JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- Instructor pilots from the 559th Flying Training Squadron recently lent their expertise as evaluators in a groundbreaking high school flight simulation competition on May 9, 2025, aimed at cultivating the next generation of aviators.
The competition, dubbed VMax, was a collaborative initiative between the Virtual Flight Academy and the Aviation Professional Athlete Model (APAM) Alliance to build flight simulation teams. Over the course of 16 weeks, young men and women in grades 9 through 12 from Pleasanton, Poteet, and Jourdanton High Schools received afterschool training in the fundamentals of instrument flight using commercial flight simulator software.
Kenneth Knox, VMax Program Director, emphasized the larger vision behind the effort: “We’re building the future of Air Force pilot training through deliberate engagement with youth, veteran volunteers, and innovative flight training competitions to ensure our nation is ready to face the national security challenges of tomorrow.”
He added, “By combining low-cost VR systems and a national call to arms for veteran military aviator, volunteers, and working with these kids from middle school up to and including their senior year of ROTC or the Academies, we could prepare students to rapidly enter and complete military flight training at a fraction of the time
Modeled after high school athletics, the program enforced a “Pass to Play” policy. Students had to meet academic eligibility to participate. Practices were held twice a week for two hours, combining in-person mentorship from local volunteer pilots with remote instruction from aviation professionals nationwide.
Instructor pilots from the 559th FTS noted that the students demonstrated an impressive ability to grasp core aviation concepts typically not introduced until formal pilot training. Throughout the competition, the high schoolers were held to the same standards of discipline and precision used in U.S. Air Force Under-Graduate Pilot Training, giving them a firsthand experience of the rigor expected of military aviators.
The instructor pilots served as evaluators, assessing students based on strict, objective, and measurable criteria. The evaluations followed the same high standards used in U.S. Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training, ensuring that every maneuver was graded according to established Course Training Standards.
The competition included a written exam covering “Bold Face” emergency procedures and operational limits, testing students’ knowledge of critical aviation protocols. The VR flight portion was conducted using the Common Immersive Training Device (CITD), which is used by the 559th FTS for training. This advanced simulation technology provided students with a highly realistic experience that mirrored the training methods used by Air Force pilots.
The program culminated in the 2025 VMax Championship, hosted by the 559th FTS at JBSA-Randolph. Students’ scores from the written exam and the flight evaluations were combined, and the highest scoring four-person team was crowned the VMax Champion.
As part of the program, the Daedalians organization provided professional pilot training scholarships to the winning team members.
“Our mission is to produce the best instructor pilots for the world’s greatest Air Force,” said Lt. Col. Chad Bridgeford, commander of the 559th FTS, “and being able to mentor and help students discover aviation careers and realize they are attainable is an incredible bonus.”
Bridgeford added, “The most rewarding part was getting to watch the excitement when they were preparing for the competition, and the future possibilities of VMax when it scales in the future. The ability to impact the youth of our country with a passion for aviation is a reward on its own.”
The VMax initiative marked a new frontier in aviation outreach and STEM education, offering high school students a unique opportunity to train like Air Force pilots—while laying the groundwork for future careers in the skies.