{"id":4065,"date":"2021-05-04T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-05-04T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/?p=4065"},"modified":"2021-10-04T16:07:19","modified_gmt":"2021-10-04T20:07:19","slug":"81-flight-deck-dangers-launch-recovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/81-flight-deck-dangers-launch-recovery\/","title":{"rendered":"#81\u2014Flight Deck Dangers: Launch & Recovery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end)<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Who said, \u201cA horse is dangerous at both ends and uncomfortable in the middle.\u201d<\/em>?<\/li>
  2. In what movie (and who said it) did we hear, \u201cI love this place at night, the stars. There’s no right or wrong in them. They’re just there.\u201d<\/em>?<\/li>
  3. In what song (and who sang it) did we hear the following?
    Headin’ into twilight<\/em>
    Spreadin’ out her wings tonight<\/em>
    She got you jumpin’ off the deck<\/em>
    Shovin’ into overdrive<\/em><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n
    <\/div>
    Blog #81 (Audio)<\/div><\/div>
    <\/div>

    Listen to the audio of this blog, read by Andy Adkins. Click the \u201cAudio<\/strong><\/em>\u201d button below.<\/p>\n<\/div>

    Published: <\/span>October 4, 2021<\/span><\/div>
    <\/div>Audio by Andy<\/a><\/div><\/form><\/span>1<\/span> Download<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>
    <\/div>\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n

    \u201cLost in Space:\u201d Go Figure!<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Back in the 60s, Lost in Space<\/em><\/strong> was a TV series (1965-68) that portrayed a family \u201clost\u201d in space. No, I didn\u2019t just make that up. It came on TV before Star Trek<\/em><\/strong> (1966) and I was in the 5th grade. The family name was \u201cRobinson\u201d (go figure!), and the youngest child\u2019s name was \u201cWill,\u201d played by Billy Mumy. And\u2026 they had a robot (aptly named “Robby”) because\u2026 well, they were in space and\u2026 this was <\/em>60s TV. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Lost<\/a>
    “Lost in Space” Robot & Will Robinson (Billy Mumy)
    (Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    And because I know children of the 60s want to know\u2026 Zorro<\/em><\/strong> (Guy Williams) played the father and Lassies\u2019s<\/em><\/strong> \u201cmom\u201d (June Lockhart) played the mother. But I digress\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This was way (WAY) before computer graphics, CGI, and all that other technical Hollywoodized movie mumbo-jumbo magic. Stay with me here\u2026 I\u2019m making a point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In almost every episode, Will Robinson would wander off somewhere, doing something \u201cnot-so-smart,\u201d like most teenagers or airdales did at one time or another and\u2026 eventually got into trouble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The robot would start flailing his \u201cclothes dryer vent pipe-like\u201d arms all round, his bubble head lights would flash and he\u2019d say (in his 60s robotic-like voice), \u201cDanger Will Robinson, Danger!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Anybody old enough to remember the original TV show, Lost in Space<\/em>, or am I dating myself?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Flight Deck \u201cDanger\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    I bring up that old 60s TV series up because as an airdale, working on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, danger lurks everywhere, but there’s not always someone around to yell, “Danger, Chet Adkins, Danger!” That\u2019s no surprise to anyone who\u2019s been there & done that. For those who weren\u2019t \u201clucky\u201d enough to experience the flight deck, indulge me\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When flight operations began and the announcements started flowing over the 5MC (the flight deck PA system), the adrenaline kicked in\u2014it was time to go to work. \u201cMan all flight quarters stations. Secure all loose gear about the flight deck. Check fire bottles. Stand clear of propellers. Start engines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When we heard those announcements, we’d put on our \u201cgame face.\u201d We upped our awareness level and our heads began that constant swivel motion that many of us still practice today\u2014it\u2019s something that never left me. And it\u2019s especially useful now when I\u2019m out riding my bike or in crowds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Launch Dangers<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
    \"USS<\/a>
    USS Kitty Hawk <\/em>(CV-63)
    (Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    USS Kitty Hawk<\/em><\/strong> (CV-63) had 4 launch catapults: Cats 1 & 2 were the \u201cbow\u201d cats\u2014located toward the bow on the starboard (\u201cright\u201d) side of the ship; Cats 3 & 4 were the \u201cwaist\u201d cats\u2014located amidships on the port (\u201cleft\u201d) side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Back in my day (mid-70s), it was common to find 50 aircraft on the flight deck, either parked or readying for launch. Aircraft would usually launch off Cats 1 & 2 or Cats 3 & 4, though it wasn\u2019t uncommon to vary the launches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As you can see with the photo, Cats #1, #3, & #4 are used. Aircraft are parked alongside Cat #2 on the bow, also known as “Fly 1.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    There were a few times, though, when we\u2019d use all four catapults and launch 20 aircraft in under 10 minutes. That was\u2026 interesting and<\/em> exciting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And of course, there was the \u201cLaunch the Alert 5!<\/a><\/strong>\u201d which I\u2019ve previously blogged about. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The few launch incidents I remember most vividly were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Blown down from a jet exhaust\u2026 it happens more times than you\u2019d think. Most of the time, you can \u201cfeel\u201d it about to happen and react to that. First, there’s the hot exhaust that quickly increases; then, if you’re lucky, you can spot the culprit aircraft out of the corner of your eye and move quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The old firefighter\u2019s adage, \u201cStop, Drop, & Roll\u201d was something we all knew and practiced, grabbing a hold of a pad eye on the flight deck for that extra security measure. Fortunately, during Westpac \u201975<\/strong> and all the time I was aboard Kitty Hawk<\/em>, no one was ever blown overboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"EA-6<\/a>
    YouTube video: Airman being blown down the flight deck.
