On the Cat
 

Hey- a quick question for Navy carrier pilots. When your are on the cat and you have a problem with the A/C what might happen- obviously before the shot. How do you signal- if you've saluted, is too late? Just curious.

Thanks.

Daytime - shake your head and transmit "Suspend cat number X" on the tower freq.
Nighttime - turn off your lights and transmit same on departure.

After each, be ready to go fly until the Cat officer or Safety PO walks in front of the aircraft and signals you to pull the power back.

Pretty much, once you salute/turn on the lights, you're going unless someone on the deck suspends you.

HTH
Spongebob

Thanks Bob- I kind of figured once the salute goes, your committed on your end! What's a typical time lapse between the salute and the shot?

You salute/hit the lights, then they check all the safeties - the bow guy, your troubleshooters, the cat settings and the peanut gallery before touching the deck. Then the button masher looks forward, aft and hits the button.

If it's a bubble shot, the cat safety PO takes your salute, checks the safeties then give a thumbs up to the bubble. In there, the Cat O will check the settings, winds and up/down cycle and hit the button.

Sometimes it's really quick, sometimes you're there for what seems like forever. At night (or weather below 800/5), they will sequence everyone at 1 minute intervals, and sequence you with landing traffic to keep interval in case of a bolter if the recovery is going on at the same time. So you can sit there for a while. Super Hornets have a 30-second in afterburner limit on the jet blast deflector from the heat, but that's about the only hard number other than the sequencing.

Daytime/VFR, they'll launch the bow and waist at the same time, hence the clearing turns to provide some lateral separation. Nothing like launching into parade position on someone else!

HTH
Spongebob