Fitness Test - Fail and you're out!
Join Date: Jun 2001
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When I did Av Med a long time ago I was told the best thing you could do as fast jet aircrew was pump iron. It built up the right muscles for g tolerance. The worst thing you coul do was be a running racing chicken. It lowered your resting heart rate and reduced your g tolerance. the middle of the road option was the overweight slob hanging around the bar and smoking. He had a higher resting heart rate pumping blood around his clotted arteries and so had a better g tolerance.
Fit for the job but what is the job. Frontal assault up a hill or strapped to a bang seat pulling g?
Fit for the job but what is the job. Frontal assault up a hill or strapped to a bang seat pulling g?
Red On, Green On
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I did the RN Aircrew survival couse many years ago. The fittest guy, semi-pro racing snake, rock climber, XC runner, squash fanatic, the lot, succumbed to mild hypothermia on day 2, and whinged the rest of the week. The fattest just chortled his way through and looked with glee at the scales at the end of the pie-free week as he found he'd lost a stone.
Moral: Put on a stone before outbreak of hostilities in case you have to involuntarily dismount from your aircraft.
Moral: Put on a stone before outbreak of hostilities in case you have to involuntarily dismount from your aircraft.
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Kilo - you win starters for 10!
As far as I'm concerned, Douglas Bader has passed! He was fit enough to do the job - and bloody well too. Anyone that cares to argue, one pace forward and we'll'discuss it outside.
If Bader was fit enough to fly & fight in WW2 minus legs, then C/T Bloggs, NCO i/c Comcen RAF Sleepy-on-the-Wold has no excuse whatsoever. Neither does AOC Sleepy-Units-With-Nice-Gardens.
Bader would be max-rate turning in his grave if he could see what was going on now-a-days, and quite-rightly so. As someone that has passed fitness test 6 weeks after an orthopedic op on lower limbs without too much effort, there is no excuse for failing other than being a gash bas**ard.
Crap PT facilities on camp is not an excuse. You can do sit ups/push ups in your room and you can run around/off camp. So do it rather than bleet about failing your AFT.
Remember, in a lot (not all/most before people get on their soap boxes), failure is due to your ar**hole being smaller than your mouth. And yes, I have passed every test I have taken before you ask!
As far as I'm concerned, Douglas Bader has passed! He was fit enough to do the job - and bloody well too. Anyone that cares to argue, one pace forward and we'll'discuss it outside.
If Bader was fit enough to fly & fight in WW2 minus legs, then C/T Bloggs, NCO i/c Comcen RAF Sleepy-on-the-Wold has no excuse whatsoever. Neither does AOC Sleepy-Units-With-Nice-Gardens.
Bader would be max-rate turning in his grave if he could see what was going on now-a-days, and quite-rightly so. As someone that has passed fitness test 6 weeks after an orthopedic op on lower limbs without too much effort, there is no excuse for failing other than being a gash bas**ard.
Crap PT facilities on camp is not an excuse. You can do sit ups/push ups in your room and you can run around/off camp. So do it rather than bleet about failing your AFT.
Remember, in a lot (not all/most before people get on their soap boxes), failure is due to your ar**hole being smaller than your mouth. And yes, I have passed every test I have taken before you ask!
In days of yore when Wednesday afternoons were designated sports days I have happy memories of OM billiard rooms, fag in mouth, pint at the ready (if the bar was still open), practicing the finer points of snooker with other reprobates off the squadron. There were no fitness tests then, keen and ambitious souls who ran, swam, kicked balls around or threw things for their Station/Command/Service, or just collecting Brownie Points, went off to their their things. Then they reported sick with pulled ligaments, fractured, twisted backs, etc, etc, etc, while we kept on flying. As an aside - Flu,mumps, Montezumas Revenge and all manner of malladies seemed to strike those super fit athletes while we worked our arses off.
Thank goodness I'm too old do it all over again!
Thank goodness I'm too old do it all over again!
Join Date: Jun 2004
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I think it was the Chief Constable of Wiltshire who was successfully sued by a Dog handler who failed his police dog course whilst a female passed it. The only reason he failed was that he didn't complete his final test (some sort of obstacle/fitness test) in the allocated time for his age/sex, whereas the woman had although her time was infact longer!
Unfortunately for the Police force, it appears they had different standards for Men & Women. The judge ruled that if she was fit enough to chase burglers, then so was he and that burglers were unlikely to run away at different speeds depending on who was chasing them
With this in mind, I was under the impression that the MOD had been directed to move towards role-specific testing and not gender/age biased tests. Anyone heard of any more about this?
