Too tall for fighters?

[`Josh]

It's always been my dream to fly fighters for the USAF. However, I am now 6'0 (at 13) and am guessing I'll be 6'3 or so. Will I be too tall to be able to fly fighters?

[Isak922]

I'm sure at 6'3'' you shouldn't have TOO much problem... Depends how wide you are (shoulder to shoulder) and how well you can move around a space as small as a fighter cockpit. I'm 6'2'' and pretty sure I'd be able to fit in an F-16/F-15/A-10/F-22/F-35 without too much trouble

[beaky]

It's always been my dream to fly fighters for the USAF. However, I am now 6'0 (at 13) and am guessing I'll be 6'3 or so. Will I be too tall to be able to fly fighters?

Ask a recruiter, or see if you can find the info online. Regardless of width or anything else, I'll bet 2o bucks that they have a height limit because that's simpler. Probably 99% of all Air Force recruits want to be fighter jocks, so they have to narrow the field wherever possible. So ask directly, before you get your hopes up too much.
And for God's sake, stop growing,  immediately!!

[`Josh]

All right, that's good to know. At least I'm not as dead set on fighters as most recruits--I'd just as happily take a C-130 or KC-135 or anything else with wings on it. Fighters just so happen to be my preference.  

[Mobius]

6'5" is the limit, with a 40" sitting height, (I'm right at that ) so you should be alright, as long as you don't have abnormally short legs with an abnormally long torso.

[beaky]

6'5" is the limit, with a 40" sitting height, (I'm right at that ) so you should be alright, as long as you don't have abnormally short legs with an abnormally long torso.

Wow, 6' 5"... that's taller than I expected. Better practice slouching, though, just in case.

[SkyNoz]

Yah, think anything above 6' is tall enough... lol I was at a airshow and walked along with some C-17 pilots, they were shoorter then me, prolly 5', 4 or something lol.

[C]

It's all relative.

Generally two measurements really matter - sitting height (as Mobius says - you don't want to bang your head on the canopy!), and secondly buttock to knee length (too long and on abandoning you may find the panel removing your lower legs). I've no idea of the USAF limits, but I imagine they're broadly similar to what we have over here.

Your best shot is to have long shins!

[Mobius]

Yeah, I forgot about upper-leg length, but like I said, I'm 6'5" and I fit all the requirements, so as long as you're not really abnormally proportioned, you should be fine.

[Woodlouse2002]

What I've heard is that the RAF require you to be the correct height to fly any aircraft in service. So if your head it's the roof of a Harrier or ejecting from a Typhoon would take your kneecaps off then your not allowed to join as a pilot.

In the USAF they'll measure you up and fit you to a type of aircraft, helicopters, fast jets, slow jets etc.

I could be wrong but that is what I've been told.

[`Josh]

Thanks alot for the answers guys.

[SkyNoz]

Actually I had a talk with my retired grandfather which had flown in the USAF the other day, he says "there not looking for big people, size does not matter as much now, since the seats are adjustable" and he later brought up about the scenario about baning your head on the canaopy etc. So I wouln't worry as much, but he did tell me that it's best to stay of course away from drugs and stay athletically fit!

[beefhole]

but he did tell me that it's best to stay of course away from drugs and stay athletically fit!

D'oh!  Guess I'll have to lay off the cocaine and go exercise now...

[Mobius]

D'oh!  Guess I'll have to lay off the cocaine and go exercise now...

Nah, just switch to speed, you wouldn't need excercise then.

[swordfish1227]

You have to remember that even if you fit, the fighters have zero, zero ejection seats which have explosives run through the glass and shatter upon you pulling the eject handle (e.g. white lines in the harrier canopy). Hate it when those go off