Brazilian Air Force Academy The Academia da Força Aérea ( AFA - " Air Force Academy " ) is the Brazilian Air Force ' s educational institution that provides initial officer training for the main Officer Board of Brazil ' s Air Force Command . The Academy is located east of Pirassununga city , in São Paulo State county , and it is the largest Brazilian Air Base as well as the largest Air Force Academy of Latin America . All three Officer Formation Courses ( CFOs ) of " Academia da Força Aérea " are recognized as Superior Degree by Brazil ' s Ministry of Educations . The Academy fulfills its mission of " training officers for the Air Force Aviators Board , Air Force Quartermasters Board and Air Force Infantry Boards , developing the attributes in each cadet on military martiality , intellectuals and professionals , in addition to ethical , moral , civic and social concerns , obtaining , at the end of this process , a position to become leaders of a modern Air Force " . The Air Force Academy is , along with " Academia Militar das Agulhas Negras " ( Military Academy of Agulhas Negras ) and " Escola Naval " ( Naval College ) , one of the Brazilian Military Academies . The Air Force Academy is the home base of the First and Second Aerial Instruction Squadrons as well as home of the internationally known Smoke Squadron . In Aeronautics Instruction matters " Academia " have one of the most selective military aviation trainings of the World . Cadets learn to fly as second year strats , and with less than 15 hours of experience cadets must be already able to perform the solo flight . History . Early years . The idea for the Brazilian Air Force dates back to World War I , when fitted to the Brazilian Navy to take the initiative to organize the first military aviation core in Brazil . On 23 August 1916 , then President Wenceslao Braz , founded the Naval Aviation School , while the Navy Minister , Admiral Alencar Faria of Alexandria , began negotiations for the acquisition of the first Brazilian military aircraft in order to equip an aviation school . There were three Curtiss Model F acquired from the United States . The Brazilian Army would only have its Military Aviation School after the Great War . On 15 January 1919 , by Federal Decree , was opened a credit for establishing a Military Aviation Service . The service has been provided with infrastructure by acquiring aircraft and other necessary materials , and for the school staff , teachers and other workers for maintenance were hired . The official opening of the Military Aviation School took place on 10 July 1919 , and Lieutenant Colonel Stanislaus Vieira Pamplona was its first commander . The School planes which came to Brazil in 1919 and 1920 , were French , from World War I , the Nieuport and Spad 84 " Herbermont " . For many years , military aviation was shared between Navy and Army . However , the creation of a new and independent Force formed part of the idealistic musings of Major Augustus Lysias Rodrigues , Military Aviator and one of the first in the Ministry of Aeronautics in Brazil . Major Lysias , however , enthusiastically raised his voice at a time when both the Military and Naval Aviation had not yet reached full development , getting his ideas kept for many years , coming to realize at the outbreak of World War II . The Ministry of Aeronautics was established by Federal Decree 2961 January 20 , 1941 , and shortly after its creation , the new military force felt the need to intensify staff training . The Air Force , at imminent expansion because of the exigencies of war , that was almost reaching Brazilian lands , has led to an immediate program to accelerate the training pace of navigators and specialists . Moreover , the new Ministry had just inherit , from Army and Navy aviations , two training centers which , for obvious reasons , should be homogenized . Therefore , both Military Aviation School and Naval Aviation School were closed down , as it was created in Afonsos AFB the School of Aeronautics , on 25 March 1941 , which would centralize all training of aviator officers . On the tip of the Galleon Airport , for training of maintenance personnel , was established the Escola de Especialistas da Aeronáutica ( School of Aeronautics Expert ) on the premises of the former Naval Aviation School . The Academy . On 23 January 1942 , was designated an official commission of aviator officers with the purpose of choosing a new location , free from the limitations of the Afonsos AFB , for the construction of a new School of Aeronautics . Among the places mooted , was selected the State of São Paulo , especially the cities of Campinas , Pirassununga , Rio