37 U.S.C. § 301a — Incentive pay: aviation career

Subject to regulations prescribed by the President, a member^* of a uniformed service who is entitled to basic pay^* is also entitled to aviation career incentive pay in the amount set forth in subsection (b) for the frequent and regular performance of operational or proficiency flying duty required by orders.

Aviation career incentive pay shall be restricted to regular and reserve officers who hold, or are in training leading to, an aeronautical rating^* or designation and who engage and remain in aviation service on a career basis.

Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, or the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Health and Human Services with respect to members under their respective jurisdiction, an officer (except a flight surgeon or other medical officer) who is entitled to basic pay, holds an aeronautical rating or designation, and is qualified for aviation service under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned^*, is entitled to continuous monthly incentive pay in the amount set forth in subsection (b) that is applicable to him. A flight surgeon or other medical officer who is entitled to basic pay, holds an aeronautical rating or designation, and is qualified for aviation service under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, is not entitled to continuous monthly incentive pay but is entitled to monthly incentive pay in the amounts set forth in subsection (b) for the frequent and regular performance of operational flying duty.

To be entitled to continuous monthly incentive pay, an officer must perform the prescribed operational flying duties (including flight training but excluding proficiency flying) for 8 of the first 12, and 12 of the first 18 years of the aviation service of the officer. However, if an officer performs the prescribed operational flying duties (including flight training but excluding proficiency flying) for at least 10 but less than 12 of the first 18 years of the aviation service of the officer, the officer will be entitled to continuous monthly incentive pay for the first 22 years of aviation service of the officer. Entitlement to continuous monthly incentive pay ceases for an officer (other than a warrant officer^*) upon completion of 25 years of aviation service, but such an officer in a pay grade^* below pay grade O–7 remains entitled to monthly incentive pay under subsection (b)(1) for the performance of operational flying duty.

If upon completion of either 12 or 18 years of aviation service it is determined that an officer has failed to perform the minimum prescribed operational flying duty requirements during the prescribed periods of time, his entitlement to continuous monthly incentive pay ceases. For the needs of the service, the Secretary concerned may permit, on a case by case basis, an officer to continue to receive continuous monthly incentive pay despite the failure of the officer to perform the prescribed operational flying duty requirements during the prescribed periods of time so long as the officer has performed those requirements for not less than 6 years of aviation service. The Secretary concerned may not delegate the authority in the preceding sentence to permit the payment of incentive pay under this subsection. If at the completion of 12 years of aviation service entitlement to continuous monthly incentive pay ceases, entitlement to that pay may again commence at the completion of 18 years of aviation service upon completion of the minimum operational flying duty requirements, such pay to continue for a period of time as prescribed in accordance with this section. However, if entitlement to continuous monthly incentive pay ceases in the case of any officer at the completion of either 12 or 18 years of aviation service, such officer remains entitled to monthly incentive pay for the performance of subsequent operational or proficiency flying duties up to the maximum period of time prescribed in accordance with this section.

In this section:

A member who satisfies the requirements described in subsection (a) is entitled to monthly incentive pay as follows:

An officer in a pay grade above O–6 is entitled, until the officer completes 25 years of aviation service, to be paid at the rates set forth in the table in paragraph (1), except that—

For a warrant officer with over 22, 23, 24, or 25 years of aviation service who is qualified under subsection (a), the rate prescribed in the table in paragraph (1) for officers with over 14 years of aviation service shall continue to apply to the warrant officer.

An officer serving as an air battle manager who is entitled to aviation career incentive pay under this section and who, before becoming entitled to aviation career incentive pay, was entitled to incentive pay under section 301(a)(13) of this title, shall be paid the monthly incentive pay at the higher of the following rates: