Carrier Landing Question For Astro ?

[billt460]

After the plane successfully lands and stops, it appears the wire pulls the aircraft backwards a few feet. (1:31 to 1:45 in the video). While this is happening the tailhook is moving up and down. Then it retracts when it drops clear of the wire, and the aircraft moves off the landing deck. Is the pilot getting hand signals telling him when to retract the hook? And if so does the wire ever stick, and not drop off?

@Astro14 I'm guessing this is somewhat of a time critical operation, because other aircraft are also on final coming in. Do stuck wire / hooks ever disrupt landing operations, or is it rare? Thanks in advance.

 

[BISCUT]

Great post. My grandfather was a Naval Chief during WWII. He had time on the Lady Lex and Saratoga. I cannot remember which one he was on in the Pacific Theater after Pearl Harbor. My father was on the Kittyhawk during the Korean War. The pics, especially from WWII my grandfather had were just awe-inspiring. Carriers were amazing back then, now these pilots and carrier crews have it down "by the numbers!"

I could watch maneuvers all day and not get tired of it.

 

[Astro14]

Quick answer - not often.

What you're seeing is exactly right: the jet is pulled back a bit by the arresting gear, to create slack, and allow the wire (known as a cross-deck pendant) to disengage from the hook. A "yellowshirt" (taxi director) gives the pilot the "hook up" signal (thumb moving upward into palm). Hook up and wire clear, the taxi director gives the pilot taxi directions out of the landing area as the CDP is retracted and set for the next airplane.

There is a green shirt (maintenance) - part of the arresting gear crew, known as a "Hook runner" - who has a pole that can be used to guide the CDP off the hook if needed. He would be just off camera to the left.

50-60 seconds between aircraft landing. The previous airplane has to be taxied clear, and the landing area certified clear, arresting gear reset, before the "clear deck" is given to the LSOs to allow the next airplane to land.

If the LSOs don't get a "clear deck" by the time the airplane is around 100 feet above (so, roughly 8 seconds from landing) the deck, the LSOs will "wave off" that airplane - the pilot goes to full power and climbs away.

So, in reality, from trap to clear, has to happen in about 30 seconds to allow the clear deck in time for the next trap.

 

[JohnnyG]

My brother was stationed on the USS America. Being in Airframe maint, he had to bunk right below the flight deck. He said the noise was horrendess and during manuevers, there was no way to get any sleep. Between the catpult and the arresting mechanism, not to mention the planes themselves hitting the deck, you can only imagine the sounds.
He said the movie Top Gun had it pretty close if you turn your amp all the way up and cut the music!
He brought home a tailhook (just the hook part) home as a souvineir.

 

[Bud]

These guys just absolutely amaze me.

 

[Passport1]

My wife's uncle was a Navy pilot during VN. I asked him once what a carrier landing was like. He told me it's like trying to land in a closet.

I posted this video before on a carrier question. Warning, it is very sad and hard to watch.

 

[billt460]

Astro,

One other thing I noticed quite clearly in the video I posted. Is they show the approach and landing of several aircraft. The sink rate shows them to be very smooth and steady, with very little change in nose up or down attitude as they approach the flight deck.Then in the last few seconds the sink rate seems to increase, and they, "drop it right in" on to the wires. (The plane landing from 0:46 to 0:55 show this really well).

I guess my question is, how do they seem to increase the sink rate in the last few seconds, without any abrupt pitch change? And also, this is happening when they would be going to full power in case they miss, and have to go around. Or is there something I'm not seeing here?

 

[Jetronic]

I guess they reduce throttle and speed, which reduces lift and they litterally fall faster. If they hit full power lift would increase with airspeed

 

[wpod]

These guys just absolutely amaze me.

Naval Aviators ! The guys on board are performing a most violent Ballet. ! Awesome and I couldn't imagine having what it takes to do any of that.

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

I guess they reduce throttle and speed, which reduces lift and they litterally fall faster. If they hit full power lift would increase with airspeed

This would be my guess, but I also thought they went full burner when they hit the deck in case they miss the wires.

 

[MRC01]

...
I guess my question is, how do they seem to increase the sink rate in the last few seconds, without any abrupt pitch change? And also, this is happening when they would be going to full power in case they miss, and have to go around. Or is there something I'm not seeing here?

I guess they reduce throttle and speed, which reduces lift and they litterally fall faster. If they hit full power lift would increase with airspeed

In normal aircraft landings, this is part of a standard "stabilized approach". When lined up with the runway on final approach, use throttle (not stick/yoke/elevator) to stay on glideslope.
So yes, what you mention is a standard landing technique. Yet I don't know whether carrier landings use this same method.

 

[R_W_M]

Astro,

One other thing I noticed quite clearly in the video I posted. Is they show the approach and landing of several aircraft. The sink rate shows them to be very smooth and steady, with very little change in nose up or down attitude as they approach the flight deck.Then in the last few seconds the sink rate seems to increase, and they, "drop it right in" on to the wires. (The plane landing from 0:46 to 0:55 show this really well).

I guess my question is, how do they seem to increase the sink rate in the last few seconds, without any abrupt pitch change? And also, this is happening when they would be going to full power in case they miss, and have to go around. Or is there something I'm not seeing here?

I'm not Astro, but here's my take on this:
In an ideal world, you want to fly a steady approach, maintaining the same aircraft attitude, airspeed and sink rate all the way to touchdown. No flare, no dropping the nose or power reduction in close. Just fly the airplane right into the deck. But, conditions are never ideal, and pilots are making constant corrections all the way to touchdown. One of the things that a pilot must deal with is the "burble" as the aircraft approaches the stern of the ship. The burble is a downdraft immediately aft of the ship caused by airflow over the deck and around the ship's superstructure. This usually causes an increased sink rate in close, that must be corrected by the pilot. I suspect this it what you are seeing.