Hi Dale -

A few things occurred to me - in the movies, I don't believe I've ever seen a carrier trap depicted in bad weather - now that could just mean I haven't seen one but --- if the weather is REALLY lousy, what happens? Is there an ILS system, etc?

As a related question, is there a maximum amount of vertical deck movement ( pitch?) that would prohibit recovery and, in a combat situation, what would happen to to the aircraft?

Last, ( boy I'm curious <g>) how do you adjust for the pitching and rolling of the deck when making the approach? I can't envision rolling and pitching the a/c to keep a constant plane with it but ????

Sorry for the basic ?'s but the thought of landing on a moving object, at night, in bad weather is scary as hell. Hat's off to you guys ( 'n gals) who've done it.

Thanx,

Vic

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• RE: Carrier ops,Dale_Snodgrass, 13:05z, 07-13-03
  • RE: Carrier ops,vgbaron, 18:26z, 07-13-03
    • RE: Carrier ops,Ben_Chiu, 18:48z, 07-13-03

Bad weather carrier ops are very tough and probably the hardest form of flying out there. At night and in bad weather we use an ILS type of approach but each A/C is individually locked on with a precision radar and the glideslope and azimuth is transmitted specifically for you. It's more accurate and has the ability to dampen out the ship's pitch and roll. The visual landing system "Fresnel Lens" and the above radar can compensate for up to + or - 10 feet or so. Above that they switch to a manual system that is controlled by the LSO or Landing Signal Officer. It's called the MOVLAS or Manually Operated Visual landing Assist System. As a former LSO I've used it in the North Atantic in conditions where the deck was moving close to 30 feet!!! In those conditions it generally takes a number of approches to get aboard. Even when the deck is moving like that it's never constant. There are short periods every minute or two where the ships movement stabilizes for a few seconds or the movement reduces to the point where you can land.....
BUT taxing on a moving deck can be even more intense!!!

Dale Snodgrass

Welcome back, Dale and thanx for the info. I can just imagine the adrenalin levels doing something like that!

Vic

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> Welcome back, Dale and thanx for the info. I can just imagine the
> adrenalin levels doing something like that!

What's that saying? Two of the greatest pleasures in life are a good bowel movement, and an orgasm--and a carrier trap allows you to experience both at the same time!

Well, something like that.

Ben

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