Claro and Ribeirao Preto . The choice of Pirassununga resulted from exceptional topographical features offered in the area ( the place was called the Upper Field , east of town ) . The construction of the first hangars of the new School of Aeronautics was initiated in 1942 , even though the war was not yet over . In 1949 , the Ministry of Aeronautics appointed a new group of officers to present the project of the new School , which resulted in the Study and Construction of the School of Aeronautics , with the proposal of updating the School project , arranging and supervising the construction . On 17 July 1956 , another commission was named to prepare the final draft of the School , which should meet the two phases . Firstly , moving to Pirassununga the last year of the Aviator Officer Formation Course and later the establishment of the Pirassununga Facilities as the new School of Aeronautics . On 17 October 1960 , opened the Precursor Aeronautical Detachment , during the festivities of the Wing Week , in the presence of his Excellency Mr . Minister of Aeronautics and Commander of Brazilian Air Force , Air Lieutenant Brigadier Francisco de Assis Correa de Mello , the Governor of the State of São Paulo and other senior officials . The new School first commander was Aviator Major Aloysio Otter Netto . The buildings were few and poor , with only two hangars . The accommodations and infrastructure facilities were mostly concentrated in the old Support Division building . The runways were grassy and much more shorter than current runways . The year 1968 was crowned with the arrival of jet aircraft T - 37C , which would mark the beginning of a new era . On 9 September , was made the first flight instruction of cadets in that aircraft . On 10 July 1969 , the School of Aeronautics was renamed the " Academia da Força Aérea " ( Air Force Academy ) also well known in Brazil just by the acronym AFA . In 1971 , the Air Force Academy was definitely transferred from Afonsos AFB to Pirassununga , as its first commander was Air Brigadier Geraldo Labarthe Lebre . At that time , the Air Force Cadets Corps had already been removed from the Support Division , which today is the accommodation of staff sergeants and subofficers , to the Fourth Cadets Squadron building , where were the fourth year cadets . AFA ' s facilities were built according to a project ( Master Plan ) , which can be modified in accordance with any requirements if approved by the competent authorities . The Academy has a building area of 215 , 246 m² , with of administrative area and of residential area . For its operation , AFA has a water treatment station with a water network spanning approximately 15 km and maintaining a capacity / day to 6 , 000 , 000 liters , using the waters of the Rio Mogi Guaçu ; has , in electric power system , 41 km of overhead and underground voltage network , and a 50 km of roads and a telephone network with about 23 km . Academics . The Air Force Academy offers three different graduation courses , Aviator Officer Formation Course ( " Curso de Formação de Oficial Aviador " - CFOAv ) , Quartermaster Officer Formation Course ( " Curso de Formação de Oficial Itendente " - CFOInt ) and Infantry Officer Formation Course ( " Curso de Formação de Oficial de Infantaria " - CFOInf ) . Concomitantly , at all the three courses is taught Public Administration , recognised by the Ministry of Educations , which is very similar to business school . The courses have a duration of 4 years in boarding and dedication . At the end of the CFO the graduated cadets are declared Officer Candidate s . As soon as registered , the young man or woman receives the responsibilities inherent in the situation of Cadets : COURAGE , LOYALTY , HONOR , DUTY and PATRIOTISM which are the pillars of the Code of Honor of the Air Force Cadets Corps . The moral , scientific , military and technical expertise are taught by civilian and military instructors , that follow a sequence of knowledge within modern educational patterns , coordinated by the Education Division of the Academy , along with the Cadets Corps . The Applied Mathematics , Computers , Electricity , Mechanics , Physics , Chemistry , Portuguese Language , Spanish Language , English Language , Psychology , Sociology , Business and Law , among other disciplines , provide the foundation necessary for cultural and scientific development of future academic Aviator Officers , Quartermasters and Air Force Infantry . Aviator officer . The Aviator Cadets are future Air Force pilots . During four years of progress , they study subjects of administration in order to take positions of leadership in the sections of