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Physical Preparation

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.   

Anyone who fails the test will be counseled by the aerospace physiologist, entered into a supervised conditioning program, and retested.  During Phase II, a failure is non-retributional.  However, if you are an aspiring fighter pilot, then you will be required to pass the FACT during Phase III.  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.

 

FACT Events

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.