The Gun Counter

Giant brass ones...

http://worldwarwings.com/landing-on-car ... -no-thanks

Given the low landing speed of the U-2 and the damn near vertical takeoff profile it can run once it's wings bite into the air, I'm actually more impressed with the big brass ones on the crews that did C-130 carrier landings and takeoffs

As most pilots will tell you, any landing is simply a controlled crash.

Wait, WHAT?

That must be what I've been doing wrong all these years, flying it on to the runway. /sarc

JustinR wrote:

As most pilots will tell you, any landing is simply a controlled crash.

Wait, WHAT?

That must be what I've been doing wrong all these years, flying it on to the runway. /sarc

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that joke is exclusive to carrier landings.

JustinR wrote:

As most pilots will tell you, any landing is simply a controlled crash.

Wait, WHAT?

That must be what I've been doing wrong all these years, flying it on to the runway. /sarc

What's the flare?

Greg wrote:

JustinR wrote:

As most pilots will tell you, any landing is simply a controlled crash.

Wait, WHAT?

That must be what I've been doing wrong all these years, flying it on to the runway. /sarc

What's the flare?

That thing you don't do when landing on a carrier.

randy wrote:Given the low landing speed of the U-2 and the damn near vertical takeoff profile it can run once it's wings bite into the air, I'm actually more impressed with the big brass ones on the crews that did C-130 carrier landings and takeoffs

The pilot who did it was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Well earned.

JustinR wrote:

Greg wrote:

JustinR wrote: Wait, WHAT?

That must be what I've been doing wrong all these years, flying it on to the runway. /sarc

What's the flare?

That thing you don't do when landing on a carrier.

I wanna take off from a carrier someday before I die
Strap that Viper to a catapult and watch that sucker fly
200 knots in under two seconds, that's my kinda fun
Do a barrel roll right after takeoff just like in Top Gun
But I don't wanna land
Allow me to explain and you'll understand
'Cause it ain't about the landin', why would I care?
You never have a crosswind and you never have to flare
You've got 4 fuckin' wires, how could you miss?
I can't think of anything that's easier than this

JustinR wrote:

Greg wrote:

JustinR wrote: Wait, WHAT?

That must be what I've been doing wrong all these years, flying it on to the runway. /sarc

What's the flare?

That thing you don't do when landing on a carrier.

So you don't actually fly it onto the runway, you fly it pretty close to the runway then kind of convince the plane to *stop* flying, give up, and fall the rest of the way (a few feet) onto the runway.

Which to my mind is a lot like a really small, carefully controlled, crash.

Carrier landings are CFIT. You just ideally do it gently enough that you and the aircraft survive.

As I tell my AF friends, Anyone that would flare to land, would squat to pee.

I have flown on and off carrier decks many times. Several types of helicopters, and several fixed wing C-1, C-2, and F-4. On both of the carriers I worked, I seldom walked down the brow to go ashore on arrival. Usually I was in ahead of the ship.