the Air Force ' s Institutions , either in an air Squadron , an Air Base or other Air Force ' s operational institution . Besides this general academic side , common to all three courses of the academy , the aviators still have technique - specific academic subjects inherent in air activity . Aerodynamics , Jet Propulsion , Air Navigation , Air Traffic , Aviation Technical English , Aerospace Medical Sciences and Meteorology are some subjects of the specific part of Aviator ' s grid , who in addition to bachelors in Administration , still leave graduates in Aeronautical Sciences , also recognized by the Ministry of Educations as Superior Degree . The Aviator Officer Formation Course is extremely demanding , requires dedication and perseverance of the cadet to keep up matters of academic performance both at the General and Specif areas , besides the physical training , military activities and especially the Flying at Second and Fourth Years . Upon graduation , Aviator Cadets are split into three Operational Specialization Squadrons . " Joker Squadron " ( 2nd Squadron / 5th Air Group ) teaches Embraer EMB - 314 Super Tucano ground school and the basic skills for Fighter Pilot s . The " Gavião Squadron " ( 11th Air Group ) teaches the Eurocopter AS350 " Esquilo " Helicopter Ground school and forms all Helicopter Pilots for the Air Force . Yet , there is the " Rumba Squadron " ( 1st Squadron / 5th Air Group ) administering the course of the Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante , forming at the end of one year the new pilots for the operational squadrons of Air Transport and Air Maritime Patrol ( which in Brazil is an Air Force ' s task ) . Quartermaster officer . The Quartermaster , in Brazilian Military Forces , is responsible for the significant part of logistics , which earned it the nickname " Queen of Logistics " . The Quartermaster is responsible for procurement activities ( food , uniforms and equipment , fuels , weaponry , oils and lubricants ; recoverables , and others ) , transportation of personnel and supplies . At military campaign , the quartermaster officer is responsible for facilities services , laundry , folding , parachute maintenance and burial fulfillments . When serving as leader of an Air Force Institution ' s section , he is generally responsible for the supplies , financial management , and internal control . Quartermaster Cadets are prepared with both classes and practical exercises for the tasks of a surface combatant integrated with the Logistics System Air Force Command . The course provides knowledge acquisition on Logistics , Mobile Quartermaster Units , Budget Execution , Procurement , Planning , Public Management , Internal Control Management , disciplines that are part of the specialized technical field Curriculum of CFOInt . When completed his academic studies , the graduated cadet is presented in the Military Section for which was classified , to perform administrative and operational activities as part of the Air Force Quartermaster ' s Board of Officers . Military training and athletics . Physical Education and Military Training are taught daily . Air instruction . The Aviator Cadets start flying at the second year of the course . Besides all the academic studies , the Air Cadets join the Second Aerial Instruction Squadron ( Segundo Esquadrão de Instrução Aérea - EIA ) and start the theory classes of T - 25 Universal basic trainer , classes about both normal and emergency procedures within the instruction area , and theory behind all practical exercises that will be performed at the next weeks . The theoretical part of the course is extremely demanding , usually cadets have to get nothing less than 90 % of correct answers at the final examinations , otherwise they practically end their chances of completing Second EIA and graduating as Air Force Pilots . At the end of Second EIA Course , the surviving cadets have nearly 50 flight hours accumulated . Both T - 25 and T - 27 courses are subdivided in four series of flight missions : Pre - Solo , Maneuvers and Acrobatics , Formation Flight and Navigation . In order to select only the best pilots for military service , about one third of the original number of Air Cadets are eliminated of the Aviation , most of them during pre - solo missions . Usually , the eliminated air cadets stay in AFA , joining the Quartermaster or Infantry cadets , but lots of them just leave the Academy . This extremely high number of losses turned the Aviator Officer Formation Course the most difficult and demanding Officer Formation Course of all Brazilian Military Forces . At the fourth year , the surviving aviator cadets join