Overview
GUIDE STILL IN WORKS… This guide was created to fill the need for a carrier operations guide, specifically the approach and the techniques that come with it. Note that I am not particularly good with wording my sentences, and that I overall hate writing/typing, so some parts of this may be vague or not make sense. If stumped, just leave a comment and I’ll try to help out, thanks. On behalf of the Carrier Flight Operations Server, here is an informal guide on Carrier Operations and Approaches.
The Pattern: overview
Carrier Pattern Diagrams
T-45[www.naval.com.br]
[i.imgur.com]
F-14D[www.anft.net]
Stages
Initial= Typically @ 800ft Radio ALT
Downwind/ Abeam= 600ft Radio ALT
Start of groove= typically between 380-420ft
“The Initial”
Initial is the first sequence in entering the aircraft carrier pattern. Initial is started around 3-5nm aft of the ship with tailhook down, and is used to set up the pilot for a left break over the carrier in order to slow to approach speed. This is never performed directly overhead the boat. Instead, The Initial is offset (generally 1/4 to 1/2 of a mile) to the right of the boat. Initial is flown in a straight line at 800ft RAD ALT (Radio Altitude), past the boat about 1-5nm, Then the left break occurs.
Initial is labeled on the T-45 carrier pattern diagram above, if you are still confused on where the initial is performed. Note that the speed varies based on aircraft, and is listed in either the NATOPS manual or carrier pattern diagram of every aircraft that is carrier-based.
“The Downwind”
On downwind, Aircraft should be at 600ft Rad ALT and trimmed to effectively hold an On-Speed approach (see below; “Angle of Attack”)
Dirty Up
After or during the left break, gear, flaps, and tailhook should be configured for an arrested landing by the time the aircraft is rolled out for downwind, or shortly after downwind is established.
Angle of Attack
Angle of Attack (AoA/ alpha/ α) should be corrected for an “On-Speed” approach once on downwind and maintained throughout the pattern until touchdown. This means there is no flare necessary to soften the landing.
AoA Indexer[www.f-16.net] An AoA Indexer or AoA HUD Bracket is used to provide information to the pilot to ensure the correct Angle of Attack is maintained. This is CRITICAL to a safe approach.
- Having a FAST AoA (lower Red chevron) can induce an incorrect hook-to-eye value, meaning that the position of the hook is slightly higher than what the glide slope shows relative to the aircraft. Due to the low, nose-down angle of attack the aircraft is at when at a fast speed, this can lead to missing all four wires even though you are on glide slope. The tail hook is located in the back of the aircraft. So if the nose of the aircraft goes down, the back of the aircraft raises, including the hook. Refer to bottom image of F-18.
- Having a SLOW AoA (upper Green chevron) is the same concept, but reciprocated. On top of that, the aircraft is at serious risk of stalling, and therefore a sufficient push on the flight stick is needed to correct for the slow-speed, high-AoA. But once the nose comes down to correct for the AoA, some altitude will be lost, so a higher power setting must be introduced with the throttle to maintain altitude(or the glide slope if on final). This can be done simultaneously, so that no fluctuations in altitude or glide slope occur during the AoA correction.
Shortened: Use flight stick to adjust AoA to an On Speed attitude, and therefore holding the correct airspeed based on current weight of aircraft. Throttle is used to maintain altitude and glide slope during approach.
So in basic sense, controls are reversed. It may take a little getting used to, but after you do, you will notice that this is the most effective method to having easy control over the aircraft at such slow speeds, and is what EVERY real world naval pilot uses for carrier approaches. Using flight stick to adjust speed has greater effect than to use throttle in regards to carrier-based aircraft.
Abeam
If the boat is not moving in the flight sim, give 10-13 seconds before turn-in to compensate for the lack of boat movement.
“In the Groove”
“The Groove” begins when the aircraft rolls to wings level for the Final of the approach. You should not be in the groove for more than 15 to 18 seconds.
Roll-out
If the turn-in was conducted at the right position and with the correct bank angle, the aircraft should roll-out lined up with center line, On Speed, and at or just under the glide slope of the OLS.
Generally speaking, The aircraft should also be rolled-out at around 380-400ft RAD ALT and about 0.7-1.0nm from the carrier.
Over extending past the abeam position before beginning your turn-in will cause the aircraft to be severely under the glide slope at 400ft, as your distance from the carrier will be too far on final.
