The 131st Squadron provides the role of the initial pilot training for the Royal Netherlands Air Force and the Royal Netherlands Navy. Next to that the 131st it provides the advanced pilot training and the (flightsimulator) instructor training for the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The intelligence and flight operations is also part of the 131st Squadron.
For the pilot training the Royal Netherlands Air Force uses the Pilatus PC-7. The Solo Display Team of the PC-7 represents the Royal Netherlands Air Force on various Air Shows in the Netherlands and abroad.
The unit also provides a 10 month course for the initial pilot training of both the F-16 and helicopter pilots of the Navy and Air Force. Both groups start direct after their arrival at Woensdrecht with a theoretical course. After the ground school is finished the pilots start with the training on the Pilatus PC-7 turbo trainer.
Student pilots have to be impervious, be highly adaptatable and have perseverance. After completion of the initial pilot training, student pilots go to the U.S. for the advanced student pilot training. There they are confronted with a very tight trainings regime. The 131st prepares the students properly for the physical and mentally extremely heavy training in the U.S. Based on the low percentage of dropouts of the Dutch fighterpilots in this advanced training, the training given by the 131 Squadron is very successfull.
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