the First Aerial Instruction Squadron ( Primeiro Esquadrão de Instrução Aérea ) and start the course of the Brazilian - made turboprop Embraer EMB - 312 Tucano , better known in Brazilian Air Force as T - 27 Tucano . This time , the cadets fly nearly 120 hours all over the year , learning more complex acrobatics , four - aircraft Formation Flights and IFR navigation . At the end of the year , almost graduating as Aviator Officers , the top 30 pilots are designated for the Fighter Pilot Course . The rest of them are distributed between the Helicopter and MultiEngine Aircraft Schools . During the Academy Course , pilots learn maneuvers like Stall , Spin , Lazy Eight , Barrel Roll , Looping , Split - S , Chandelle , Immelmann and Cuban Eight . AFA pilots are able to sustain two and four aircraft formations as wingmen , and are also able to perform nearly navigation with full understanding of both visual and instrumental flight rules and night flights . Gliding club . The club which vacancies are most crowded is the " Clube de Vôo a Vela " ( CVV - literally " Sailing Flight Club " in Portuguese ) . Since 1976 , the CVV teaches the extracurricular glider pilot course for Academy cadets . The extremely exhaustive routine makes many cadets choose to exercise the relaxing activity of gliding . Besides , the supreme majority of aviator cadets actually join the Academy with very little or none real flight experience . This , plus the high number of cadets eliminated in the second year , makes many of these first - year cadets wishing to join the CVV and gain valuable flight experience , which can make the very difference between staying or leaving the Academy during the 2nd Aerial Instruction Squadron . The Gliding Club is obviously the most prominent . They have high performance gliders , Schleicher ASW 20 and " Libelle " , and has two tugs Embraer EMB - 202 Ipanema . Before learning to fly , the new members of the club must first pass through tests on technical knowledge and flight procedures of Gliding Flight and accumulate a substantial amount of hours as Club ' s supporters . The Gliding Club enables cadets having constant contact with the air activity , developing team spirit , fellowship , camaraderie and mutual trust between them . Admission . All young man or woman , between seventeen and twenty - three years old , that wishes to join the Academy as cadets must firstly subscribe for the Academy Admission Process . Generally the submissions period take time between May and June . ( complete with the number of vacancies ) Theoretical examinations . The first step becoming an air force cadet is get a good performance at the theoretical examination . All candidates must undergo a 80 questions test , with 20 questions per subject ( Maths , physics , Portuguese Language and English Language ) . The difficulty level of the exams is very high for Brazilian standards . But even so , the level of exams are not as high as the examinations of the Instituto Militar de Engenharia ( Military Institute of Engineering ) or the Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica ( Aeronautical Institute of Technology ) . Nearly 10000 candidates apply for the examinations , however only the 650 best are selected for the next phases of the Academy Admission Process . Secondary examinations . Air Cadets Preparatory School ( EPCAr ) . The Brazilian Air Force , looking for a previously good formation for their cadets after war , created the CPCAR ( Air Cadets Preparatory Course ) , what is a previously course of Air Force School ( at Campo dos Afonsos , also known as " cradle of military Brazilian aviation " ) , in 1949 . In May , 21 of 1949 , the president created at the Ministry of Aeronautic the decree 26 . 514 , establishing the CPCAR . The EPCAr ( Air Cadets Preparatory School ) is situated at Barbacena - MG , Brazil . The school works like a high school , but not an ordinary one . During the three years of course , the student ( treated as 3º . sergeant ) learn at the geral field the same disciplines of normal high school , but in the military field they learn how to valorize their career and ideal , how to act like a military - man , as well how to lead their conducts with the country ' s interests . After the three years , the health students guarantee the access to Military Pilot Course , at AFA ( CFOAv in Brazilian acronym ) . Every year , EPCAr opens 215 vacancies for the CPCAR . The EPCAr ' s students are some of the best students of Brazilian schools , as Colegio Naval ' s students ( Navy School ) . The graduated students go to AFA with all need military , human and life knowledge to become an Air Force cadet .