A flight cadet is a military or civilian occupational title that is held by someone who is in training to operate an airplane

Fixed-wing aircraft

A fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...

. The trainee does not need to become a pilot

Aviator

An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...

, as flight cadets may also learn to serve as a co-pilot, navigator

Flight officer

The title flight officer was a military rank used by the United States Armed Forces where it was an air force warrant officer rank. It was also an air force rank in several Commonwealth nations where it was used for female officers and was equivalent to the rank of flight lieutenant...

, or flight engineer

Flight engineer

Flight engineers work in three types of aircraft: fixed-wing , rotary wing , and space flight .As airplanes became even larger requiring more engines and complex systems to operate, the workload on the two pilots became excessive during certain critical parts of the flight regime, notably takeoffs...

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Flying Cadet Pilot Training Program (USAAS)

From 1917 to 1947, the Army ran this program to train pilots for the US Army Air Service (1918-1926), US Army Air Corps (1926–1941), and US Army Air Force (1941–1947). During America's involvement in World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 (1942–1945), the rank of flight cadet was changed to that of aviation cadet and the program name was changed to the Aviation Cadet Training Program

Aviation Cadet Training Program (USAAF)

The Flying / Aviation Cadet Pilot Training Program was created by the US Army to train its pilots. Originally created in 1907 by the US Army Signals Corps, it expanded as the Army's air assets increased....

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From 1947, this program was run by the now separate US Air Force. The pilot cadet program ended in 1961, but the Navigator cadet program ended in 1965.