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Body Weight Requirements for Ejection Seats

Winging_It

Advanced NASWF
Hey all. Is anyone able to shed some light on when you are weighed to determine eligibility for ejection seats? Is it done during the first PRT or taken from another time? It is my understanding that the minimum (in PT gear?) is 136 lbs. I heard that up until a few years ago this was waivered, but that process has largely stopped.
Just trying to gather information to keep options open should the needs of the Navy allow it. Thanks in advance.
 

wlawr005

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
I guess I'm missing the question. You were measured and found to be qualified for everything except E2.
Right. Been through Anthro and that initial weight in. My measurements are qualled for everything except E-2s, but I came in a 134.something. Was that the last shot I had?
 

Winging_It

Advanced NASWF
I guess I'm missing the question. You were measured and found to be qualified for everything except E2.
I was found to be qualified with the body measurements, yes. There is a little astrisk at the bottom of the anthro paper that says weight was not taken into account, which leads me to believe it has to be taken into account at some other time. Essentially I'm wondering when weight is factored in, or if I missed that shot already. I would think that since weight can fluxuate pretty significantly from API check-in to platform selection, they'd likely want an updated weight.


Basically, do I have another chance to hit the 136 mark? Because I can down some Chipotle and drink a gallon of water and make it just fine. (Not to mention hit the gym)
 

Hopeful Hoya

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
If your weight was the problem then someone in STUCON would be talking to you about it since everyone has to meet the ejection seat limits for the T-6; the fact that you’re anthro’d out of the E-2 probably has something to do with another one of the measurements.

And I’m not positive but I’m pretty sure the 136lb weight is with full gear which weighs about 30lbs, so you only need to be 106lb in PT gear. At least that’s what I remember one of my friends telling me when she went through and had to put on some weight to meet that number.

Either way I wouldn’t worry about it too much, being slightly below the low end and having to fix it is much easier than being above the 231lb limit and having to rush to loose weight...
 

Winging_It

Advanced NASWF
If your weight was the problem then someone in STUCON would be talking to you about it since everyone has to meet the ejection seat limits for the T-6; the fact that you’re anthro’d out of the E-2 probably has something to do with another one of the measurements.

And I’m not positive but I’m pretty sure the 136lb weight is with full gear which weighs about 30lbs, so you only need to be 106lb in PT gear. At least that’s what I remember one of my friends telling me when she went through and had to put on some weight to meet that number.

Either way I wouldn’t worry about it too much, being slightly below the low end and having to fix it is much easier than being above the 231lb limit and having to rush to loose weight...
Thanks for the answer. I've heard a lot of different things regarding the 136 number (I know T-6 is 131lb requirement in gear). Some people have told me for platform selection the weigh-in is PT gear and some flight gear. Here's hoping its in gear!
 

ea6bflyr

Working Class Bum
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
From https://www.public.navy.mil/netc/centers/cnatt/nascweb/anthro_/Default.aspx
"Naval Aviation Schools Command implements the screening process at the beginning of Aviation Preflight Indoctrination (API).

Upon checking in to NASC each API students will receive an anthropometric measurement appointment.

Each student is measured to ensure that he/she is anthropometrically compatible within two fleet training pipelines.

Students are weighed to ensure that they meet the minimum and do not exceed the maximum weight allowable within Naval Aviation. (Minimum allowable weight is 103 lbs and the maximum allowable weight is 231 lbs.)

Once measurements are taken they are recorded within a database and copies are provided to student control to be included with the students Aviation Training Jacket.

A student can request one remeasurement while enrolled in API."
 

Jim123

DD-214 in hand and I'm gonna party like it's 1998
pilot
Students are weighed to ensure that they meet the minimum and do not exceed the maximum weight allowable within Naval Aviation. (Minimum allowable weight is 103 lbs
Pretty sure that's just to get you into the T-6 seat, but other seats have higher minimum weight.

For the other anthro measurements, minimum arm length and leg length seem to be the critical ones (gotta reach all the switches and work the pedals). Long thighs will get you kneecapped in an ejection and too tall sitting height is probably what got Nick Bradshaw (RIP), but you gotta be insanely short to not see outside of any of the helicopters with the seat all the way up (including sit on an approved seat pad as the case may be, which are actually a thing). Short thighs don't really matter as much as overall leg length, as long as your feet can reach the pedals.

The 53 and 60 seats and pedals have all kinds of adjustment. The 57 has pedal adjustment only (and extra pads for the seat, but you gotta work see the AMSO for those... and the AMSOs usually seek out the short people anthro corner cases when a new class of students checks in) but nonetheless a few people with pixie and hobbit builds have made it work over the years (made it work legally I mean).

I can't speak to the P-8 and the King Air seats. I do remember a few of my vertically challenged fellow students getting P-3s.
 

Uncle Fester

Robot Pimp
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
E-2s have an informal - as in, a community not NAMI rule - 5’4” cutoff for NFOs. Below that and you probably don’t have the arm length to pull and reseat the CIC hatch. But because it’s not a NAMI limit they will fit-check you if you want to go VAW. Erstwhile Mrs Fester was (is) a 5’1” pixie in boots and she fit-checked in.
 

ea6bflyr

Working Class Bum
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Pretty sure that's just to get you into the T-6 seat, but other seats have higher minimum weight.

For the other anthro measurements, minimum arm length and leg length seem to be the critical ones (gotta reach all the switches and work the pedals). Long thighs will get you kneecapped in an ejection and too tall sitting height is probably what got Nick Bradshaw (RIP), but you gotta be insanely short to not see outside of any of the helicopters with the seat all the way up (including sit on an approved seat pad as the case may be, which are actually a thing). Short thighs don't really matter as much as overall leg length, as long as your feet can reach the pedals.

The 53 and 60 seats and pedals have all kinds of adjustment. The 57 has pedal adjustment only (and extra pads for the seat, but you gotta work see the AMSO for those... and the AMSOs usually seek out the short people anthro corner cases when a new class of students checks in) but nonetheless a few people with pixie and hobbit builds have made it work over the years (made it work legally I mean).

I can't speak to the P-8 and the King Air seats. I do remember a few of my vertically challenged fellow students getting P-3s.
Yep. Covered in the CNAF M-3710.7 {dated 05 MAY 2016} (OPNAVINST 3710.7 replacement) :
21584
21585
21586
 
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