How do you survive Gforce?

Tokra

Tokra

New Member
I was always wondering if there is a way to survive Gforce from blacking out if there is a way please tell me. And what is worse, Negative Gforce or Positive Gforce?
 
As far as I know, military pilots are trained to stay within certain G-Force limits so that the possibility of blacking out is minimized. They are also trained to strain certain muscles to limit blood flow away from the brain. This is supplemented by a G-Suit that restricts blood flow while in high-G maneuvers.
 
Sounds right. Flex the legs and abs.

You can't do jack for negative G's, as far as I know. I don't see there being any tactical use for serious negative G's. Just roll inverted, pull, and load up the positive G's. The plane can take more and so can you. Cue Hacker.
 
In addition to the G-suits, fighter pilots use a "grunting technique" that flexes muscles in the torso and adds a 1 or 2 G tolerance on top of what the G-suit offers. The Blue Angels don't wear G-suits and rely exclusively on this technique. Negative Gs aren't really an issue as most fighter tactics employ positive Gs. When I was younger, I was able to pull 7 plus Gs routinely without experiencing any negative effects. The F-16 has a more reclined seat that keeps the pilot more on their back as opposed to sitting upright like most traditional fighters like I flew. I have friends in the F-16 that routinely pull close to 9 Gs. For those untrained in handling Gs, most would begin to experience a narrowing of their field of vision which is the early signs of blacking out at about 4 or 5 Gs. If by some chance you pass out while pulling Gs in a fighter, the relaxing of the controls unloads the airplane and you will wake up in a second or two not even realizing you took a little nap.
 
Please allow me to interrupt a productive discussion with an internet meme. "G-Forces" made me think of it.

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Sorry, carry on.
 
There are newer full body - and head (there's now a bladder inside the back of the helmet) - G-suits that are allowing pilots to survive higher G-loads. My last assignment in the Air Force was at the Human Systems Center where we were working with G-suits, and the F-22 will have the last air-filled bladder G-suits, as all future G-suits (at least this was back in 2001), will have liquid filled bladders.

Also, the flight surgeon warned me against practicing the grunting technique on the ground, as it forces blood to your head, and he warned that doing such maneuvers without the actual G's providing resistance could result in a brain anyurism (sp?).
 
The term you're looking for is "Anti-G Straining Maneuver", or "AGSM" or "L1 Maneuver".

That is the combination of the straining/tensing of skeletal muscles in the leg, butt, and abdomen combined with the chest pressure of breathing against a closed glottis in the throat.

Navy calls in the "hook" maneuver, because they say the word "hook" to close the glottis of the throat with the "k" sound at the end of the word.

This is performed before the onset of G in the airplane. In other words, as I prepare to pull the stick back and enter a high-G turn, I tense up my legs, take a deep breath for the chest pressure, and then lay on the turn. That keeps the blood pressure between your heart and eyes high enough to overcome the extra weight of the blood under G.

The G suit only provides about 1 extra G or protection! Yes, you read that correctly...one G of extra help. The vast majority of G tolerance comes from your body's natural tolerance (between 3-5 G is a normal "resting" tolerance for a human). When you're in a 7/8/9G turn, the difference between the resting tolerance+the G suit is made up by a good AGSM. The AGSM can no kidding ad 4-5 extra G of tolerance over a sustained period so long as it is done properly and the pilot is in good physical shape.
 
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