Imperial Starfighter Pilot

Imperial Starfighter Pilots, also known as TIE fighter pilots or TIE pilots, were an elite class within the military of the Galactic Empire. They piloted the TIE fighter series of starfighters, a line that included the TIE/ln space superiority starfighter, which was one of the Empire's most recognizable symbols of power, the TIE/sa bomber and TIE/IN interceptor. There were two nicknames for TIE pilots: the vac-heads, who operated in space for the Empire's Imperial Navy, and the ground-hogs, who operated in planetary atmosphere for the Imperial Army. Because the vac-heads had better public recognition through propaganda posters and the HoloNet News reports, the ground-hogs were often resentful of them. The rivalry between ground-hogs and vac-heads was so intense that most Imperial flight bases had separate bars for the two groups, with the notable exception of the Bright Jewel Oversector Flight Base.

The precision and streamlined design of the TIE fighter was a source of pride for those pilots, who prided themselves for usually not needing deflector shields or hyperdrives, which they viewed as tools for the cowardly. Since TIE fighters were identical and interchangeable, TIE pilots might never fly the same ship twice and, as a result, rarely developed emotional ties to their craft. Nonetheless, they tended to be very protective of their vessel of the day, and loved to push around lower-ranked stormtroopers. Very dedicated, TIE pilots were willing to surrender their lives for the greater glory of the Empire's New Order. For this reason most TIE pilots had a life expectancy of less than a year.

TIE fighter pilots could also engage in surface combat, with Squad Five participating in a skirmish on Nar Shaddaa.

Text and facts from the “Imperial Starfighter Pilot” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.