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Am I too Tall??
- Thread starter bulldog06
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Unless you know someone that has the "Frankenstein" chair and can take your sitting height and all that kinda crap, you'll never know. Either way, if you won't be happy flying anything but F-14's or F/A-18's, you should reconsider you career choice. First of all, the F-14 pipeline is (for all intents and purposes) shut down and they aren't accepting any newly winged pilots. They'll be gone soon anyway. Second, you should be happy (if you get pilot) to make it through the program, get your wings, and be lucky enough to get to fly anything INCLUDING cargo planes. Many people don't even make it far enough to even worry about which particular platform they'll fly anyway. So if you're wondering whether you should go to OCS on the thought that one day, after OCS and after approx. 1.5 years of flight school that you MIGHT be so lucky as to academically outrank all the shorter guys who handle G's better, I'd say don't go. But, if you think all kinds of flying are cool and are open to what the Navy has to offer then go for it. I don't mean to sound too condecending, but naval aviation is not limited to what you see in TOP GUN or on recruiting ads. F/A-18 pilots make up a small minority in naval aviation. In fact, over 50% of naval aviation will be rotor-wing by 2008 or something like that, so look for the helo community to up its numbers and the other communities to shrink slightly.
zachary2777
Banned
Ya know, none of you actually answered this guy's question, so I will. I'm pretty tall too, actually I'm as tall as you are. I met a guy who was 6'6'' and flew F-16s, which has a really small cockpit. I've met a few other pilots (in the AF) that are in the 6'4''-6'5'' range. It's also not only how tall you are, but your sitting height, your ass to knee length and stuff like that too. Maybe when you get your physical you could ask them to measure these things to see if you fit.
I've sat in F-16 and F-15 cockpits. The F-16 was a squeeze but the F-15 was an easy fit. If it's your dream to fly hornets, I say go for it man. But if you don't get hornets, but something else, I'm sure you'll like it because flying is just cool no matter what you're in.
-Zak
I've sat in F-16 and F-15 cockpits. The F-16 was a squeeze but the F-15 was an easy fit. If it's your dream to fly hornets, I say go for it man. But if you don't get hornets, but something else, I'm sure you'll like it because flying is just cool no matter what you're in.
-Zak
quickandsure
Registered User
Tis tough to get an answer sometimes.
One: Not long ago, single pipeline waivers for height were granted. That is "you are too tall for xx-x but okay for xx-x" Well, there are no longer single pipeline waivers, in fact those that recently slipped under the screen are now being NPQ'd when they arrived at API and sent home, even though they were originally found qualified for single platforms. So to become an SNA you gotta meet height requirements for all inventory, not single platform and NO WAIVERS.
Two: As said, is not gross heigth, but torso, leg and etc, not a straight forward overall number.
One: Not long ago, single pipeline waivers for height were granted. That is "you are too tall for xx-x but okay for xx-x" Well, there are no longer single pipeline waivers, in fact those that recently slipped under the screen are now being NPQ'd when they arrived at API and sent home, even though they were originally found qualified for single platforms. So to become an SNA you gotta meet height requirements for all inventory, not single platform and NO WAIVERS.
Two: As said, is not gross heigth, but torso, leg and etc, not a straight forward overall number.
The single pipeline stuff is no-joke. One of my friends waiting to class up was single pipeline and he was NPQ'd from pilot. But he was given the choice of NFO or home, and he chose NFO. Sitting height, reach length, butt to knee length....that is the stuff they care about; not overall height. You don't wanna eject and leave your legs behind cuz your butt to knee length is slightly longer than the seat to glare shield lenght. Very bad stuff...
I'm 6'4, 230lbs and currently flying the T-45C. I'm not even the tallest or the biggest guy here. I do get alot of comments around the squadron like 'damn you're big' or 'how do fit in the cockpit'. But somehow I squeeze into the seat just fine. I won't lie, it's a tight fit, but you get used to it quickly. I'm not so sure about that single pipeline thing, because like alot of guys I know, I'm DQ'd from the Prowler but fine for the 18, 14 and S-3. But it ALL comes down to your anthro measurements.
From what I have been told by the flight surgeon at the Naval Academy, the max sitting height for the jet trainer is 38.9", funny because the max sitting height for all fleet jets (F-18, Harrier, E6B) is 41".
Doesn't make any sense to build a jet trainer with smaller cockpit dimensions than the actual fleet aircraft...but that is Uncle Sam for you!
Doesn't make any sense to build a jet trainer with smaller cockpit dimensions than the actual fleet aircraft...but that is Uncle Sam for you!
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