I'm a cadet at the Academy, and I've been pursuing a waiver to fly. I'm on the shorter side, at 4' 11", and I recently recieved news that my height waiver denied. I have flying experience, and would still love to be a pilot. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with navigating waivers and the struggles of trying to be able to fly? If anyone has any advice, I would much appreciate it!
Pilot Height Waiver
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Bigrod
5-Year Member
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I’m not sure but I did a quick search and Air Force times states there have been waivers granted for women down to 4’11” so I wish you the best. Set up a meeting with General Clark and see if you can get any help from him. Most of all, don’t take a single no waiver, keep persisting. May take couple years or try’s but if you really want it don’t stop.
Realize it is not just standing height that matters. As I recall there are sitting height upper and lower limits, along with weight ranges.
Too tall in sitting height, in the case of the T-6's canopy fracture system failing during ejection, could result in your helmet impacting the canopy of the T-6 before the back up canopy piercing iron wedge on the top of the seat punctures the canopy enough, possibly resulting in a broken neck.
Too short in sitting height MAY put your eyes out of some designed elevation range. Sitting on extra stuff is not compatible with the ejection seat unless their is something specifically designed for the T-6 ejection seat I'm unaware of.
It's been a quite a while since I flew the T-6 though. Someone more current in it may have more specific and reliable info.
Too tall in sitting height, in the case of the T-6's canopy fracture system failing during ejection, could result in your helmet impacting the canopy of the T-6 before the back up canopy piercing iron wedge on the top of the seat punctures the canopy enough, possibly resulting in a broken neck.
Too short in sitting height MAY put your eyes out of some designed elevation range. Sitting on extra stuff is not compatible with the ejection seat unless their is something specifically designed for the T-6 ejection seat I'm unaware of.
It's been a quite a while since I flew the T-6 though. Someone more current in it may have more specific and reliable info.
Falcon74
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When I went to UPT in 1975, the usual question was eyesight. However, I remember a USAFA grad that was too short but was still able to enter UPT. He had flight boots with extra "pads" affixed to the bottom of his boots. These pads effectively increased his height and allowed him to depress the pedals of a T-38 without killing himself. FYI, the T-38A takeoff procedure was to
- line up on the runway and advance both throttles to 100% thrust with the brake pedals depressed while you checked engine instruments
- release the pedals to be sure that the nosewheel wasn't cocked to the left/right
- advance both throttles into full afterburner while looking for two nozzle swings and a large increase in fuel flow on the gauges.
If you approach Gen Clark for a waiver, you might want to think out of the box like this previous graduate did.
Thank you for the advice sir! I noticed that you and another user mentioned approaching Gen Clark for a waiver. As a cadet, there aren't many opportunities to get face to face with the Superintendent. Do you have any additional advice in terms of setting up a meeting with Gen Clark on this matter? Should I go through my chain of command (AOC) or bring it up in conversation if I get a face to face at an event? Or perhaps write up an MFR and hope it reaches him?
Falcon74
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- I would always use your chain of command to include your cadet chain of command. Your AOC may offer advice as to the best way to request a waiver. It may be that your realistic target may be the Commandant. If the Comm wants the case elevated, he/she will make that decision.
- Before you prepare a waiver package,
- You need more than a desire to fly.
- Do what you can to demonstrate your flying interest while you are a cadet. Airmanship programs? Those efforts my help you get references.
- You will need to research the height requirements (standing vs. sitting).
- Which USAF aircraft are most height restrictive?
- A waiver request package may be improved if you can identify different examples of height waivers that have been issued in the past. Is it known how those waivers worked out? (i.e., Did the officer getting the waiver get through UPT?)
- Can you identify any limitations associated with those waivers?
- (Rhetorical question) How close are you to any of the previously approved waivers (if any)? The farther you are away from the requirement, the more difficult a waiver will be to get approved.
- Regardless of the outcome, the USAF has a number of career opportunities for non-aviators. The USAF needs a wide range of officers with different expertise. Most of my fellow crewmembers in AWACS were not pilots (2 pilots on a 21-person crew). You don't have to be a pilot to be a flying squadron commander.
- Have you considered being a drone pilot? By watching the news, you can see how important they have become to USAF operations.
Good luck both at USAFA and the USAF! If you want to communicate further, let me know.
Falcon74 (Class of 1974)