Welcome back to the Fluctus Canal for a feature on the challenges aircraft or helicopter pilots face while navigating their ships on a moving runway or landing deck in the middle of the ocean.
Most, if you have never done this, you have noticed how dangerous the flight deck really is, I served on an F-18 fleet in the USS Coral sea during our 1987/1988 medical voyage, When I lost an F-18 and pilot, also three fatal accidents in 7. I spent. moon.
As the history of aircraft carriers is over half a century, the aircraft landing system has barely changed. Fighters for vertical take-off and landing have appeared, but there are many problems that need to be improved due to the lack of armament and the consumption of large amounts of fuel.
Nothing like an Army helicopter landing on our cruiser and no plane in our book. I had to use the general wind limits and pray for a safe landing. As a supply officer, we were the ship's Helicopter Control Officer (HCO) and controlled the flight deck. Once I got the LSO and then HLS 51's Det. LCDR by overriding the LSO. They were applying HIFR and told BINGO that they were left for 10 minutes. You are not allowed to bypass BINGO, but the LSO would allow them to do more HIFR reps. I said no and told the crew to remove the HIFR gear and prepare the deck for landing. Det. LCDR went to my supervisor and complained. My manager asked if I made the right decision based on the amount of fuel remaining and the need to remove the HIFR hardware and get the deck ready. She said yes
