>> > >An e-mail from an unknown old used up Naval Aviator
>> > >
>> > >I was assigned duty fighter alert although conditions were too rough
>> > >for
>> > >the
>> > >fleet to be flying. Flight operations had been canceled. . . but the
>> > >On
>> > >Duty
>> > >[Alert] fighter had not.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >I knew that there was no way they would launch me, since green water
>> > >was
>> > >now
>> > >elevating itself 80 feet [ or the deck was diving 80 feet ] into the
>> > >North
>> > >Atlantic.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >I was pulling significant plus and minus G's just sitting in the
>> > >cockpit.
>> > >In
>> > >addition there was a thin sheet of clear ice that covered the flight
>> > >deck
>> > >making taxiing impossible. In fact it had taken about 10 sailors on
>> > >each
>> > >side of my aircraft just to get me on the Cat. Each time the ship
>> > >would
>> > >roll
>> > >starboard the airplane would slide right. And each time the ship
>> > >rolled
>> > >port
>> > >we would slide left.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >That was a helpless feeling to say the least. Finally, with heavy
>> > >chains,
>> > >they tied my airplane to the Cat. I was sitting in there, when all of
>> > >a
>> > >sudden the big bull horn sounded :
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >" LAUNCH THE DUTY FIGHTER ! "
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >" Hey . . you've got to be kidding ! "
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >My engine was not running and I had no electrical power up for the
>> > >command
>> > >radio. But the launch crew was already removing my 10 chain tie downs
>> > >and
>> > >getting a ground starter in place. The crew gave me a two-finger '
>> > >turn up'
>> > >and pointed to my headset. I knew this was a signal to call PRI-FLY.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >Before I could transmit they were saying : " We have an unidentified
>> > >target
>> > >approaching the 250 mile circle and you must check it out. You
>> > >
>> > >will be launched as soon as the ship can turn into the wind ". " O
>> > >s---"
>> > >
>> > >I thought.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >The waves were so high that the catapult Shooter had to time our bow's
>> > >up
>> > >and down movement before he could launch my aircraft.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >Frequently, the ship's nose would be buried in a dive. The next moment
>> > >
>> > >it, would be climbing a wave and simultaneously rolling 10 to 20
>> > >degrees
>> > >
>> > >. . while POINTING UP.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >After checking all engine instruments [ hoping finding a major
>> > >problem ]
>> > >
>> > >I determined that all systems were go. Also there were 3,500 troops
>> > >there
>> > >watching to see if I was a real fighter pilot. The Navy had bred into
>> > >us to
>> > >never turn down a mission. This alert could be the REAL ONE. And our
>> > >fleet
>> > >could actually be under attack !
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >I saluted Shooter and adjusted back in my seat for the shot.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >As the ship's bow started up the shot came, I was airborne at 180 kts
>> > >in
>> > >1.8
>> > >seconds. There was no way I could keep my feet on the rudders during
>> > >the
>> > >catapult. After the catapult, some of us felt like roadrunner birds -
>> > >and
>> > >we'd key the mike saying, " BEEP BEEP."
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >About the time I was recovering from the shot, Combat Control gave
>> > >
>> > >me vectors to the incoming target. And they instructed my speed to be
>> > >G-A-T-E ! WIDE OPEN THROTTLE WITH WITH STEREO AFTERBURNER.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >Even while rapidly climbing five miles high in less than 60 seconds,
>> > >the
>> > >F-8 Crusader was accelerating supersonic. And ninety seconds later, I
>> > >was
>> > >at
>> > >30M heading for the bad guys.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >To aid in finding the incoming Russian bomber(s) I tweaked my radar
>> > >range
>> > >out to 60 miles. But stationed on the outer edges of the fleet, a
>> > >destroyer
>> > >(DD) was able to look out even farther with its radar.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >I was turned over to the DD and I reported my position. They
>> > >responded, "
>> > >Roger, Silverstep. We have you in contact." I asked : " WHERE'S THE
>> > >BOGIE
>> > >?
>> > >
>> > > Silverstep : " It appears that was a false target " [ possibly
>> > > generated
>> > >by
>> > >a non-gyro stabilized radar receiver due to the rough sea].
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >" WOW ! I had risked my life for a false target. Now, I had to land
>> > >on a
>> > >boat that was bouncing up and down like a cork."