If your turn-in from the abeam position is too early, You will most likely end up high on the glide slope, and too close to the carrier to make sufficient adjustments for a safe trap.
Optical Landing System
Reference images
[link]
Video
Approach and Landing:
Reading the OLS and AoA Indexer (training film). Relevent information from 9m26s-16m45s.
What is The Meatball (“Call the ball!”)
On the left side of the carrier is a set of lights called the Optical Landing System (OLS), commonly referred to as the Meatball by Naval aviators. This light set displays glide slope information of ones approach, relative to the carrier.
In it, You will notice an amber-colored light that goes up and down when “in the groove” (final). This represents your glide slope. To the left and right of the amber light is a horizontal row of green lights, called Datum lights. This represents the optimum glide slope angle to the carrier. Your goal is to keep the meatball (amber lights) in between the green datum lights, all the way down to landing. Refer to labeled diagram above for locations of lights.
This is referred to as “Flying the ball”. If you begin to go high, the ball (amber light) will rise. Go low, the ball will appear below the datum lights. Severely low is represented as red light just below the amber lights. If you go too high or too low, you begin to see a stack of red lights flashing on the sides of the “ball”. These are the “Wave-Off” lights. When a pilot sees them, they MUST abort the approach and go around.
The OLS and how to read it is represented in the Approach and Landing video above, starting @10m42s.
[Shoot for the 3]
There are 4 arresting cable wires that the aircraft catches with its tail hook, that lay across the landing area of the deck. With the wire #1 furthest aft, and #4 wire furthest forward, the #3 wire is the most ideal and safest wire to catch.
Catching the #1 wire means you were low on the glide slope and can be risky as being slightly lower could cause a ramp strike; where the aircraft hits the edge of the ramp, or run straight into the boat, which is as deadly as it sounds.
Catching the #4 wire, following the description pattern above, means you were slightly high, but is much safer than catching the #1 wire.
Missing all four wires is called a “Bolter”, and the aircraft must go-around and jump back into the pattern to try again.
“Hooked!”
Upon touchdown of the aircraft, whether you think you caught a wire or not, full military power (full power before afterburners are selected) or full afterburner is required in case of wire miss or malfunction. This ensures the aircraft will gain sufficient thrust and speed to take back off the landing area. Only in absolute assurance that the aircraft did not miss a wire, or that you will not run off the deck, can the power be ♥♥♥♥♥♥ to idle. Retarding to throttle idle is typically done after the aircraft has fully stopped on the landing area.
Video of F/A-18 advancing thrust on touchdown
Slang and Phrase Terminology
Meatball or Ball = Optical Landing System on left side of carrier. Ball more specifically refers to the amber light in the OLS display.
“In the Groove” = Final of approach, when wings are rolled out to level.
The Boat = The aircraft carrier.
On-Speed = Aircraft at correct Angle of Attack for approach and landing.
Paddles = Landing Signal Officer (LSO)
Initial = Upwind, starting 3-5nm aft of the boat. Slightly offset to the right, never directly overhead the boat.
Abbreviation and Acronyms
LSO = Landing Signal Officer, aka Paddles
OLS (FLOLS, IFLOLS) = Optical landing System (Fresnel Lens, Improved Fresnel Lens)
RAD ALT= Radio Altitude; Uses radio frequency onboard aircraft to determine altitude from terrain below.
changelog
2-17-2018 V1.2 – -Minor changes to wording in several sections of the guide
-Broke down some paragraphs into small sections so it is easier to distinguish and read.
– In contact with Steam support. They are aware of the embedding Youtube videos issue, and are trying to resolve. May replace with video in “in the groove” section with link if it isnt fixed very soon.
2-15-18 V1.1 – – Edited “In the Groove” section for added information about rolling out at correct altitude and distance;
– Added 3 new sections: “Hooked!”, “Slang and Phrases Terminology”, and “Abbreviation and Acronyms”;
– Youtube video in “In the Groove section” has been noted to not be working correctly. I am leaving it up instead of providing a url link in hopes of fixing it with a Steam Support member.
2-14-18 V1.0 – Main public release. Missing “Hooked!”, “Slang and Phrases Terminology”, and “Abbreviation and Acronyms” sections. Will be added soon…