When US Navy Pilots Miss the Arrestor Cables During Aircraft Carrier Landing

the aircraft carriers of the U.S Navy are gigantic constructions often referred to as cities at sea on these floating cities organized chaos of Aviation engineering takes place every 20 seconds a jet takes off or lands on this moving runway in the middle of the sea it's no simple task to safely land on this compact Runway Pilots use a technique known as arrested tail hook Landings but imagine if something goes wrong during this highly complex operation what happens if a jet can't make an arrested tail hook landing on one of the most challenging runways in the world the consequences of a failed arrested tail hook Landing can be massive a jet that fails to stop on the plate that can literally go overboard and end up in the ocean or worse it can cause devastating damage on the deck itself posing a threat to the crew and other aircraft a failed Landing that's not only endangers the pilot but also the crew members on the deck and the valuable equipment at high speeds and within the limited space available on an aircraft carrier the margin for error is incredibly small there have been incidents in the past where a failed Landing led to tragic consequences but what exactly is an arrested tail hook landing and how does it work it might sound like a term straight out of a Hollywood action movie but in reality it's an essential and highly technical maneuver in the world of military Aviation on the compact deck of an aircraft carrier this technique is applied daily when executing an arrested tail hook Landing a specific part of the aircraft plays a crucial role the tail hook this hook sturdy and robust is located on the rear of the jet during Landing this Hook is lowered the purpose to catch one of the several arresting cables stretch tightly across the ship's deck the arresting cable is an essential part of this system the cable connected to a hydraulic brake system is pulled tight as soon as the tail hook gets a grip on it this action brings the high-speed Landing jet to a halt in an incredibly short distance it's a perfect Symphony of precision timing and technique a Marvel of modern engineering but even with this technological Wonder there are times when things can go wrong what if the tail hook misses the cable what if the cable breaks these scenarios aren't merely hypothetical questions but form a daily reality for the crew of an aircraft carrier there are countless factors from technical failures to bad weather conditions that can disrupt this carefully orchestrated dance of technology and precision the pilots performing these Landings have undergone years of intensive training they learn to handle the unique challenges of landing on an aircraft carrier The Limited space the movement of the ship on the waves the rapidly changing weather conditions they practice over and over to perfect their timing and response speed but even with all that training there are times when the landing fails and then a period of chaos and immediate action ensues the routine is disrupted by a series of quick decisive movements it's these movements that reveal the true nature of Life aboard an aircraft carrier in a failed arrested tail hook Landing a certain term is used a Bolter a Bolter occurs when an aircraft misses or fails to grip the arresting cable the aircraft is then forced to take off immediately a maneuver that requires a tremendous amount of skill and cool-headedness from the pilot it's a moment of pure adrenaline a test of the Pilot's skills and the reliability of the aircraft when a Bolter takes place the pilot must immediately go Full Throttle while simultaneously steering the aircraft upward the jet then shoots back into the sky ready to make another attempt at Landing it's a spectacular sight let me tell you but it requires the utmost of concentration and accuracy from the pilot a small mistake can lead to catastrophic consequences meanwhile on the flight deck the crew faces their own challenges if the arresting cable is broken they must replace it quickly and efficiently this is no small task the cable is heavy and unwieldy and replacing it requires both strength and finesse despite the immense pressure and potential dangers they performed this task with military precision and speed the crew is also trained to respond quickly to other potential consequences of a Bolter this can range from clearing debris on the deck to Preparing the deck for an emergency landing in the case of a failed arrested tail hook Landing where the jet flies over the edge of the deck an immediate rescue operation is needed the Jets are equipped with an ejection system allowing the pilot to be launched from the aircraft in an emergency as soon as the pilot is in the water a rescue helicopter is immediately dispatched to retrieve the pilot in addition to these rescue operations safety measures are taken to minimize the risk of injury or worse the crew members on the deck are equipped with heat resistant suits helmets and special goggles to protect themselves from the jet engines of the aircraft they also have emergency procedures for various scenarios that may occur such as the release of fuel or other hazardous substances in light of these risks and the immense complexity of operations the crew and Pilots of the aircraft carriers continue to hone and improve their skills the Navy regularly holds Flight Deck drills involving the entire crew and simulating all possible scenarios Flight Deck drills or flight deck simulations are a critical part of the daily routine aboard an aircraft carrier they are designed to simulate every conceivable situation from routine flights to emergency procedures and help the crew to be prepared for every possible scenario one of the key components of these drills is simulating emergencies these include but are not limited to managing a failed Landing dealing with fire on board the ship executing an evacuation and even dealing