ROYAL NETHERLANDS AIR FORCE FITNESS PROGRAM; TASK BASED PHYSICAL FITNESS STANDARDS (CURRENT STATUS)
T. Meeuwsen
All members of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) must be physically fit to support the increasing and changing requirements of the RNLAF missions. Field-testing using a sprint test, standing long jump, bent arm hang, push-ups, sit-ups, 20 m shuttle-run test is conducted to determine total physical fitness. Whereby cardiorespiratory (aerobic) fitness can be seen as the single best indicator of total physical fitness. Each RNLAF member is assessed at least annually to ensure compliance and must meet the minimum fitness standards. These standards are gender and age related. Health benefits from an active lifestyle will increase productivity, maintain a higher level of readiness, and decrease health / job related expenditures. However, additional measures of fitness will be added in the future which are task based for several specific jobs.
The RNLAF together with the Netherlands Aeromedical Institute is developing and validating a bone fide occupational physical maintenance standard for several categories such as F-16 pilots, helicopter pilots and search and rescue personnel. Essential components associated with the job are identified using job analysis, in-flight physiological measurements, mission reports, expert advisory panel and laboratory physiological measurements. Several physical tests in a human performance laboratory were developed also with minimum fitness standards, however which will be gender and age free. The purpose of this scientifically built RNLAF Fitness program is to motivate all members to participate in a year round conditioning program emphasizing several factors: aerobic, anaerobic, flexibility and strength components. This to overcome the extra interrelated loads on the body such as acceleration (G-Force, AGSM), vibrations/ posture/ Night Vision Goggles systems (neck, shoulder, cervical spine, thoracic spine), heat/ cold, and Jet-lag phenomena (circadian rhythm).
