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Physical Preparation

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JSUPT is a physically demanding environment.  In fact, being an Air Force or Navy pilot is demanding work.  Twelve hour days at the flight line and flying twice or three times a day pulling 3-6 G's are common occurrences.  At the end of the day, you're still expected to study and prepare for the next day's flight(s). It's easy to be motivated during the first week, but the daily grind will wear you down quickly.  To be able to handle all the mental, physical, and emotional stresses, you're going to have to be in shape. 

One of the programs that's available to you is called the Fighter Aircrew Conditioning Program or FACP.  This basically is a fitness program designed to "improve the G-tolerance, G-endurance, and overall cockpit strength and conditioning of aircrews; identify and correct insufficiently conditioned aircrews prior to entering the high-G environment; and establish effective physical conditioning habit patterns."  In fact, during the academic phase, you will be required to take the Fighter Aircrew Conditioning Test or FACT.  The FACT tests your anaerobic strength through a series of events on Cybex Machines.  There is a one minute rest period between each event.  Those events are:

 

- Arm Curls

- Bench Press

- Lat Pull

- Leg Press according to chart

- Leg Curl

- 20 Push-ups

- 30 Crunches

- 20 endurance leg press (at your weight)

 

The chart below lists the weights you are expected to curl/pull/press.   

Body Weight Arm Curl
 35% Body Weight		 Bench Press
 80% Body
Weight		 Lat Pull
 70% Body Weight		 Leg Press
 160% Body Weight		 Leg Curl
 50% Body Weight
100 35 80 70 160 50
105 35 80 70 165 50
110 35 85 75 175 55
115 40 90 80 180 55
120 40 95 80 190 60
125 40 100 85 200 60
130 45 100 90 205 65
135 45 105 90 215 65
140 45 110 95 220 70
145 50 115 100 230 70
150 50 120 105 240 75
155 50 120 105 245 75
160 55 125 110 255 80
165 55 130 115 260 80
170 55 135 115 270 85
175 60 140 120 280 85
180 60 140 125 285 90
185 60 145 125 295 90
190 65 150 130 300 95
195 65 155 135 310 95
200 70 160 140 320 100
205 70 160 140 325 100
210 70 165 145 335 105
215 75 170 150 340 105
220 75 175 150 350 110
225 80 180 155 360 110
230 80 180 160 365 115
235 80 185 160 375 115
240 80 190 165 380 120
245 85 195 170 390 120
250 85 200 175 400 125

Anyone who fails the test will be counseled by the aerospace physiologist, entered into a supervised conditioning program, and retested.

 

FACT Events

Arm Curl

Bench Press

Lat Pull

 

Leg Press

Leg Curl

Push up

Crunch

On top of all this, you need to be in aerobic shape when you arrive.  You will be required to take the AF Fitness Test which includes push-ups, sit-ups, 1.5 mile run, and waist measurement.  The biggest factors that will help you obtain a passing score will be from the run and waist measurement.

I guess my biggest point to all this is stay in shape.  Being a pilot is a mentally and physically demanding job.  Everyone harps on being prepared to go fly and in my book, being in shape is definitely part of your preparation.

 

 

If you have any suggestions or questions, please sent them to the webmaster or check out the message board.

The photos shown above are courtesy of the 14 MG, Aerospace Physiology, Columbus AFB.

 

                                                       
 

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