When a pilot completes UPT on 27 Sep and signs in to the operational flying unit on 20 Jan, what is the effective date of the aeronautical order?

The effective date of the aeronautical order is determined based on the pilot's assignment timeline in relation to their training completion and their subsequent assignment to the operational flying unit.

In this case, the pilot completed their Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) on 27 September. The signing in to the operational flying unit occurred on 20 January. The effective date of the aeronautical order aligns with the date when the pilot became operational, which is the date they signed in to their new assignment. Therefore, 20 January is recognized as the effective date because it marks the beginning of the pilot’s duties at the operational unit after completing the required training.

Other dates, such as those prior to the signing in, do not reflect the actual start of operational flying duty and thus are not the correct effective date for the order. The date of completion of training or a date in mid-January prior to the signing in does not hold as the official effective date since it does not signify when the pilot transitioned into their operational assignment.