Eyesight

[shutout390]

I just came from the Optometrist today and I was just wondering when the Navy or Air Force says 20/70 correctable to 20/20, what does that mean? 20/70 without contacts or glasses? My vision is alot higher than i thought. 20/100 and 20/200. Does this blow put an end to my possible military career?

The Doc says i can get lasik to get me 20/20, but i dont know if that cuts it. Thanks for any help.

 

[Steeler Fan]

Vision

Pilot is 20/70 UNCORRECTED distant, correctable to 20/20

In termes of Vision enhancement surgically, track down an officer recruiter www.airforce.com "contact us" "recruiter locator" and ask BEFORE you get the surgery done...

Navigator is 20/200 UNCORRECTED distant, correctable to 20/20,
so you would be qualified there.

You can have a MILITARY AVIATION CAREER, maybe not as a pilot.

Also, there are vision strengthening exercises I've heard people have done, so check into that as well.

Good luck to you.

Go Steelers!!!

 

[mudkow60]

I did the vision strengthening exercises before my flight physical. I faild to meet the pilot standards for the Navy during my initial commissioning physical, but just barley passed on my flight physical. It can be done, but I was always close (20/35, sometimes 20/30).

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

 

[shutout390]

exercises

How much did the exercises help?

Steeler Fan, what kind of navigator? Fighters, Cargo planes, or just in general?

Thanks for you help guys.

 

[mudkow60]

I am not sure how much they actually helped, or if it was just mental. If your eyes are relaxed, and you are near sighted, the condition (at least what I have) can be reduced, and you can score higher on your vision test. You should just practice and see what works for you. Also, try and visit and talk to a few eye docters, and ask their opinion. When I was in high school, my eye doc said point blank that I would never able to become a military pilot with my eyesight. After asking other doc's, and some freinds' girlfriends that practiced things like holistic medicine, I was able to improve my vision (at least at the time of my flight physical). The biggest tip is to just relax, and let things unfold as they may. I adjusted and was comfortable with the fact that I might not get to pilot an aircraft for the Navy, and would have been happy flying as an NFO.

Hoped that shed some insight into your inquirey.

 

[Steeler Fan]

Navigators

If you finish near the top of your class, then you can fly in the back of an F-15E Strike Eagle

Cargo Aircraft also available...lots of low level and airdrop...

I like driving the plan personally, but in most cases, the view for a Nav is also great (Not so great a view in Bombers (B-52s or B-1s) but those guys get to drop lots of explosive stuff)

 

[shutout390]

Class

Steeler Fan,

What class....college, ROTC, Flight School?

Mudkow, do you know what your eyesight was when your doc told you that you couldnt fly?

Again, i appreciate everything.

 

[Apache54]

I know you're looking hard at Navy/Air Force. I'm an army IP here at the school house. I personally know the people involved with the Army's (USARRL US Army Aeromedical Research Lab) lasik pilot program. Whether you might be a candidate for this type of surgery I know not... But it might be worth a call down there to ask about the criteria. From what I've heard, the fighter guys can't have this surgery for fear that the scar tissue can detach at high G's (Conjecture and hyopthesis on my part here through rumor and casual conversations). That's certainly bad news. But if you want other info for your general knowledge then I can get you some #s to call to ask.

Dept Of Def has a tricky way of saying something for one branch and something different about the same thing for another... How I mean is I had a surgery that is grounding to helicopter and fighter drivers in the air force and navy - but the army said I was ok. I was hoping to get forced into a coveted fixed wing slot with a follow-on utilization tour. So get whatever info you can and use it to convince people you can fly. Try and fail - then you move on. But if you never try...

Good luck and pm or email me if you have questions.

Keep the dirty side down, mostly.

 

[Steeler Fan]

shutout390

After OTS, Academy, or ROTC, you could go to Nav training

Top graduates from JSUNT (Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training) get pretty much what they want

2 Locations:
Randolph AFB, (near San Antonio, TX)--Trained by mostly Air Force
Pensacola NAS (panhandle of FL)--Trained by mostly Navy

Even though you may train with the Navy, you still will stay in the Air Force (we're fighting together, so training together will become more common in the future).

MY FIRST GOAL would be pilot training, but being a Nav is WAY better than many jobs out there, and you can still fly at the base Aero Club with your free time---and using your own $$ : (

A former Captain at a major Airline was an engineer in the AF and used the aero club to help him eventually land the Airline Job--Not any esay route, but it can be done.