Air Force Facts for Kids – Cool Things to Know About Pilots and Planes

Imagine fighter jets flying high above you, these jets can fly faster than the speed of sound! While cargo planes are big enough to carry tanks. Let’s now explore interesting facts and what the Air Force does.

What Is the Air Force? 

The Air Force is defined as the part of the military that focuses on flying high above and protecting territory, flying drones, and providing support etc. Think of the Air force as a team of people that work together to watch the skies and protect the civilians. 

The main jobs of the Air Force are to:

1. Fly planes
2. Provide aid and help in emergencies 
3. Delivering supplies 

History of the Air Force

The history of the Air Force is not very old, the early days of military flying are credited to be in the early 20th century. Planes were used in the World Wars primarily for bombing and dogfighting. Now technology has developed massively and we have different kinds of planes in the Air Force that carry out tasks that are separated from the military as well. The new technology in planes is faster, safer, stronger and more reliable than the technology that was used in the beginning of the Air Force. In the United States of America, the Air Force formed in 1947, which marked a significant turning point, as it was established as a separate branch of the military.

Air Force Planes and Jets

There are various planes and jets in the world, like:

1. Fighter Jets

These jets are super fast and are relatively smaller in size compared to other planes like cargo planes. These planes are faster than race cars and the world’s fastest animal, the cheetah. Some examples of these planes are: F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning.

2. Cargo and Transport Planes

These are huge aircrafts that carry and transport things like:

• Other planes 
• Vehicles 
• Humanitarian Aid, etc.

Examples of these cargo planes can be: C-130 Hercules or C-17 Globemaster.

3. Special Planes

Here are a few examples of other planes:

• Spy planes, these planes are used to spy over an area or locate danger
• Rescue helicopters that save people from areas or provide aid to people

What Do Air Force Pilots and Crews Do?

People in the Air Force have different roles and things that they do, for example:

1. Pilots:

They study and train for years to learn how to fly jets and big planes. They wear special gear and helmets that are attached to oxygen masks.

2. Ground Crews

The ground crew includes:

• Mechanics
• Engineers
• Support staff

Their responsibilities include keeping planes safe for the pilot and making them ready for flight.

Fun Facts About The Air Force 

• Did you know the Air Force helps during natural disasters?
• Did you know some planes are so large that they can carry other planes?
• The Air Force One is a special plane for The President of the U.S.
• Women make up 1/5th of the Air Force members in the U.S!
• Air Force planes are used for different things like protecting the country and fighting wildfires

Life in the Air Force 

You probably assume that life of an airman is confined to flying jets but it’s simply not true! Airmen are supposed to study:

• Science
• Technology 
• Leadership and many other things in order to fly these machines

Think of the bases where the airmen live as a small town, they contain facilities like:

• Schools 
• Gyms
• Cafeterias 
• Hospitals 

But life of an Airman is not easy, families oftentimes have to move and live in different places around the country and even the world.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion 

The reason why the Air Force inspires us is that it teaches us about hard work and the deep history behind the ability to fly planes and aircrafts. The Air Force is about protecting innocent people and exploring the beautiful earth. Next time you see a plane flying up in the sky, think about the amazing information you read about.

External Links

AFBA – The Air Force’s Interesting Facts