In these days of looney European court rulings, it's only a matter of time before someone dismissed for not being fit enough, but who's fitter (or had to pass harder tests) than his female collegues who are still employed by the MOD receives an extraordinary financial award for loss of career/income. Anyone remember pregant women etc? The precedence has been set
Unfortunately for the Police force, it appears they had different standards for Men & Women. The judge ruled that if she was fit enough to chase burglers, then so was he and that burglers were unlikely to run away at different speeds depending on who was chasing them
With this in mind, I was under the impression that the MOD had been directed to move towards role-specific testing and not gender/age biased tests. Anyone heard of any more about this?
In these days of looney European court rulings, it's only a matter of time before someone dismissed for not being fit enough, but who's fitter (or had to pass harder tests) than his female collegues who are still employed by the MOD receives an extraordinary financial award for loss of career/income. Anyone remember pregant women etc? The precedence has been set
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For those of you that haven't seen the IBN that has circulated on this, whilst it will be technically possible to bin someone for failing their test, it is going to be a very long and difficult process provided that the individual undertakes remedial training from the PEd staff. The measures are much more aimed at those personnel who try to dodge out of doing their fitness test altogether. The steps as basically:
Don't do your test, get a flt cdr interview and ordered to complete within 14 days. Still not done? Formal interview with sqn cdr and ordered to complete within 14 days. Still not done? Informal warning and ordered to complete within 14 days. Still not done? Formal warning and ordered to complete within 14 days. Still not done? Dismissal proceedings can start.
Seems fair enough to me - if someone repeatedly disobeys orders to do some as simple as run up and down the gym, then you have to question whether they can be relied upon to do their job! After all, we are all in the military and do not have the luxury of picking and chosing which orders we will follow and which we'll just ignore.
Don't do your test, get a flt cdr interview and ordered to complete within 14 days. Still not done? Formal interview with sqn cdr and ordered to complete within 14 days. Still not done? Informal warning and ordered to complete within 14 days. Still not done? Formal warning and ordered to complete within 14 days. Still not done? Dismissal proceedings can start.
Seems fair enough to me - if someone repeatedly disobeys orders to do some as simple as run up and down the gym, then you have to question whether they can be relied upon to do their job! After all, we are all in the military and do not have the luxury of picking and chosing which orders we will follow and which we'll just ignore.
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If anybody wants to dodge a 12-month PVR wait, they can not turn up for their fitness test and get out in just over 2 months! Question is, what happens to any preserved pension benefits in the case of an admin discharge??
The point about different standards for men/women is well made. I can see a redress followed by an ET on the basis of sex discrimination for different standards leading to dismissal, and MoD subsequently opening the corporate wallet. It will be some chiseller with a chip on their shoulder against the "system" but they will have a point nonetheless - some forms of equality are more equal than others....
The point about different standards for men/women is well made. I can see a redress followed by an ET on the basis of sex discrimination for different standards leading to dismissal, and MoD subsequently opening the corporate wallet. It will be some chiseller with a chip on their shoulder against the "system" but they will have a point nonetheless - some forms of equality are more equal than others....
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Senior officers are usually fit but never seen one actually do a fitness test. Mike Elsom at Coningsby got all his wg cdrs to do the 1.5 milerun in the 80s. They could hardly refuse leading from the front. The run was good fun though, about 2/3 of a mile to the small arms range and the same back. It was done in the hundreds at a time.
CCS? Joke. As aircrew we didn't have time for the full day and the rocks went along with it. Couldn't fail too.
As far as the later fitness test, I managed to keep ahead of the game. I got older faster than the test came in. Still I cycled 6 miles to work every day in 20 minutes or so.
CCS? Joke. As aircrew we didn't have time for the full day and the rocks went along with it. Couldn't fail too.
As far as the later fitness test, I managed to keep ahead of the game. I got older faster than the test came in. Still I cycled 6 miles to work every day in 20 minutes or so.
Excellent news for clearing out those that want to dodge the fitness requirement and are generally lazy and often a burden in other ways.
I would say the neutral test is long over due. I am quite happy to give up my age "advantage" and do not have a problem. Of course it will be interesting if it is the Flt Cdr that cannot pass his fitness test !
PS It was Hampshire but the story sounds otherwise right.
PS It was Hampshire but the story sounds otherwise right.
Excellent news for clearing out those that want to dodge the fitness requirement and are generally lazy and often a burden in other ways.
pish
I have this nagging doubt that the guy in the first quote probably still lives with his mum .For the record (and I am sure most of you don't share this guy's opinions) Not every unfit junior rank is a skiving ner'do'well...
What ever happened to the days of the famous Australian who, as quoted by one of our wartime heroes, was heard to say to some jockstrapper:
"If you want to get fitter, mate, get yourself a heavier glass"
...before going back to the true aircrew pursuit of quaffing ale in a gentlemanly manner whilst all the racing snakes damaged themselves committing sport of some sort or another.
