The PLAN's pilot recruitment consists of three stages - preliminary selection, comprehensive examination and final selection and recruitment. Preliminary selection will take place from October to November this year, comprehensive examination from February to May next year, and final selection and recruitment will be carried out after the results of next year's national college entrance exam are published.

Zhu Jianfeng, Deputy Director of the PLAN Pilot Recruitment Office, said changes had been introduced this year in the recruitment of pilots. He said "We have expanded the scope of pilot recruitment, set our eyes on those with the potential to carry out ship-borne flight in advance, introduced the psychological quality selection system for ship-borne pilot trainees, and officially incorporated cultural test in the preliminary selection."