Modern United States Navy carrier air operations
Modern United States Navy aircraft carrier air operations include the operation of fixed-wing and rotary aircraft on and around an aircraft carrier for performance of combat or noncombat missions. The carrier is usually the centerpiece of the carrier strike group. The flight operations are highly evolved, based on experiences dating back to 1922 with.
Flight deck crew
On an aircraft carrier flight deck, specialized crews are employed for the different roles utilized in managing air operations. The different flight deck crews wear colored jerseys to visually distinguish their functions.Everyone associated with the flight deck has a specific job, which is indicated by the color of their deck jersey, float coat and helmet. Rank is also denoted by the pattern of pants worn by flight deck crew:
- Navy blue pants – Denotes junior sailors and petty officers.
- Khaki pants – Denotes chief petty, warrant and commissioned officers. This keeps in line with the traditional khaki color of CPO and officer service uniforms.
Air officer
Also known as the air boss, the air officer is responsible for all aspects of operations involving aircraft including the hangar deck, the flight deck, and airborne aircraft out to from the carrier. From his perch in Primary Flight Control, he, along with his assistant, maintains visual control of all aircraft operating in the carrier control zone, and aircraft desiring to operate within the control zone must obtain his approval prior to entry. This officer is typically a commander and is normally a former CVW squadron commander selected for promotion to captain.The normal working jersey color of an air boss is yellow, but an air boss may wear any color jersey he pleases, as he represents everyone working on the flight deck, hangar bay, and aviation fuels personnel.
Catapult officer
Catapult officers, also known as shooters, are commissioned officers, and are responsible for all aspects of catapult maintenance and operation. They ensure that wind is sufficient over the deck and that the steam settings for the catapults will ensure that aircraft have sufficient flying speed at the end of the stroke. They are also responsible for signaling to the pilot that they may take off.Aircraft handling officer
Also known as the aircraft handler, the ACHO is responsible for arrangement of aircraft about the flight and hangar decks. The handler is charged with avoiding a "locked deck", where too many misplaced aircraft are around such that no more can land prior to a rearrangement. The handler works in Flight Deck Control, where scale-model aircraft on a flight deck representation are used to represent actual aircraft status on the flight deck.Aircraft directors
Aircraft directors, as their name implies, are responsible for directing all aircraft movement on the hangar and flight decks. They are enlisted aviation boatswain's mates. They are colloquially known as "bears" and those who work in the hangar go by the term "hangar rats". On some carriers, commissioned officers known as flight deck officers also serve as aircraft directors. During flight operations or during a flight deck "respot", typically about 12–15 yellowshirts are on the flight deck, and they report directly to the "handler". Although aircraft directors are often used at airports ashore, their function is particularly crucial in the confined flight deck environment where aircraft are routinely taxied within inches of one another, often with the ship rolling and pitching beneath. Directors wear yellow and use a complex set of hand signals to direct aircraft.Landing signal officer
The landing signal officer is a qualified, experienced pilot who is responsible for the visual control of aircraft in the terminal phase of the approach immediately prior to landing. LSOs ensure that approaching aircraft are properly configured, and they monitor aircraft glidepath angle, altitude, and lineup. They communicate with landing pilots by voice radio and light signals.Arresting gear officer
The arresting gear officer is responsible for arresting gear operation, settings, and monitoring landing area deck status. Arresting gear engines are set to apply varying resistance to the arresting cable based on the type of aircraft landing.Cyclic operations
Cyclic operations refers to the launch and recovery cycle for aircraft in groups or "cycles". Launching and recovering aircraft aboard aircraft carriers is best accomplished nonconcurrently, and cyclic operations are the norm for U.S. aircraft carriers. Cycles are generally about one and a half hours long, although cycles as short as an hour or as long as an hour and 45 minutes are not uncommon. The shorter the cycle, the fewer aircraft can be launched/recovered; the longer the cycle, the more critical fuel becomes for airborne aircraft."Events" are typically made up of about 12–20 aircraft and are sequentially numbered throughout the 24-hour fly day. Prior to flight operations, the aircraft on the flight deck are arranged so that Event 1 aircraft can easily be taxied to the catapults once they have been started and inspected. Once the Event 1 aircraft are launched, Event 2 aircraft are readied for launch about an hour later. The launching of all these aircraft makes room on the flight deck to then land aircraft. Once Event 2 aircraft are launched, Event 1 aircraft are recovered, fueled, rearmed, respotted, and readied to be used for Event 3. Event 3 aircraft are launched, followed by the recovery of Event 2 aircraft. After the last recovery of the day, all of the aircraft are generally stored on the bow. They are then respotted about the flight deck for the next morning's first launch.