    (Click to watch video)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    There\u2019s a short 30-second YouTube<\/strong> video<\/a> of an airdale being blown down the deck from a launching EA-6 Prowler<\/strong>. Don\u2019t worry\u2014no blood, no death, no one gets hurt\u2026 but the stand-up finale is well worth the watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. An A-7 Corsair<\/strong> launched off Cat #2 and dropped a 700-pound bomb<\/a> that skidded down the flight deck before coming to a stop. I was driving the Crash truck at the time and that would be labeled a big \u201cOh Crap!\u201d moment. Long story short, the bomb did not explode, and we used the Crash forklift to pick it up and dump it overboard. After that, back to a normal day of flight ops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    3. Then there was an F-4 Phantom<\/strong> that launched off Cat #3 in full afterburner (S.O.P.), but for some reason the tail stabilizer locked in full nose-up position<\/a>. It didn\u2019t take the pilot long before he punched out at about 700 feet above sea level\u2014he and the RIO (Rear Intercept Officer) “gently” parachuted down into the water. The helicopter \u201cplane guard\u201d picked them up, and they were fine, though Davy Jones gained another F-4 Phantom for his locker. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    4. We lost a shipmate when an HS-8<\/strong> (\u201cEightballers\u201d) plane guard helo in preparation for take-off from the flight deck lost hydraulics in the starboard landing gear and collapsed\u2026 with the airman inside the wheel well. That was no doubt the worst and I try not to think about it, but now and then, that horrible memory surfaces. I was one of the crewmen who helped put him into a stretcher to get him down to Sick Bay. Writing a blog post, \u201cGone in an Instant<\/a><\/strong>,\u201d helped me get through that one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We trained\u2014constantly\u2014for various situations. In most cases, training involved everyone on the flight deck, whether or not they wanted to participate in the training. There were usually about 200 men (and now women) on the flight deck during normal flight operations, and we all had our individual jobs to perform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But when there was an emergency, an event, or worse\u2014a crash\u2014everyone had to up their game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    History is full of shipboard incidents, fires, explosions, etc. Heck, part of our training in the V-1 Division<\/strong> (flight deck) was to watch training films of various types of aircraft crashes and discuss how we\u2019d react to the emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Training is all well & good\u2014and we did a ton of it. I\u2019ve said it before and I\u2019ll say it again: your training automatically kicks in when needed. When it came down to it, I personally think that you can\u2019t train for every<\/em> incident, but all that training boosted our confidence to handle almost any situation. During my brief four-year Navy experience, I believe we did most things right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And since I left the Navy, those instincts are still there and I still react, maybe not as quickly or as nimble as back then, but I still react. Anyone else?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Recovery Dangers<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    While a carrier can launch multiple aircraft simultaneously, only one aircraft<\/em> can recover at a time. Yet, most of the training films we watched involved landing aircraft and all the things that can go wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Picture this: a jet aircraft traveling about 120mph, landing at an angle<\/em> on the flight deck of a moving, pitching (up and down), runway, trying to \u201ccatch\u201d one of four arresting gear cables stretched across the deck with a tail hook the pilot can\u2019t see, and <\/em>coming to a dead stop within a few hundred feet\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I mean\u2026 what could go wrong?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Fortunately for me, there were only a few recovery mishaps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. There was that time when I was the Fly 3 Yellow shirt<\/strong> director, stationed at the \u201cangle\u201d of the carrier<\/a>, ready to direct the landing aircraft out of the recovery area. An A-7 Corsair snagged an arresting gear cable, but the pilot didn\u2019t realize it. He applied full power while yanking back on the elevator, thinking he\u2019d completely missed all four cables (called a \u201cbolter\u201d). About 10 feet in the air, the A-7 smacked back down onto the flight deck. But thank the good Lord, nothing snapped, nothing broke, and the nose wheel didn\u2019t jam up into the cockpit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That was what we called a \u201cskivvy-check\u201d moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. An HS-8 (\u201cEightballers\u201d) helo came in too heavy, which is the main reason helicopters approach the flight deck from the port side and hover alongside the ship, before the helo flight deck director signals the pilot to fly over the carrier to land. This one particular helo came in too fast<\/a> (I believe the investigators later determined it was an engine malfunction) and went straight to the water.