with potential attacks during these exercises crew members are put under pressure to respond and act quickly while following safety protocols in a simulation of a failed arrested tail hook Landing for example the crew will rush to secure the attack While others prepared to rescue the pilot the onboard medical staffer also involved in these drills ensuring that they are ready to provide medical aid to any injured party communication plays an essential role in conducting Flight Deck drills from the pilot in the air to the leadership on the ship everyone must communicate accurately and efficiently to manage the situation a small misunderstanding could indeed lead to a disastrous consequence to achieve this level of communication the crew is trained in the use of specific codes and hand signals this is especially important on the noisy and chaotic Flight Deck where normal verbal communication is nearly impossible hand signals are thus an essential part of operations board and aircraft carrier they enable quick and efficient Communication in an environment where spoken words simply get lost in the noise of jet engines these gestures are not just random movements but are part of a standardized system used throughout the Navy for example when an aircraft is ready to take off a crew member often referred to as the shooter will make a hand gesture that resembles pulling an imaginary lasso over their head this is the signal for the pilot to go Full Throttle once the aircraft is running at full power the shooter will extend their arm forward with the Palm facing down and then quickly pull it down this is the sign for the pilot to take off the crew on the playtech also uses hand gestures to guide the pilot during taxiing on the deck an extremely delicate operation in the tight and busy surface of the flight deck a crew member will stretch their arms out to their sides with the Palms facing the pilot to indicate the direction which the aircraft should drive to make the pilot stop the crew crosses their arms above their heads if an emergency scenario occurs such as a Bolter then other hand gestures are used when the tail hook misses the arresting cable the crew makes a motion resembling hitting an imaginary table this is the signal for the pilot to go full throttle and take off again but hand gestures are not limited to the crew on the deck Pilots also use them to communicate with the crew for example if a pilot is having problems with their aircraft they can place their hand on their helmet indicating that they're experiencing technical issues in addition hand gestures are used to indicate the condition of the deck if the deck is safe and ready for action the crew gives a thumbs up but if there's danger such as debris on the runway or a broken arresting cable they'll cross their arms indicating that the deck is not safe for landing aircraft this extensive system of hand gestures allows the crew to respond quickly and efficiently to a range of situations from routine operations to emergencies it is an essential aspect of the complex choreography that takes place on the deck of an aircraft carrier a ballet of precision and speed driven by the necessity for safety and efficiency even during refueling of aircraft hand gestures are used for communication for instance when an aircraft is fully fueled a crew member will cross their arms in an X above their head this signifies that the refueling is complete more so there are gestures to let the pilot know that they're ready to start the engines this is indicated by a crew member rotating their finger in a circular motion during night operations when visibility is an issue crew members use illuminated batons to make their hand gestures more visible these glowing sticks come in different colors to give different instructions despite the fact that this system of hand gestures is indispensable for operations board and aircraft carrier it's important to note that it is continually supplemented with other forms of communication for example radio communications is still used between the Tower and the aircraft in the air as well as between crew members in different parts of the ship now we're curious about your thoughts what do you think would be the biggest challenge of living aboard a Navy ship let us know what you think in the comments below and if you want to support our men and women in the middle of the sea don't forget to like this video And subscribe to our Channel your engagement helps us bring more of this type of content and increase awareness about the crucial role the U.S Navy plays in our world we hope you have a better idea of Life aboard an aircraft carrier all the intricate procedures from the arrested tail hook Landing to the hand gestures underscore the craftsmanship discipline and daring required to work on an aircraft carrier these floating cities at Sea are a testament to human Ingenuity and teamwork where every move counts and every second can mean the difference between success and potential Danger the crew and Pilots carrying out these tasks are true professionals who continually train learn and adapt to the challenges that come with living and working at sea they are the Unseen Heroes who keep our skies safe day in and day out thank you for watching and supporting our troops stay safe and I'll see you next time

Channel: NAVY Productions

Views: 2,485,543

Keywords: education, educational, Howitworks, wendover productions, airplaine, learn, explained, boat, ship, plane, international, documentary, aircraftcarrier, vehicles, fluctus, sea, sailors, ocean, world, usnavy, lifeatsea, unitedstates, hangar, sailor, navy, marine, USMC, marines, hangarbay, flightdeck, aircraft, carrier, nimitzclass, F-18, naval, takeoff, landing, us navy, united states navy, gerald r ford, uss gerald r ford aircraft carrier, bolter, bolter landing, bolter carrier landing, aircraft carrier landing

Id: TRc-J0rwFUw

Length: 11min 58sec (718 seconds)

Published: Mon Jun 05 2023