Retrospective Assessment of U.S. Army Aviator Anthropometric Screening Process

INTRODUCTION: The current U.S. Army aviator anthropometric screening process for rotary-wing cockpit compatibility was codified over 30 yr ago. Critical to the process are the anthropometric standards that define what is acceptable for U.S. Army flight school applicants. The purpose of this study was to assess and optimize the efficiency of the standards in screening for anthropometric cockpit compatibility while maintaining safety.METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed. Anthropometry and disposition data of flight school applicants from 2005 to 2014 were taken from the Aeromedical Electronic Resource Office database to determine efficiency of the process. Data on mishaps from 1972 to 2017 were retrieved from the Risk Management Information System database to determine the safety benchmark of the existing process, to which adjusted standards would be held. Adjustments to standards were modeled that would more efficiently pass applicants over the period studied without exceeding the established acceptable safety level.RESULTS: There were 40,136 (98.28%) applicants who passed the standards, while 702 (1.72%) failed. Most (98.52%) applicants who failed the standards and applied for an anthropometry exception to policy (ETP) received one. The models would pass up to 396 (99.25%) applicants who received ETPs without exceeding the established number of mishaps attributable to the anthropometry standards, which was found to be zero.DISCUSSION: The screening process is efficient and effective, but could be improved. Adjusting the standards could increase process efficiency by passing more applicants during their flight physical and widening the applicant pool, while maintaining the current level of safety.Moczynski AN, Weisenbach CA, McGhee JS