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The Great Anthropometric Thread: Do you fit??

COVEY91

New Member
Looking around I could not find any information to help me out.

I've got a standing height of 5' 5'', with a weight of 150 and an arm reach of 28 Inches. I'm currently a freshman in college enrolled in ROTC and would like to know some opinions on my height and chances of scoring a pilot slot.

Thanks, v/r - RL
 

C420sailor

Former Rhino Bro
pilot
Looking around I could not find any information to help me out.

I've got a standing height of 5' 5'', with a weight of 150 and an arm reach of 28 Inches. I'm currently a freshman in college enrolled in ROTC and would like to know some opinions on my height and chances of scoring a pilot slot.

Thanks, v/r - RL

Don't sweat what you can't change.
 

xj220

Will fly for food.
pilot
Contributor
The only thing I can say is that once you get measured, make sure you actually see your numbers and compare them to the requirements so you know ahead of time if you're disqualified from certain aircraft. Don't be that guy who finds out on selection day out of primary that he can't select his choice because he doesn't fit. Not fun.
 

COVEY91

New Member
Gentlemen,

Thank you for your quick responses. If there are any others who may have input, it'd be great if you could give it in.

Just another question, Are there any ''short'' pilots out there?
 

blackbart22

Well-Known Member
pilot
Had a friend who was 5'6" (he said) who flew AD's way back when. He said " I can see the runway ahead of me or I can get full throw on the rudder. Can't do both at the same time. Another friend had been flying QT-33's for a year when they started measuring butt to knee. if he had ejected, he would have left his knee caps and toes on the canopy bow. There are reasons for the limits.
 

BACONATOR

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
You know what makes all the aviators have girls? A combination of fundamental misunderstanding of electromagnetic energy propagation coupled with ignorance of statistical probability and the inexplicable desire to believe in urban legends. :D

Brett

Old post, but I want to address a possible explanation.

It could be a sort of pseudo-cultural thing, like a corollary to the eskimos killing their daughters. Maybe ECM Naval Aviators simply push all their male children out to sea, never to be seen again, in order to re-supply quality tail for posterity. :D
 

FLY_USMC

Well-Known Member
pilot
Just another question, Are there any ''short'' pilots out there?
There are but you never see them, we keep them hidden away so they don't make the rest of us look bad. Besides, they get tired of being shot down at the bar....so they have a tendency to stay home and cry "Big" Napoleon sized tears.
 

rondebmar

Ron "Banty" Marron
pilot
Contributor
Had a friend who was 5'6" (he said) who flew AD's way back when. He said " I can see the runway ahead of me or I can get full throw on the rudder. Can't do both at the same time. Another friend had been flying QT-33's for a year when they started measuring butt to knee. if he had ejected, he would have left his knee caps and toes on the canopy bow. There are reasons for the limits.

In 1960, while applying for NavCad program as an E-5 at Rota, Spain, USN assisted greatly by flying me down to Port Lyautey, Morocco on several occasions...once for the very basic (at that time) anthro work...

Height minimum at the time ~ 66"! Corpsman doing the workup was able to ink it in only by measuring me very early in the day...after I'd been vertically hanging for a while from a horizontal bar! (Height this AM is 65 3/4").

First fleet a/c was the AD...was common knowledge in the squadron I had to unstrap and walk forward to drop the gear lever...(of course, I had "lifts" in my Brownshoes and flight boots...and carried two rudder blocks and a seat pad out to the a/c each hop...(j/k)

Squadron mates actually asked me to set the cockpit up when deplaning...crank the rudder pedals back down a bit, and drop the seat down to a more normal position...they hated rearranging everything after I flew a bird...

Negative G's were a slight problem...could not strap in anything (A1, A4, A7) tightly enough to be comfortable...but able to execute regardless...

Had an A4 squadron mate once who was just a tad shorter than me...

We survived! :D

OTOH, was on my very last flight in USN...on final at NLC in an A7, when tower advised an A4 was about to execute a controlled ejection 10 NM west of NAS...I waved off, and joined the furball...guy was an old acquaintance from my Spad days...and was huge! When PCS'ed to A4's, anthros had to convince him he'd not lose body parts upon ejecting...he was the ejectee, and got out unscathed.
 

MIDNJAC

is clara ship
pilot
Squadron mates actually asked me to set the cockpit up when deplaning...crank the rudder pedals back down a bit, and drop the seat down to a more normal position...they hated rearranging everything after I flew a bird...

Still seems like common courtesy regardless of size.....nothing is worse than strapping in on a hot humid day only to find that the last guy (or girl) forgot to loosen the lower straps and leg garters, and having to sit there in the heat fumbling around with them for an extra minute or so.
 

rondebmar

Ron "Banty" Marron
pilot
Contributor
Still seems like common courtesy regardless of size.....nothing is worse than strapping in on a hot humid day only to find that the last guy (or girl) forgot to loosen the lower straps and leg garters, and having to sit there in the heat fumbling around with them for an extra minute or so.

Tell you what, sport...I was a nugget then...and pretty "commonly courteous" once appraised of the situation...it only happened once! ;)

And don't ever recall flying an a/c with "leg garters"... ejection seat related, I'd guess.
 

MIDNJAC

is clara ship
pilot
Oh wasn't saying you weren't conscientious....just agreeing that it's a nice thing to do :)

And don't ever recall flying an a/c with "leg garters"... ejection seat related, I'd guess.

Yes, the NACES seat uses leg garter/restraints to pull your legs and feet into a good position to clear the canopy and not flail around in the event of ejection. I guess the older generation of seats did not have this feature (?)
 
J

JJax107

Guest
Anthro requirements can be found in OPNAVINST 3710.9C

T-45 Requirements

Sitting Height: 32" to 38.9"
Buttock-Knee Length: 21" to 26.4"
Functional Reach: >28.5"

Prowler Requirements

Sitting Height: 32" to 37.4"
Buttock-Knee Length: 21" to 28.4"
Functional Reach: >28.5"

As someone previously said, if you fit in the T-45, you'll be able to fit in the Hornet.

Is this still the requirement or has it changed in 5 years?
 

BusyBee604

St. Francis/Hugh Hefner Combo!
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Olden Days

I guess the older generation of seats did not have this feature (?)

A half century ago, the early Martin-Baker seats (TF-9Js & VF) had leg restraints, A-4s (RAPEC/ESCAPAC) seats did not.
BzB
 

Reconjoe

Active Member
The old links aren't working, does anyone have the link to the current anthro guide?

edit: Works on Explorer had trouble with chrome.

Follow up question, do you just sign and acknowledge you're at an increased risk if your under weight for a particular ejection seat, or do they just go the route of DQ'ing you for that particular seat?
 
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