I will be going down to Pensacola this August to begin flight school as an SNFO. I am not currently qualified for jets because I do not meet the minimum weight requirement for an ejection seat. However, I was told by an LT that it may be possible to obtain a weight waiver as long as I weigh over 100 pounds (which I do). Does such a waiver exist? Do I need to wait until I get to Pensacola to talk to the medical staff there or is there something I can do now to go ahead and get the ball rolling?
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Weight waiver for jets? (underweight)
- Thread starter Christina
- Start date
So, my friend went through this process like a year and a half ago. She was a promising, top-of-her-class candidate who is now gracing the E-2 world with her greatness. I asked for her anecdote:
"You must be 103 lbs to ride this ride (pilot or NFO). You must be 135 lbs to ride the jet roller coaster. If you cannot gain this weight in a healthy way, it is not worth it. You cannot start getting a weight waiver until you get close to selection. Your chances of getting a weight waiver are extremely low unless 1) you are a God and they need you or 2) you are extremely lucky in terms of timing and leadership."
That's just her story. Others' results may differ. I remember going to some Mexican place in Pensacola with this girl (huge mistake right off the bat) and feeling pretty bad for her considering all the milk she drank before we went. She worked really, really hard to get a weight waiver for some weeks and was rejected.
"You must be 103 lbs to ride this ride (pilot or NFO). You must be 135 lbs to ride the jet roller coaster. If you cannot gain this weight in a healthy way, it is not worth it. You cannot start getting a weight waiver until you get close to selection. Your chances of getting a weight waiver are extremely low unless 1) you are a God and they need you or 2) you are extremely lucky in terms of timing and leadership."
That's just her story. Others' results may differ. I remember going to some Mexican place in Pensacola with this girl (huge mistake right off the bat) and feeling pretty bad for her considering all the milk she drank before we went. She worked really, really hard to get a weight waiver for some weeks and was rejected.
Start lifting weights if you don't already, Crossfit is a good option. I left Pensacola about 10 lbs heavier than when I got there because I started doing Crossfit (wasn't trying to gain per se, but it happened) and doing some powerlifting and Olympic lifting.
Eat more, poop less...
Power Lifter myself - make no mistake, deadlifts and squats will add weight. They will also build up the lower back which I credit for not having any back problems from the dreaded "helicopter hunch".
Drink deuterium oxide instead of tap water for a month.
If you can afford it.
My info is dated, but I was one scrawny SOB as an ENS/JG. I think I weighed a buck thirty soaking wet as an ENS. I could pound weight-gainer shakes and lift, and absolutely nothing would happen (oh, to have that metabolism back).
That said, all I remember doing was signing a waiver in the API building saying more JAG-like words to the effect of "the Navy bears no responsibility for the spinal fractures your scrawny ass will get in the event of an ejection." I have 700+ hours in an ejection seat that I was probably too light for the majority of the time; I know on Das Boot (with no beer), I was consistently below 140.
Is this a new thing that Big Navy is being this anal about seat weights? Maybe I was just on the right side of the weight curve, but I don't remember this ever being an issue when I was a stud.
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I was thinking the same thing, we had some pretty small gals in VAQ that were definitely underweight and it never seemed to be an issue other than signing a waiver. Same issue and fix on the other end too.
Just kidding. Don't do it. The google machine tells me it's apparently super bad for you if you drink more than a few ounces.If you can afford it.
Even worse if you then eat some yellow cake.
I seem to recall being told a secondhand rumor about the female pilot who lost a 4.5 bearing on the VR1350 or 51 and punched. Namely, that if she'd been in weight standards for the seat, the 1.2 second delay would've killed her, but she got enough altitude for the chute to deploy because she was lighter.
RCArce01
Active Member
I'm currently a strapping 127 lbs-- checked into Pensacola 2 months ago and was told I was "good to go" by the folks at anthro. However I'm pretty sure that's just a go-ahead for Primary (min. weight for the T-6 is 103lbs, whereas the T-45 is 135). Apparently I was one of the only Ensigns in a 150+ strong A-pool that had zero waivers on my NAMI letter, so I'm perfectly fine medically other than being skinny AF. I'm the type where I could eat pizza and burgers for a week straight and maybe gain a pound if I'm lucky. I've been pounding mass gainer shakes and lifting to no avail.
Needless to say I'm not gonna sit around and leave my fate up to a waiver I may or may not get granted in a few months time, especially since I'm trying to be a 2nd generation jet guy. My advice would be to just keep eating healthy/calorie dense foods and focus on compound lifts if you can. Feel free to let me know if you get any more info since we're seemingly in the same boat.
Needless to say I'm not gonna sit around and leave my fate up to a waiver I may or may not get granted in a few months time, especially since I'm trying to be a 2nd generation jet guy. My advice would be to just keep eating healthy/calorie dense foods and focus on compound lifts if you can. Feel free to let me know if you get any more info since we're seemingly in the same boat.
KORhc
Well-Known Member
Do you have an overactive thyroid?
If you have a really fast metabolism, that might be why. But once you hit your 30's, people will have no problem gaining weight, more so than they would like.
