Published in the AF Times online May 23, 2020.
The Air Force has removed the initial height requirements for officers who wish to become aviators, which it feared was discouraging women from even applying to become pilots.
As of May 13, the Air Force said in a Thursday release, initial applicants who want to become aviators no longer require waivers if they are shorter than 5′4″ or taller than 6′5″ when standing, or 34 inches to 40 inches while sitting.
“We’re really focused on identifying and eliminating barriers to serve in the Air Force,” Gwendolyn DeFilippi, assistant deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, said in the release. DeFilippi is chairwoman of the Air Force’s Barrier Analysis Working Group. “This is a huge win, especially for women and minorities of smaller stature who previously may have assumed they weren’t qualified to join our team.”