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >Although being literally shot up into the air, flying to the target
>> > >had
>> > >been
>> > >routine. But landing on a boat being " beaten around like a puppet
>> > >jerked
>> > >on a string " was not.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >I was given a You Are CHARLIE ON ARRIVAL meaning that I could land
>> > >immediately. I had the ship to myself.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >Usually, if a bird needs more fuel the tankers are available to give
>> > >it
>> > >another drink. No tankers were up on that day. On the other hand, I
>> > >did
>> > >come back with enough gas for about six (6) landing attempts. Thank
>> > >goodness
>> > >I did.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >When the ship is just rocking and rolling, the visual ' meatball ' on
>> > >the
>> > >final approach glide slope is gyro-stabilized. But, if the ship is
>> > >H-E-A-V-I-N-G AND B-U-C-K- I-N-G . . the gyro limits are exceeded
>> > >making
>> > >the ' meat ball's ' light beam inaccurate.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >In this situation the Landing Signal Officer (LSO) will manually
>> > >control
>> > >the
>> > >meat ball to keep you on a desired glide slope. In other words, he
>> > >puts the
>> > >beam where he wants you to fly. He can judge the huge waves and try to
>> > >get
>> > >you on board when the ship is level . . somewhat.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >In most cases the pilot is not able to see the ship's movement on
>> > >
>> > >his approach. His thoughts are 100% focused on staying on the
>> > >
>> > >' meatball. ' And all the way to a trap, he is saying to himself :
>> > >
>> > >" MEATBALL . . LINE-UP . . AIRSPEED. "
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >This time I could see the ship's movements . . loud and clear !
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >The ship would be nose high while in a roll 20 degrees to port. That
>> > >would
>> > >be like flying into a wall. Now making another quick glance, and the
>> > >boat
>> > >was nose low and rolling both ways. With other glances, I could
>> > >actually
>> > >see
>> > >the ship's huge screws under the fantail.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >I was in deep trouble. Perhaps making it impossible to make a
>> > >successful
>> > >landing.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >The LSO was letting me fly in as close as possible before hitting the
>> > >big
>> > >red flashing lights. I was doing everything correctly, but got the
>> > >wave
>> > >off
>> > >on my first 5 approaches. The LSO was not going to let me land on
>> > >those
>> > >first threatening approaches because I might destroy more parked
>> > >airplanes
>> > >than a Kamikaze.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >I had fuel enough for ONE more attempt. Needless to say I was calling
>> > >on a
>> > >Higher Power to help me out. Thank goodness He was watching over me.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >When I felt that tailhook engage the cable, I was the happiest man
>> > >
>> > >on board the USS Independence. The landing is just the opposite of
>> > >
>> > >the Cat shot. No matter how tight you secured your shoulder harness,
>> > >your
>> > >head is thrown forward and down. But after moment you recover your
>> > >senses
>> > >and
>> > >taxi out of the landing area.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >But my problems were not over.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >I had to taxi on a thin sheet of ice that covered the rolling deck.
>> > >Each
>> > >
>> > >time the ship would roll . the Crusader would skid in that direction.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >A few days earlier, I had observed an aircraft skid and drop
>> > >overboard.
>> > >
>> > >Not many pilots survive. The 80 foot fall usually knocks them out - or
>> > >
>> > >their injuries disable them and they sink with the bird.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >This was called " Church ". When someone would ask what happened
>> > >
>> > >to a pilot in an accident they would respond : " Church " meaning that
>> > >
>> > >he was killed and a memorial service was held.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >Finally, the flight deck crew got enough chains and tie downs on the
>> > >bird
>> > >to
>> > >keep it from taking a salt water swim along with its pilot. There was
>> > >
>> > >no "Church" on that day for one happy pilot.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >The ship's Captain congratulated my airmanship. The flight surgeon
>> > >gave me
>> > >a
>> > >few ounces of brandy and I headed to my stateroom for a little R & R.
>> > >The
>> > >ship was still bucking and heaving so while laying in my bunk I was
>> > >mentally
>> > >still pulling plus and minus G's
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >Epilogue
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >After my Navy flying I joined the airlines. Many times I was very
>> > >amused at
>> > >the response of some of my co-pilots complaining about how hard and
>> > >dangerous airline flying was.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >I felt like I had retired when first taking the airline job [even
>> > >though it
>> > >did have many challenges there as well ]. But nothing compared to
>> > >landing,
>> > >day and night, on an aircraft carrier. I had adventures you can't buy
>> > >in
>> > >the
>> > >civilian world.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >Ron Knott