AIM Text
- Pilots planning to engage in aerobatics should be aware of the physiological stresses associated with accelerative forces during aerobatic maneuvers. Many prospective aerobatic trainees enthusiastically enter aerobatic instruction but find their first experiences with G forces to be unanticipated and very uncomfortable. To minimize or avoid potential adverse effects, the aerobatic instructor and trainee must have a basic understanding of the physiology of G force adaptation.
- Forces experienced with a rapid push‐over maneuver result in the blood and body organs being displaced toward the head. Depending on forces involved and individual tolerance, a pilot may experience discomfort, headache, “red‐out,” and even unconsciousness.
- Forces experienced with a rapid pull‐up maneuver result in the blood and body organ displacement toward the lower part of the body away from the head. Since the brain requires continuous blood circulation for an adequate oxygen supply, there is a physiologic limit to the time the pilot can tolerate higher forces before losing consciousness. As the blood circulation to the brain decreases as a result of forces involved, a pilot will experience “narrowing” of visual fields, “gray‐out,” “black‐out,” and unconsciousness. Even a brief loss of consciousness in a maneuver can lead to improper control movement causing structural failure of the aircraft or collision with another object or terrain.
- In steep turns, the centrifugal forces tend to push the pilot into the seat, thereby resulting in blood and body organ displacement toward the lower part of the body as in the case of rapid pull‐up maneuvers and with the same physiologic effects and symptoms.
- Physiologically, humans progressively adapt to imposed strains and stress, and with practice, any maneuver will have decreasing effect. Tolerance to G forces is dependent on human physiology and the individual pilot. These factors include the skeletal anatomy, the cardiovascular architecture, the nervous system, the quality of the blood, the general physical state, and experience and recency of exposure. The pilot should consult an Aviation Medical Examiner prior to aerobatic training and be aware that poor physical condition can reduce tolerance to accelerative forces.
- The above information provides pilots with a brief summary of the physiologic effects of G forces. It does not address methods of “counteracting” these effects. There are numerous references on the subject of G forces during aerobatics available to pilots. Among these are “G Effects on the Pilot During Aerobatics,” FAA-AM-72-28, and “G Incapacitation in Aerobatic Pilots: A Flight Hazard” FAA-AM-82-13. These are available from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161.
Source: FAA Aeronautical Information Manual · current edition · paragraph 8-1-7.
The short answer
This AIM section is advisory FAA guidance on the physiological effects of accelerative G forces during aerobatic flight. It explains how push-over and pull-up maneuvers displace blood and organs, producing red-out, gray-out, black-out, or unconsciousness, and urges consulting an Aviation Medical Examiner before aerobatic training. It supports aerobatic operations addressed in 14 CFR 91.303.
Research Notes
Common Questions
What happens to the body during a rapid pull-up in aerobatics?
A rapid pull-up displaces blood and body organs toward the lower body, away from the head. As circulation to the brain drops, the pilot may experience narrowing visual fields, gray-out, black-out, and unconsciousness, which can lead to loss of control.
What causes red-out during aerobatic flight?
A rapid push-over maneuver forces blood and body organs toward the head. Depending on the forces and individual tolerance, the pilot may experience discomfort, headache, red-out, and even unconsciousness.
What should a pilot do medically before starting aerobatic training?
The section advises consulting an Aviation Medical Examiner prior to aerobatic training and being aware that poor physical condition can reduce tolerance to accelerative forces. G tolerance depends on individual physiology and recency of exposure.