not so gratuitous aviation entertainment

[PAUL161]

Never saw one in the real, but I was Navy not Airforce! Be a little difficult to land one of those on a carrier.

 

[Basil]

Be a little difficult to land one of those on a carrier.

You like a challenge, don't you?

 

[PAUL161]

Just for the heck of information, it is the policy that aircraft carrier commanders not allow any nonqualified pilots to land on a US carrier for any reason, regardless of the aircraft's ability. Ditch in the water and they will pick you up. If you have ever watched a carrier landing, I think the reason for this would be obvious. One job of mine was adjusting the meatball to keep it on target, night landings were a little tense, to say the least!

 

[Basil]

One job of mine was adjusting the meatball to keep it on target, night landings were a little tense, to say the least!

Landing on a moving postage stamp in a moving ocean at night - what could possibly be cause for tension?

 

[NutmegCT]

There's an interesting analogy used by carrier pilots - but I won't go there ...

Here's a "carrier" (USS Pennsylvania?) launch from a few years back (1910):

108 years ago, the Navy launched a plane from a ship for the first time and changed naval aviation forever

Eugene Ely's biplane successfully took off from the USS Birmingham on November 14, 1910, narrowly escaping a collision with the water.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[mikephillips]

Reminds me of a story that circulated a few years ago when Bush 2 was President. When he was making a visit to a carrier and being flown out in a supply plane he requested of the pilot to be allowed to make the landing since he'd flown with the guard in the 60s so had been a pilot. The guy flying respectfully declined.