new york times In his recently released book, best-selling author and Breitbart News contributor Peter Schweitzer reveals how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is allegedly exploiting American kindness. Thousands of potential military pilots are reportedly being sent to the U.S., posing as civilians to gain flight training.
Schweitzer’s new book, The Invisible Coup: How American Elites and Foreign Powers Use Immigration as a Weapon, discusses a pressing issue regarding these Chinese pilots—who are receiving training in the United States with minimal oversight—before returning home for military service.
“The People’s Republic of China has a pilot problem,” the investigative journalist notes in invisible coup. “Beijing needs around 5,000 new pilots each year to satisfy both military and civilian needs. However, the domestic system can only produce about 1,200 pilots annually. Consequently, the Chinese government has created a covert program to train 3,000 of these pilots each year in the U.S.”
According to Schweitzer, “At least 16 flight schools in the United States train Chinese cadets at taxpayer-funded airports, often without disclosing their foreign military affiliations.” He continues, “They send these future military pilots to learn flying skills while disguising their true intentions.”
This situation extends to Chinese helicopter pilots, who also enter the U.S. on student visas and undergo training here by the thousands, as pointed out by Schweitzer.
“This scenario illustrates how China cleverly manipulates our immigration system for harmful objectives, turning our well-meaning openness against us. Moreover, it highlights a certain naivety—or perhaps ignorance—on America’s part.”
Sierra Aviation Academy in Atwater, California, is among the flight schools involved. Most of their students are from China and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) sends many future military pilots there.
Schweitzer asserts that these occurrences are intentional rather than accidental.
Reports indicate that Sierra Academy owner John Yun has deep connections to China, and the academy is looking to establish a cargo facility at Castle Airport in California. It seems they wish to utilize EB-5 funding from China to facilitate this project.
“We are well-connected with the Chinese government, airlines, and various agencies to implement this program,” Brian Johnson, the academy’s vice president, mentioned during a 2013 speech. interview and Merced Sunstar.
Schweitzer argues that they are effectively “selling both aviation training and U.S. residency, creating a dual advantage for Beijing.”
Documents referenced in invisible coup indicate that Sierra Academy collaborates with Chinese partners in aviation, including military contractors linked to the Chinese Communist Party.
As a result, the U.S. is fostering a system that produces Chinese pilots who may one day confront American forces.
“Dozens of Chinese students are currently undergoing various levels of flight training at Sierra Aviation Academy,” Worchel noted. “In a combat situation, if U.S. and Chinese pilots were to cross paths, they could both mention, ‘We trained at America’s former Castle Air Force Base.’
A similar program exists near Phoenix, Arizona, through a company called Aeroguard, which also trains many Chinese pilots, according to Schweitzer. invisible coup:
In 2022, the airline formed a contract with Cathay Pacific Airways, a Chinese government-run airline, aiming to train “hundreds of pilot cadets” at their Phoenix campus. The deal was reportedly approved by the Department of Homeland Security during the Biden administration, facilitated by local Representative Greg Stanton. AeroGuard stated, “Congressman Stanton’s support was crucial for the timely approval of our training program with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”
Schweitzer’s book reveals further disturbing insights about the training of Chinese pilots in the U.S.
His work, The Invisible Coup: How American Elites and Foreign Powers Use Immigration as a Weapon, published by HarperCollins, is available for purchase.