    My friend Jack Kuiphoff<\/strong> was there and looked over the side of the ship and told me he saw the crewmen kicking out the windows to quickly get out of a sinking aircraft. All crew escaped unharmed; another plane guard helo from the same squadron rescued them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Rig the Barricade<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    This never happened during the time I was aboard Kitty Hawk<\/em>, but we certainly practiced \u201crigging the barricade\u201d\u2014probably every time we set out to sea. Practice, practice, practice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"A7E<\/a>
    An A-7E Corsair (VA-66 “Waldos”) takes the barricade aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower <\/em>(CV-69), 1983.
    Photo credit: PH3 Hatton.
    (Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    All modern day Navy aircraft have tail hooks that \u201ccatch\u201d one of 4, one-inch arresting gear cables stretched across the recovery area. These cables are connected up to a series of hydraulic systems that help \u201cbrake\u201d the aircraft to a stop within a short distance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The question is\u2026 what happens when the aircraft tail hook malfunctions AND the ship is nowhere near a land base which is where the aircraft would divert to for a safer landing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Hence, the aircraft barricade, a 20-foot high “tennis net” designed to catch a landing 50,000 pound aircraft traveling 120 mph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When it comes time to \u201crig the barricade,\u201d all able-bodied hands on deck take part. Back in my day, we\u2019d use an aircraft tow tractor to grab one end of the barricade from it’s in-deck storage and haul it across to the other side. Then, flight deck personnel would grab both top & bottom to stretch it out before the two end stanchions raised up from the flight deck to fully extend the barricade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The ABEs (Aviation Boatswains Mate-Equipment) were in charge of the operation and knew what needed to be done and in what sequence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The goal was to rig the barricade within five minutes, ready to recover the ailing aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I can\u2019t say enough about teamwork. We all knew what we needed to do and when to do it and when done, we knew enough to get out of the way to let the ABEs finish the task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Next came the hard part\u2026 waiting & worrying\u2014anxious moments for all, especially the pilot. All eyes were on the approaching aircraft; all unnecessary personnel cleared the flight deck, and Crash crew suited up, ready in the event a fire broke out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Like I mentioned earlier, I never experienced an aircraft landing in the barricade, but the shipmates that came before me during the Vietnam War\u2026 well, let\u2019s just say they had more problem aircraft returning from a mission than we did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Arresting Gear Cable…<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    I never saw this happen and there are a few YouTube<\/strong> videos in case you feel a need to watch, but one of my ABH \u201cA\u201d school instructors told us of a time when he spotted something out of the corner of his eye and immediately jumped up, lifting his feet off the flight deck as far as possible, but the snapped arresting gear cable took the heels right off his boots. He was fine\u2026 a little shaken, he said, but nonetheless, a \u201cwhat if\u201d he carried with him through his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Depending on airspeed, wind speed, and a bunch of other aerodynamics, an aircraft weighing 30,000 to 55,000 pounds lands on the flight deck with a speed of anywhere from 120 to 150 mph and stops within two seconds with the help of the aircraft\u2019s tail hook grabbing the arresting gear cable. That\u2019s a lot of pressure to put on a one-inch thick cable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sometimes, things go wrong and the cable snaps. That\u2019s not a good day for anybody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Imagine pulling a rubber band back\u2026 back\u2026 back\u2026 until it snaps. That hurts, but it\u2019s only a sting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When an arresting gear cable snaps from the tension of a landing aircraft, it\u2019s the same principle as that rubber band, only it\u2019s a lot bigger, a lot more tension, and causes a lot more damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I won\u2019t go into details because I wasn\u2019t there to witness it, but a snapped cable causes serious damage to nearby aircraft, equipment, and\u2026 shipmates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Triggers<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    These are things I know I will Never Forget. Most of the time the memories stay below the surface, but periodically, something may trigger them back to the very forefront of my mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I also know from my own experience, there are certain triggers that cause a particular memory to surface. Fortunately for me, most of them are good thoughts\u2014ocean breezes & salt spray in my face, spectacular sunrises and sunsets, and Navy coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Helicopters don\u2019t bother me anymore; in fact, I\u2019ve ridden in both Navy helicopters and civilian tourist helicopters, and those memories from long ago events didn\u2019t resurface. I try to focus on the more pleasant helicopter rides and that seems to work for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I smell diesel and often my thoughts go back to the flight deck, downwind of a jet exhaust. If I\u2019m smelling that diesel and the wind picks up with a strong blow, I\u2019m tempted to Stop, Drop, & Roll, but I catch myself and laugh it off. I know others who do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Now and then when I my \u201cspidey sense\u201d tingles, I blurt out loud, \u201cDanger, Will Robinson. Danger!<\/em><\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And my wife gives me that look\u2014you know THAT <\/em>look\u2014and all I can do is smile\u2026 because she knows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Until we meet again,
    Andy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Previous posts mentioned in this blog<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n