Physical fitness is one of the most important prerequisites for joining the Air Force. Irrespective of the trade one is applying for, one must fulfil the basic physical standards.

Basic requirements for all Candidates

• Height
To join the Air Force as an airman, one should be at least 152.5 cm. tall. There are however, some trades that have different requirements.
o Mechanical Transport Driver and Certain Technical Trades
 Minimum height - 165 cm.
 Minimum leg length - 99 cm.
o IAF Police
 Minimum height - 175 cm.
o Ground Training Instructor and Musician
 Minimum height - 167 cm
• Clear Medical Record
One should have a clear medical record, with history clear of any of the following:
o Mental Sickness/Fits
o Diseases/Skin Ailments
o Surgical Deformity
• Chest
o Minimum Expanded Chest (75cm)
o Minimum Range Of Expansion (5cm)
• Vision
some minimum visual standards that one must fulfil in order to qualify.
o One should have a minimum corrected vision of at least 6 / 12 in each eye. You could also have 6 / 6 in the healthier eye and 6 / 18 in weaker eye with spectacles with power not more than + / -5.50 Dioptres, inclusive of astigmatism in any meridian with full field of vision and Minimum CP-IV unsafe colour vision.

There are, however, other detailed visual and colour standards that are specific to different trades.
• Hearing
one should have normal hearing i.e. you should be able to hear forced whisper from a distance of 6 meters in each ear individually.
• Dental
one should have healthy gums and a good set of teeth.

Height and Weight Standards for Men

Height in cm Average weight in Kg
(without shoes)
15-17 yrs 18-22 yrs 23-27 yrs

152 46.0 47.0 49.0
154 47 48 50
156 48 49 51
158 49 50 52
160 50 51 53
162 51 52.5 54.5
164 52.5 53.5 55.5
166 53.5 55 57
168 55 56.5 58.5
170 56.5 58 60
172 58 60 61.5
174 59.5 61 63.5
176 61 62.5 65
178 62.5 64 66.5
180 64 65.5 68
182 66 67.5 69.5
184 67 70 71.5
186 69 70.5 73
188 70.5 72 75
190 72 73.5 76
192 73.5 75 78
194 75 76.5 79
196 76.5 78 81


Height in cm Average weight in Kg
(without shoes)

28-32 yrs 33-37 yrs 38-42 yrs 43-47 yrs 48 yrs & above
152 50.0 51.0 52.0 52.5 53
154 51.5 52.5 53 53.5 54
156 52.5 53.5 54 54.5 56
158 54 55.0 55.5 56 56.5
160 55 56 56.5 57 57.5
162 56 57.5 58 58.5 59
164 57.5 59.0 59.5 60 60.5
166 59 60.5 61 61.5 62.0
168 60.5 62 63 63.5 64
170 62.0 64 64.5 65 65.5
172 63.5 65.5 66 66.5 67.5
174 65.5 67.5 68 68.5 69
176 67 69.0 69.5 70 71
178 68.5 70.5 71.5 72 72.5
180 70.5 72.5 73 74 74.5
182 72 74.0 75 75.5 76.5
184 74 76.0 76.5 77.5 78
186 75.5 78.0 78.5 79 80
188 77.5 79.5 80 81 82.0
190 78.5 80.5 81 82 83
192 80.5 82.0 82.5 83.5 84.5
194 81.5 83.0 83.5 84.5 85.5
196 83.5