text: in order to be a successful air force pilot, what do you have to do? i have this project that i must do and its based on the career of an air force pilot. what i need to know are 3 things that one must complete to be a successful pilot. well first of all you have to be an officer in the branch of the armed forces that you choose.  so you have to be an air force officer and get through flight school.  well you have to be accepted into that school first.. pretty competitive.  you need to have great vision, be pretty intelligent, and disiplined.