Flight Ops on a carrier last between 12 and 15 hours, depending on whether the carrier/airwing is on "work-ups" or deployment. During work-ups, there are more periods of consecutive flight hours for exercises and certification (even one period of 72 consecutive hours of flying = three-day war scenario). During deployment it is mostly the 12 hour variety. That being said, the men and women who work the flight deck are up there for at least an hour before flight ops, moving aircraft around and "readying the deck". They also are working for at least an hour after flight ops are complete. Toss in the occasional flight deck "drill" for crash/rescue or rigging the barricade and you easily have 14-17 hour days. Granted, this can't continue forever, so about once every 10 days is a break in flight ops, but that means those guys/gals are still working on the catapults and arresting gear engines. So, a "day off" is a little misleading. Yes there is day and night shifts, but the supervisors seem to take charge and lead until the job is complete. Welcome to the real Navy! Thank goodness for crewrest, or everyone in the Navy would be zombies.