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Newbie Joined: Sep 16, 2008 Posts: 2 Status: Offline

Hello everyone,

I was an F-16 crew chief for 6 years, stationed at Osan and Luke. I am currently finishing up my masters degree with Embry-Riddle and need some information for my capstone project.

I was wondering if the F-16 pilots here could tell me what types of training they receive regarding high g forces and how often they receive this training?

Thanks! - Ted

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Newbie Joined: Nov 22, 2005 Posts: 13 Status: Offline

You pretty much start "g-force training" day one at UPT. There are numerous classes on aerospace physiology before you start flying. They teach you the importance of doing a proper AGSM (Anti G Straining Manuever) then it is hammered home for the rest of your high speed flying career. You practice doing the AGSM on every flight starting in the T-6.

Your first trip to the centrifuge is about 2 days after track select to the T-38. Here, you are again subjected to the same class you took about 6 months ago, but this time you actually get to apply what you learn in a 7.5G enviroment. Your next and hopefully final trip to the 'fuge is after UPT and before IFF. Again you sit through the same 2 hour class. This time you will "fly" a profile according to the jet you are assigned to. The F-16 has a couple of 9G runs, lesser jets have lower max G requirements. Cool

In the F-16 B-course there is a huge emphasis on doing a proper G strain, especially in BFM. Many-a-dude have G-LOCed and bought the farm at this stage. Your first couple of rides, the aerospace physiologist dude will review your tapes and critique your AGSM...its never perfect.

Once you are operational, you are supposed to review your tapes every sortie and debrief yourself on your strain, but this occurs about .00069% of the time after MQT.

Hope this helps, sombody else can fill you in on the gritty details. (Like sh*tting themselves at the 'fuge).

Enthusiast Joined: Feb 01, 2008 Posts: 64 Status: Offline

Well said, nothing to add here...

Cheers, John.

Elite 2K Joined: Jan 14, 2004 Posts: 2596 Status: Offline

Even though my airframe doesn't require it, I'd love to take a ride in the "Swirling, Hurling Torture".

Back when I was in ACLS, I had heard of a couple of guys who...let's just say probably shouldn't have had that large Mexican dinner in Alamogordo the night before their 'fuge ride. Doh

I have exactly zero time flying military aircraft (for now) Cool

I have found that the more flying I do with high-g maneuvering, the better my tolarance would get. Get away from it for a while (months) and the tolerance starts to fade. I don't know - maybe I just got better at AGSM over time and thought about it less. The most sustained g's I flew was around 6, so nothing like the 9 g's the F-16 drivers get to have fun with.

Newbie Joined: Sep 16, 2008 Posts: 2 Status: Offline

So after reaching the F-16 B course pilots will never receive additional (whether it be monthly, annual, etc.) training on performing the AGSM, flight physiology, or sustaining high G's?

If anyone has any data or information (powerpoint, word, etc.) regarding this could them e-mail it to me (usaf_trobertson@yahoo.com)?

Thanks, Ted

Elite 2K Joined: Jan 14, 2004 Posts: 2596 Status: Offline

When I was in ACLS, every so often, Ops would send our drivers to AeroMed for a refresher class on Flight Physiology. IIRC, they would also use this time to go through the altitude chamber. So, about every 5 years? I say 5, because that is how long my chamber card is good for.

Newbie Joined: Nov 22, 2005 Posts: 13 Status: Offline

After the B-course, no there really isn't anymore formal G training. However, if you ever have G-related problems like blacking/graying out, you will go back to the 'fuge and work on it. A few dudes have gotten to this point and been eliminted from flying high-G aircraft even after flying the Viper.

Enthusiast Joined: Apr 12, 2006 Posts: 72 Status: Offline

ha, gray out...thats a part of every bfm sortie...pull to the gray and when you get your vision back, you should be in his turn circle...

Elite 2K Joined: Jan 14, 2004 Posts: 2596 Status: Offline

Ah, perhaps that's what it was. Thanks for setting me straight there Mach2. It's been several years, and many beers since I was an LS troop. Things get a little foggy. Flyers do have to sit through some real yawner classes, though. Speaking of which, I need to go check my currency items...

Enthusiast Joined: Jan 26, 2006 Posts: 75 Status: Offline

After the B-Course there is a quarterly requirement for the Flight Doc to review your tapes and evaluate your g-strain. If they note any problems they will give corrective actions to fix it. Other than that there is no formal training after the b-course. It's pretty much ingrained at that point.

Senior member Joined: Dec 14, 2006 Posts: 469

GLOC Centrifuge Training
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7mrKMn47tc

Elite 1K Joined: Jan 31, 2004 Posts: 1525 Status: Offline

So we've pretty much covered how to properly G-up. But after you've been under G for a while, how to ya properly unload once the G is off? I'd think that just relaxin' everything when you're back to 1G would have the same effect as getting up from a chair too fast. Light headedness, dizziness, etc. Maybe even a little blurred vision? Or am I wrong?

Senior member Joined: Jul 01, 2007 Posts: 347

Nah, once the G is off you can just relax everything. The jet is a lot easier to pull Gs in than the Fuge because you have control and your eyes are telling you the same thing as your inner ear. The Fuge tumbled my gyros both times I went for a spin. I didn't lose my lunch but I was very close. The techs give you some time to recover between each run. ATC is right, you definately build a tolerance to it after just a few flights. But take a few weeks off and you are right back to square one.

Active Member Joined: Apr 22, 2004 Posts: 143

Nope. It feels great to get the elephant off your chest. Believe me your heart rate is already up after pulling G's so not like getting light headed from standing up too quick. Just have to make sure you don't let up on the G's too early, cause after 6 or more G's 3-4 does feel like nothing. The Fuge G's are not even close to the G's in the jet.

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