Centrifuge Testing

TenguNoHi · by **TenguNoHi** » 06 Mar 2005, 06:46

What happens if you fail the fuge? Do you get to retake? Try and qualify for something else? Or do they just send you to some desk job after wasting a bunch of time and money already sending you through IFF and UPT? Im kinda curious since in one day weather or not you can ever get your dream-airframe is all on the line...

On the same note... Anyone ever know anyone that failed the fuge? What happened with that person...?

-Aaron

allenperos · by **allenperos** » 06 Mar 2005, 13:12

Don't worry about it, get some acrobatics time, if you can tolerate 5 or 6 prolonged G's, you can tolerate 9 instantaneous G's, The Difference Between The Two: Instantenous G is G lasting less than 1s, prolonged is geater, learn the M-1 and L-1 maneuver (AFP Flight Phisiology), you'd be surprised what alittle exposure to G's and the tolerance you can expect to get from alittle practice...ap

f16driver · by **f16driver** » 06 Mar 2005, 14:19

I've known several folks that failed the fuge. Some guys went back, passed, and continued with there assignments while others didn't and received different assignments in the C-17, B-52, and C-130.

allenperos · by **allenperos** » 06 Mar 2005, 14:39

I did not know the centrifuge was a requirement, it didn't used to be, the Shuttle, of course, but now UPT???? More obstacles I guess, I'm fit and healthy and my aerospace physiologist said you shouldn't do cardiovascular training but weight training, I prefer circuit training, a combination of aerobic and weight training excercise, I have never passed out, never pulled 9 prolonged either, 7 yes, it's fun. Has anyone ever lost their vision pulling G's? Tell me about it - ap

f16driver · by **f16driver** » 06 Mar 2005, 23:20

Sure. You can gray yourself out at 5 G's in a Tweet. I've known plenty that have done it. It'll creep up on you if you're not ready. Stick with the circuit training. That's your best bet.

TenguNoHi · by **TenguNoHi** » 08 Mar 2005, 18:32

Without trying to embarass anyone, has anyone here ever G-LOCed? If so what's it like, and what are the oncoming symptoms?

Also, what are the oncoming symptoms of LOCing under negative Gs?

-Aaron

Lieven · by **Lieven** » 08 Mar 2005, 19:56

For more information on G-LOC, have a look at this <a href="f-16_forum_viewtopic-t-536.html">old thread</a> initiated by 'Obi Gums'.

tucsonvipers · by **tucsonvipers** » 08 Mar 2005, 19:58

Ahhh, a topic that is near and dear to my heart.

I GLOCed in the C-Fuge when I was going through Holloman. Unfortunately, Guard guys regulary experience the fun of the fuge for the first time when they have to do their qualification profile, which for me was the Viper profile (Active duty guys go to the fuge between T-37s and T-38s). It goes something like this for Viper guys:

Slow buildup to 8 G's - no G-Suit (only run without the G-Suit)
6 G's for 30 sec
9 G's for 15 sec
7 G's for 10 seconds while checking six
ACM profile - you pull to 9 G's for 10-15 seconds and then back down to 4-5G's in between. You repeat this 3 or 4 times. Total of about a minute and a half under G.

So here's the lessons learned:

Be ready for this thing. Get your workouts up to speed before you show up.
Be well rested and hydrated (Beer doesn't count).
(And most importantly) If you feel like you're about to GLOC, don't try and be John Wayne and "strain through it". You can and will pass out.

In my case, I was doing fine until the ACM profile, but on the last 9 G spike I lost focus on my strain and started to get gray, then black. I should have just let go at that point (I had already passed the ride). But I didn't want to look like I couldn't hack it, so I continued pulling. Bad idea. Last thought I remember having as I let go of the stick was "I hope the G's back down faster than - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz" I GLOCed at less than 5 Gz as I was on the way down. A little more embarrasing than letting go. I was unconcious for more than 10 seconds and didn't fully understand what was going on for another 10. So that's 20 seconds that I could have been pointed straight down in full AB if I was in an airplane. Not a fun thought.

When you start to get gray, back off the Gs. If you get black, let go completely. Get back on your strain, then get back on the Gs. If you get black and continue pulling high Gs, you will not likely get your vision back.

GLOCing in the C-Fuge is not the end of the world for a future fighter pilot. They passed me even though I GLOCed (since it was at the very end). I am actually glad I learned my lesson there as opposed to here at Luke while flying the Viper. We have had 3 or 4 GLOCs in the last few months, and fortunately none of them were this guy.

TucsonVipers

allenperos · by **allenperos** » 08 Mar 2005, 20:03

Thank you drivers and contributors, I've learned alot from this forum - ap

agilefalcon16 · by **agilefalcon16** » 08 Mar 2005, 20:56

I've heard that you have to breath a certain way to stay conscience under high G's, is this true?

f16driver · by **f16driver** » 09 Mar 2005, 01:30

Tucson couldn't have explained it much better. I've gotten gray a few times and seen the "tunnel", but immediately released back stick pressure prior to putting myself asleep.

As for the negative G's you don't really lose consciousness like you do with positive. With negative G's you may "red out". This means all you will see is red, but you'll still be conscious. You red out because you have too much blood in the brain and around the eyes, and it's much more painful than positive G's. Those guys on the civilian acrobatics circuit are much more knowledgeable about the negative G's than most fighter pilots. Mainly because we don't like 'em.

boomersooner · by **boomersooner** » 13 Jul 2014, 03:15

I have a few questions regarding centrifuge testing for UPT.

1. If you had to guess, about what percent of UPT students end up washing out of the fighter track as a result of failing centrifuge?

2. Is there any way I can prepare years ahead of time for centrifuge testing? I have heard simply lifting weights and getting stronger helps, but I'm not sure this is true.

3. Are you already assigned to a certain plane before centrifuge testing?

4. Assuming the above question is yes, are there specific g-forces they make you go up to depending on what plane you have? If so, could you tell me what they are for F-15, F-16, F-22, and F-35?

Thanks in advance.

sirsapo · by **sirsapo** » 14 Jul 2014, 00:58

1. This doesn't happen very often, I'd say maybe one or two students per year out of the hundreds who run through the fuge don't pass. The guys down at the centrifuge have seen it all and they'll work really hard with dudes to get them through the program.

2. Lower body and core strength are what you should work on if you want to improve your G-tolerance. Just as important though is aerobic conditioning, it doesn't matter how much you can leg press or squat if you run out of breath after a few seconds... I'd say start with being in generally good shape and work from there, your tolerance will also increase as you fly more and your body adjusts.

3. The way it works nowadays is that guys who are going the Fighter/Bomber track (ie. T-38s) will go down to the centrifuge after T-6 training and run through the 7.5G profile before they can fly the 38. Once you get assigned your final aircraft at the end of UPT, you could end up going back for the higher G profiles depending on the plane you get. F-16 and F-22 dudes will run through the 9.0G profile, and the F-15C guys must complete an 8.5G run. If you get Strike Eagles or A-10's there is no requirement to go back to the centrifuge since you already completed the 7.5G profile for the T-38. I was talking to a guy recently who was transitioning to the F-35 from the A-10, and apparently they run through the 9.0G profile for the F-35A as well, only with the 35 specific G-suit.

This is quite the resurrected thread...

boomersooner · by **boomersooner** » 14 Jul 2014, 17:12

Thanks for your input.

bucknut21 · by **bucknut21** » 13 Sep 2014, 19:04

Does anyone know if the F35 profile is the vertical or reclined seat, and how much more effective is the new G suit?