ) and EUAFA ( European Air Force Academies ) sports events are held each year and the relevant teams attend the events . The sports branches in the Academy are : Shooting , Track Field , Basketball , Fencing , Soccer , Aeronautical Pentathlon , Handball , Cross Country , Orienteering , Table Tennis , Taekwondo , Volleyball , Swimming , Tennis , Chess . In all sports branches the aim is to develop body and brain together . All cadets must take part in a sport branch . Military training . Military training is provided under the programs Mechanic Marksmanship and Rifle Practice , Military Culture , Protocol and Rules of Good Manners . The purpose of Military Training is to inculcate discipline and the spirit of a soldier , to gain leadership in order to behave as a team commander when needed , to gain moral qualities which every soldier must possess , to gain physical efficiency , endurance , initiative and the spirit of a warrior . During the Air Force Academy education period , cadets also receive Applied Flight Training . With the help of this training , cadets improve their knowledge and skills about aviation . Cadets also receive Leadership Training and Character Training . Social Clubs . The purpose of the activities of pedagogical clubs is improving cadets ’ abilities which they already have , providing them with a study of science and fine arts and providing opportunity for them to gain new abilities , increasing their good manners and general knowledge . Cadets taking part in these clubs display their works at the Eagles ’ week every year or on other occasions . Following are the social clubs in the Air Force Academy ; Band Club , Music Club , Drawing / Marbling Club , Folk Dance Club , Model Aircraft , Electronics Club , Media Club , Drama Club . In addition , Project , Computer , Second Language Learning and English Conversation clubs are other extra curricular activities . Supporting services . The Academy also contains supporting services such as Security Company Command , Light Weapon Maintenance Unit , Photograph Studio , Service Company Command , Engineering – Maintenance Battalion Command , Communications Electronics and Information Systems Company Command , Band Command and Transportation Battalion Command .