PopSci’s Rob Verger recently flew in an F-16 fighter jet with the Air Force’s elite demonstration team, the Thunderbirds. And though he was grateful for the chance to take to the skies with them, it did not go well for him—he threw up three times during and after the flight.
So in the weeks since he landed, Rob couldn’t help but wonder: why did the flight kick his butt so hard, while professional pilots seem to have no problems enduring all the forces of the jet?
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Producer/Video by: Jason Lederman
Narrator/Researcher: Rob Verger
Cameras:
Canon EOS C100 –
Canon EOS 5D Mark III –
Additional equipment:
Canon EF50mm Lens –
Canon Zoom Lens EF24-105mm –
Sachtler Ace XL Tripod System –
Sennheiser EW100ENG G3 Camera Wireless Mic Kit –
Litepanels Astra E 1×1 Daylight LED Panel –
Lowepro Magnum 650 AW Shoulder Bag –
The North Face Base Camp Duffel –
Music: APM Music
Special Thanks: U.S. Air Force, The Air Force Thunderbirds, Maj. Jason “Flack” Markzon
Media: Department of Defense, NASA, Wikimedia Commons, Pixabay, archive.org, Prelinger Archives, Looney Tunes (1943) Warner Bros.
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Ivory
August 1, 2019 at 10:40 am
Wow! That’s insane! Now I have so much more respect for air shows! Thanks for sharing!
JogBird
August 1, 2019 at 10:59 am
Fighter pilots need to be very physically fit
Q T
August 1, 2019 at 11:38 am
jeez i don’t blame you for getting ur ass kicked lol
Don't, Jimm
August 1, 2019 at 11:45 am
Wow!
alex3261
August 1, 2019 at 12:17 pm
You got it right only in the end, as it is the motion sickness that makes you throw up, not the g force. The small sensors in the internal ear transmit to the brain information that is different from that coming from the eyes, and here’s where the trouble starts. This is why there are air sickness bags in airliners, wgere the g forces are negligible. The only sensible g force influence is during the negative g’s, when the content of your stomach is being pushed up an can trigger vomiting.
awesomesauce666
August 2, 2019 at 1:01 am
didn’t know that fighter pilots did butt clenches.
boonmouche
August 4, 2019 at 11:19 pm
Oh yes, a lot! Keeps you conscious which is a very useful thing.
marshmallowbudgie
September 1, 2019 at 1:04 am
Kegeling’s useful for so so many things
Jeremy Reger
August 4, 2019 at 10:43 pm
I flew in an F15 and puked 3 times haha and pulled 8.2Gs ????
Wagner Gitirana
August 6, 2019 at 9:47 pm
Oh man, you are lucky. I wished I would get this experience. If you would control your breath and body muscle, you’d never vomit. I want to go on this ride!!! :))
j mcmann
November 1, 2019 at 1:34 pm
Consider its a 1970s design 🙂
j mcmann
November 1, 2019 at 1:35 pm
He forgot to mention with heavy G forces come ..hemorrhoids