Classification of departure and recovery operations
Departure and recovery operations are classified according to meteorological conditions into Case I, Case II, or Case III.- Case I occurs when flights are anticipated to not encounter instrument conditions during daytime departures/recoveries, and the ceiling and visibility around the carrier are no lower than and, respectively. Maintaining radio silence, or "zip lip", during case-I launches and recoveries is the norm, breaking radio silence only for safety-of-flight issues.
- Case II happens when flights may encounter instrument conditions during a daytime departure/recovery, and the ceiling or visibility in the carrier control zone are no lower than or, respectively. It is used for an overcast condition.
- Case III exists when flights are expected to encounter instrument conditions during a departure/recovery because the ceiling or visibility around the carrier is lower than and, respectively, or for night departures/recoveries.
Launch operations
Before launch
About 45 minutes before launch time, flight crews conduct walk-arounds and man assigned aircraft. Around 30 minutes prior to launch, preflight checks are conducted and aircraft engines are started. Roughly 15 minutes prior to launch, ready aircraft are taxied from their parked positions and spotted on or immediately behind the catapults. To assist the launch, the ship is turned into the natural wind. As an aircraft is taxied onto the catapult, the wings are spread and a large jet blast deflector panel rises out of the flight deck behind the engine exhaust. Prior to final catapult hookup, final checkers make final exterior checks of the aircraft, and loaded weapons are armed by ordnancemen.Catapult launch
Catapult hook up is accomplished by placing the aircraft launch bar, which is attached to the front of the aircraft's nose landing gear, into the catapult shuttle. An additional bar, the holdback, is connected from the rear of the nose landing gear to the carrier deck. The holdback bar keeps the aircraft from moving forward prior to catapult firing ensuring a launch does not occur unless steam pressure has exceeded the preset load setting of the aircraft specific holdback. In final preparation for launch, a series of events happens in rapid succession, indicated by hand/light signals:- The catapult is put into tension whereby all the slack is taken out of the system with hydraulic pressure on the rear of the shuttle.
- The pilot is then signaled to advance the throttles to full power, and they take their feet off the brakes.
- The pilot checks engine instruments and "wipes out" all the control surfaces.
- The pilot indicates that they are satisfied that their aircraft is ready for flight by saluting the catapult officer. At night, they turn on the aircraft's exterior lights to indicate they are ready.
- During this time, two or more final checkers are observing the exterior of the aircraft for proper flight control movement, engine response, panel security, and leaks.
- Once satisfied, the checkers give a thumbs up to the catapult officer.
- The catapult officer makes a final check of catapult settings, wind, etc. and gives the signal to launch.
- The catapult operator then pushes a button to fire the catapult.
After launch
Procedures used after launch are based on meteorological and environmental conditions. Primary responsibility for adherence to the departure rests with the pilot. However, advisory control is given by the ship's departure control radar operators, including when dictated by weather conditions.- In Case I launches, immediately after becoming airborne, aircraft raise their landing gear and perform "clearing turns" to the right off the bow and to the left off the waist catapults. This roughly 10° check turn is made to increase separation of simultaneously launched aircraft from the waist/bow catapults. After the clearing turn, aircraft proceed straight ahead paralleling the ship's course at until. Aircraft are then cleared to climb unrestricted in visual conditions.
- In Case II launches, after a clearing turn, aircraft proceed straight ahead at 500 feet, paralleling ship's course. At, aircraft turn to intercept a arc about the ship, maintaining visual conditions until established outbound on their assigned departure radial, at which time they are free to climb through the weather. The restriction is lifted after 7 nmi if the climb can be continued in visual conditions.
- In Case III launches, a minimum launch interval of 30 seconds is used between aircraft, which climb straight ahead. At, they turn to fly the 10-nmi arc until intercepting their assigned departure radial.