"If you want to get fitter, mate, get yourself a heavier glass"
...before going back to the true aircrew pursuit of quaffing ale in a gentlemanly manner whilst all the racing snakes damaged themselves committing sport of some sort or another.
Join Date: Jun 2000
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It's not a 'test' anyway!!
Maybe we should note that the RAFFT is not supposed to be an ordeal. It is not intended as a USMC-stye superfitness test. The RAFFT is alleged to be the minimum level of fitness to be a healthy human being.
I don't think that it's about fitness for the job, it's simply about having the self respect to keep yourself healthy.
As for aerobic capacity reducing 'g' tolerance - not at level 9.6, mate!
Have a nice day!
P.S. Has anyone seen the size of PMB (Pres. Of Med Board) lately? What a standard of health to set to all those aspiring recruits.
I don't think that it's about fitness for the job, it's simply about having the self respect to keep yourself healthy.
As for aerobic capacity reducing 'g' tolerance - not at level 9.6, mate!
Have a nice day!
P.S. Has anyone seen the size of PMB (Pres. Of Med Board) lately? What a standard of health to set to all those aspiring recruits.
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Pre-deployment fitness
Exec on my Sqn collared my crew Captain recently to inform him that the RAF in its infinite wisdom is introducing mandatory PT for those about to deploy to the Middle East. Apparently this is in order for us to acclimatise more quickly once we are in theatre. So not only do we have the usual hoops to jump through pre-deployment, we're also going to have to go down the gym and be taught how to keep ourselves fit. Some of us are intelligent enough to do that by ourselves. Another ruse to force people to leave perhaps?
Any other Sqns heard about this?
Any other Sqns heard about this?
difar69
I have seen some paperwork about it. I believe it is an 8 week programme. Still at least that means:
1. I will get a minimum of 8 weeks notice to move.
2. I will be in the UK for 8 weeks prior to my deployment.
Then again...... maybe not!!!
P.S If they want people to acclimatise why not send them somewhere warm and sunny for a couple of weeks (all expenses paid) prior to deployment, the Caribbean, Seychelles, Maldives all spring to mind!!!
I have seen some paperwork about it. I believe it is an 8 week programme. Still at least that means:
1. I will get a minimum of 8 weeks notice to move.
2. I will be in the UK for 8 weeks prior to my deployment.
Then again...... maybe not!!!
P.S If they want people to acclimatise why not send them somewhere warm and sunny for a couple of weeks (all expenses paid) prior to deployment, the Caribbean, Seychelles, Maldives all spring to mind!!!
PEdO empire building scheme, perchance?
Don't think it's a requirement in the airlines - who, incidentally, are starting to recruit again slowly but surely.
It must truly be such spiffing fun in HMFC these days.....
Don't think it's a requirement in the airlines - who, incidentally, are starting to recruit again slowly but surely.
It must truly be such spiffing fun in HMFC these days.....
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RAF in its infinite wisdom is introducing mandatory PT for those about to deploy to the Middle East.
Individual or collective PT in work time would be, in general, a good thing. There must be a middle way which allows adequate enjoyable fitness training without kicking the ar$e out of it and treating people like children, which our service is sadly very good at. The excuse that "it's your own responsibility" does not wash anymore, we have all been in the position of bringing enough work home as it is. I tried to organise a Wednesday afternoon sports league as a flt cdr some years ago and got so much cr#p from execs that I gave up and would never recommend it again!
Sadly, I think that a work-to-rule and challenge-the-system mentality will slowly start to raise its head as cuts and more tasking mean that we work harder. For example, if I do Orderly Officer (as I do) then I am breaking MT regulations if I drive during the silent hours. I would not play this card at present as I recognise that the system works overall...sort of. However, if things got worse with additional niff-naff and bulls#!t I would start to consider invoking H&S. Thankfully my exit date is within reach and I won't even see the new pension scheme that is going to shaft new entrants.
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Recently came across a French Navy (shore based ) det in the Middle-East. They're forbidden from committing sport outdoors here at this time of year. Can't blame them as (much to my shame) I tried to commit sport last night in 95 degs and I thought my brain was going to boil. Couple of beers afterwards cooled things down though!
Uncle Ginsters - spot on - the fitness test standard is very low and anyone who can't maintain an appropriate level of fitness to pass it (excepting those with real injuries and not fabloned biff-chits) should draw the Mess Webley and do the decent thing.
How can any spotty yoof joining the RAF take seriously some lardy git in a spray-on flying suit?
How can any spotty yoof joining the RAF take seriously some lardy git in a spray-on flying suit?