AF Form 1520A: ARC Aircrew Incentive Pay Worksheet 2026

AF Form 1520A: ARC Aircrew Incentive Pay Worksheet 2026 – Air Reserve Component (ARC) aircrew members — including those in the Air Force Reserve (AFR) and Air National Guard (ANG) — often qualify for Aviation Incentive Pay (AvIP) and related flight incentive pays. These compensations reward the demanding duties of flying. Accurate tracking and documentation are essential to ensure correct monthly entitlements, especially for conditional pay based on flight hours.

The AF Form 1520A, officially titled ARC Aircrew Incentive Pay Entitlement Worksheet, serves as the primary tool for this purpose. It helps Aviation Resource Management (ARM) personnel, High Altitude Readiness Managers (HARM), and individual aircrew members calculate, document, and validate eligibility for incentive pay throughout the year.

What Is AF Form 1520A and Who Uses It?

AF Form 1520A is a specialized worksheet designed exclusively for Air Reserve Component aircrew. It tracks flight hours performed during Active Duty (AD) and Inactive Duty (IAD) periods, prorates requirements for partial months, manages “banked” excess hours, handles borrowed hours, and determines whether a member qualifies for pay each month (Y = qualified, N = not qualified, or N/A).

  • Primary users: ARC aircrew members, unit Aviation Resource Management personnel, and finance offices.
  • Purpose: Acts as a source document to validate eligibility for ARC aircrew incentive pay, preventing over- or under-payments. It integrates with the Aviation Resource Management System (ARMS).
  • Filing: The completed form is permanently filed in the member’s Flight Records Folder (FRF) or Jump Records Folder (JRF) per AFMAN 11-421, Aviation Resource Management.

A new form must be started each calendar year. The version currently in use is AF Form 1520A, 20180905, V1 (previous editions are obsolete). You can download the official fillable PDF directly from the Air Force e-Publishing site: https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a3/form/af1520a/af1520a.pdf.

Note: This form differs from AF Form 1520 (used primarily for Regular Air Force/Active Duty individual flight pay tracking).

Key Incentive Pays Covered by AF Form 1520A

The worksheet primarily supports tracking for Aviation Incentive Pay (AvIP), which includes:

  • Continuous AvIP — For rated officers meeting Operational Flying Duty Accumulator (OFDA) requirements or specific Aviation Service Code (ASC) criteria.
  • Conditional AvIP — Month-to-month entitlement based on meeting minimum flight hours (typically tied to 4.0 hours per full month for active duty periods, prorated for partial months or IAD).

It may also reference Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay (HDIP) for flying duties and related entitlements. Rates vary by years of aviation service (e.g., historically ranging from $150 to $1,000 monthly for officers, subject to current DoD FMR updates). Reserve Component members on inactive duty may receive 1/30th of the monthly rate per IDT period when authorized.

Eligibility generally requires:

  • Entitlement to basic pay.
  • Current aeronautical rating or designation.
  • Qualification for aviation service per AFI 11-401 and AFMAN 11-402.
  • Meeting flight hour minimums for conditional pay.

Always cross-reference current rates and rules in DoD Financial Management Regulation (FMR) Volume 7A, Chapter 22 and AFMAN 11-421.

How to Complete AF Form 1520A: Step-by-Step Overview?

The form features a monthly grid (January–December) with separate tracking for AD and IAD. Key blocks and columns include:

  1. Member Information (Blocks 1–5): Name, Grade, Unit, Current ASC/Effective Date, and mark the applicable AvIP entitlement.
  2. Year: Enter the calendar year (a new form per year).
  3. Days (Column 7): Record AD and IAD days accomplished each month.
  4. Connector (Column 8): Use if continuous AD orders span more than 30 days or cross months.
  5. Req’d Hrs (Column 9): Enter required flight hours. Minimum is generally 4.0 hours for a full calendar month; prorate for fractional months using the form’s chart or DoD FMR tables (e.g., fewer hours required for fewer AD days).
  6. Flown Hrs (Column 10): Log creditable flight time (primary, secondary, instructor, or evaluator duties only). Non-creditable time (e.g., Duty Status Code 4 – Civilian) is excluded.
  7. Excess/Insufficient (Column 11): Calculate surplus or shortfall hours.
  8. Borrowed / Borrowed Month (Columns 12–13): Note hours borrowed from another month and the source month.
  9. Banked Hours (Column 14, with sub-rows 14A–F): Track excess hours that can be applied forward (up to 5 months maximum). Annotate START/STOP/REPORT actions, grace periods (SGP = Start Grace Period, FGP = Failed Grace Period, EGP = End Grace Period), and ASC changes here.
  10. Pay (Column 15): Mark Y (qualified), N (not qualified), or N/A for AD and IAD separately.
  11. Remarks (Column 16): Document pay actions, grace periods, ASC changes with effective dates, or other notes.

Additional Guidance:

  • Only creditable flight time counts toward requirements.
  • Use the fractional month chart on the form for prorated hours based on AD days.
  • See the reverse side for Privacy Act statement and detailed instructions.
  • For full procedural examples (including order of application for conditional pay rules in ARC), consult AFMAN 11-421, Chapter 6.

HARM or SARM offices typically maintain supporting records such as Individual Training Summaries (ITS), ARMS reports, and DD Form 2992 (if applicable) alongside this worksheet.

Why Accurate Completion Matters?

Proper use of AF Form 1520A ensures:

  • Timely and correct incentive pay processing through Military Pay Offices or DFAS.
  • Avoidance of debt collection due to improper payments.
  • Compliance with auditing requirements.

Errors in tracking banked hours, grace periods, or creditable time can affect entitlement. Units often coordinate with Finance Service Offices (FSO) or Reserve Pay Offices (RPO) when submitting Military Pay Orders (MPOs) for start/stop/report actions.

  • Official Form Download: AF Form 1520A PDF
  • Governing Publications:
    • AFMAN 11-421, Aviation Resource Management (Chapter 6 covers flight/jump pay).
    • DoD FMR Volume 7A, Chapters 22 and 58 (Military Pay Policy).
    • AFI 11-401, Aviation Management.
    • DoDI 7730.67 (Aviation Incentive Pays).
  • Additional Tools: AF Form 1520 (for non-ARC), AF Form 1521 (Jump Pay), and ARMS system reports.

For the latest pay tables, eligibility updates, or aviation bonuses (such as the FY26 Aviation Bonus programs for eligible ARC aviators), check official sites like DFAS.mil, the Air Force Reserve Command, or your unit’s HARM office. Rates and policies can be updated annually.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information based on publicly available official sources as of 2026. It is not a substitute for official guidance. Always consult your unit Aviation Resource Manager, HARM, or servicing finance office for personalized advice, current rates, and compliance with the most recent directives. Pay entitlements depend on individual circumstances, aeronautical orders, and qualification status.

If you are an ARC aircrew member or administrator needing help with AF Form 1520A, download the form today and refer to AFMAN 11-421 for detailed examples. Proper documentation keeps your incentive pay on track and supports mission readiness.