On Thursday, the latest class of 166 IAF (Israel Air Force) pilots will be graduating. Unlike previous classes, there will be no women graduating in this round.

54% of the graduates are from cities, 35% are from small towns, and 10% are from farm communities (moshavim).

35% are from the north (Tzefat being the farthest north), 61% in the center, and 3% from the south.

All the pilots had completed all the Bagrut (matriculation) exams, except one who completed his Bagrut tests during training.

Almost half the class did not immediately go to pilot school after completing High School.

Four of the pilots volunteered for a year of community service before joining the course. Five went to a military preparatory school for a year. Three spent a year in Hesder. And four others tried out different positions in the IAF first.

For 9% of the graduates, it was their second time taking the course before they graduated.

32% are the oldest child, 35% the middle child, and 29% the youngest. Only 3% were only children.

Ynet reports that one student (22) overcome some very difficult personal trials to become a pilot.

As a child, R. suffered from Tourette’s syndrome, including tics,outbursts, angry behavior, as well as hyperactivity and allergies.

Through a diet regiment and medication he overcame Tourette’s at age 13, and subsequently passed the army medical exam which determined he was healthy and qualified to be a pilot.
R. father told YNet, “The lesson is that you should never pass unquestioned what the medical establishment tells you. There’s a solution and it lies in correct nutrition.”