G-LOC Question

[FLY_USMC]

The centrifuge itself is adjustable....so it can simulate the "angular" difference between say a Hornet ejection seat.....and an F-16's. I will also agree that the centrifuge is the most painful 7.5 g's I've ever felt. I had someone explain it to me that the centrifuge itself doesn't simulate any "alpha" meaning the g-forces you feel in the fuge are no shiat straight through your head....or nearly at least. In the Hornet, you will have the same g....but the alpha on the jet make the g-forces come through more at a chest like angle. Whether it's true or not, it seems plausible to me, while I did not have fun at ALL in the centrifuge......I never had any problems in the jet. BTW, one tidbit on info that the fuge peeps told me, the reclining of the F-16's seat alone makes their 9g profile feel like 8.3.

 

[XeroJaeger]

Cheers for sharing that for the humor, and double up on getting through it. Nicely done.

Like someone was saying, though - what happens to you as an aviator if you can't get through the gloc spin?

-X

 

[nittany03]

I've had a couple of my akro students pass out from gloc during training with me, and both of them had their arms do the same thing. That was interesting, thanks for sharing it.

Essentially, what happens when you G-LOC is that you have something similar to a near-death experience. When you come to again, your brain more or less has to "reboot." That's what causes people to do the funky chicken.

 

[yak52driver]

Essentially, what happens when you G-LOC is that you have something similar to a near-death experience. When you come to again, your brain more or less has to "reboot." That's what causes people to do the funky chicken.

I asked a flight doc about the arm thing, he used exactly the same reboot analogy. Thanks!!

 

[MIDNJAC]

Like someone was saying, though - what happens to you as an aviator if you can't get through the gloc spin?

-X

You will....it's not that hard.

 

[corpsocgmu]

This might be it

http://vettetube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=c4ec58c0063a90deb396

Dude doesn't G-LOC during his ride....might have helped that he's a bit portly, but impressive all the same.

 

[Gatordev]

You guys missed the best part: "...and now you're super-sonic, my friend..." <BINGO, BINGO>

(Yes, I know he can set that, but still).

 

[McBuff]

Dude doesn't G-LOC during his ride....might have helped that he's a bit portly, but impressive all the same.

I was thinking the same thing. Having a resting BP in the 170s probably helps with that.

 

[arbor]

To leave the more thorough explanations to the docs, taller, leaner types typically do not withstand G's as well as shorter, stockier builds, a result of the blood having less distance to travel and more mass with which to constrict its movement.

Feel free to expound / correct.

 

[BACONATOR]

Short, stocky TEND to have better G-tolerance, and tall, lanky tend to have less G-tolerance. It's simple physics. Tall and skinny = more space for the blood to pool in the lower body.

Short stocky = less space for the blood to pool down in and stockier tends to keep more blood in torso and stockier also implies more muscles to flex to keep blood in upper body/head via muscle contraction.

 

[pourts]

The above is true but don't completely discount general fitness and put on 20 pounds of fat because you think it will help with g's

 

[BACONATOR]

The above is true but don't completely discount general fitness and put on 20 pounds of fat because you think it will help with g's

By the same token, don't take physical fitness the other way and run 50 miles a week. This will lower your resting heart beat/BP/G-tolerance.

Keep a balanced regimen of lifting and running and you will be in the best possible shape to get the most out of your natural G tolerance.

(ultimately BP is probably the biggest non-anatomical factor in G-tolerance so having the higher end of normal BP is probably beneficial for Gs)

 

[C420sailor]

If you're a "husky" type with a high BP and high resting heart rate you may have a higher peak G tolerance, but you'll pay for it when it comes to repetitive or long high-G situations. The lanky PT stud may have a lower peak threshold, but will likely recover faster and won't tire out as quickly while performing the AGSM.

 

[pourts]

Most importantly, listen to primary studs and helo drivers who have never been to the centrifuge, and phase 1 studs like me who really have no idea what they are talking about.

 

[BACONATOR]

Doesn't take an Aerospace Physiologist to give the reader's digest version of G(z)-tolerance and associated factors.