Is there a height limit for becoming a pilot?

DrSeuss27

5-Year Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2010
Messages
25
I am 6'3" and was wondering because that is the first thing people always say to me. "Aren't you too tall?"
 
One of my best friends for the past 15 years is 6' 4". Retired last year after 24 years in the cockpit. know quite a few others just as tall. You'll be fine.

Besides, it's your seating height that mattes.
 
Bullet is dead-on accurate, as usual.

I'm 6'2" tall...and I don't qualify to be a pilot because I have no legs, I'm all body. My sitting height it too tall.
(DO NOT ASK how I got to UPT)

I had an IP I flew with though...he was 6'7" tall (USAFA Basket Ball star in his time); and a T-38 IP...all legs...no real sitting height.

Sitting height is the "height" restriction for TALL...there is a "too short" restriction; I don't remember what it is.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
Does the height requirement apply to RPAs? I'm super average height, but just curious now.

For those who suffer acronym-induced blindness, RPA=UAV=UAS=ROA=RCP. What will they think of next?
 
maximums for pilots are as follows: standing height of 6'7", and sitting of 40". For minimums, standing height of 5'4" and sitting of at least 34" (according to the 2010-2011 catalog)
so DrSuess, you're fine, but I never even realized there was a minimum until I looked into USAFA and at 5'0" sadly realized I wouldn't meet it... oh well, just a change in plans
 
Probably the same way Bullet's friends did...they SLOUCHED!:shake:

My Dad was a USAF Pilot. I remember him telling me stories of his tall pilot buddies, doing endless jumping jacks to compress their spines prior to their height checks!
 
It really is important to realize sitting height is going to matter, for those that are tall and short.

Our DS1 is a good 5 inches shorter than DS2, but when they sit, both of them have the exact same height. As Flieger stated, some people are all body (DS1), and some are all legs(DS2). Depending on if you are short or tall on the spectrum that is going to play big time into the equation.
 
Several of our son's friends at USAFA are at the height limits, either high or low. Over the last few months, they have been spending weekends being flown all over the Western states to bases where a particular aircraft is based in order to be 'operationally' measured and fit to see if they are capable of flying that plane. If you get a UPT slot at USAFA and are close to the limits, they will do quite a bit to help you find an aircraft that you can fly.

Only 16 days until the Firsties find out their first assignment base!

Stealth_81
 
Probably the same way Bullet's friends did...they SLOUCHED!:shake:

Hmmm.....:rolleyes:

I wouldn't say "slouched..." but if one knows how to roll the hips...

Okay...since I received a few PM's about this...I'll tell you...NOT to give any ideas, just to answer the question.

The flight doc sat me up on the test table...took a peek, then said "your dad's Dr XXXX?" I said yes he is. "Uh...I served under him at Base X and Y...how's he doing as the XXX Surgeon Gen'l?" Oh, he's not enjoying it...he doesn't see enough patients, too much paperwork. "Yep....okay cadet, I'm going to go get my level...I'll be back in a moment...you DO realize that the maximum sitting height is XX inches????"

Yessir! :wink:

And when he returned and measured "officially" I passed. :rockon:

And the only time it ever was a problem was in the back seat of the '38.
(ended up with over 500 hours in that beauty!)

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
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