How is a G-awareness exercise conducted?

A G-awareness exercise is designed to help pilots understand and manage the effects of G-forces experienced during flight maneuvers. Conducting two 180-degree turns using maximum power effectively simulates conditions that result in increased G-forces. This exercise is important because it allows pilots to experience how their bodies respond to higher G loads while simultaneously evaluating their ability to maintain control of the aircraft during these turns.

This specific method helps pilots recognize the physical sensations associated with increased G-forces, such as the feeling of weight increase and potential spatial disorientation, and teaches them techniques for combating these effects, such as anti-G straining maneuvers. Implementing maximum power during the turns also ensures that the aircraft reaches higher performance levels, amplifying the effects experienced.

Other methods, such as flying straight and level or gradually increasing airspeed, do not effectively simulate the dynamic changes in G-forces experienced during aggressive maneuvers. Thus, they would be less effective in preparing pilots for real-world situations where they encounter high-G turns during combat or aerobatics.