Wow this will your butt cheeks pinch the seat

[mike w]

Wow this will make your butt cheeks pinch the seat

This takes a while, but grab a cold one and enjoy both segments.


This is very unnerving, landing with deck pitching 30 feet, at night, low on fuel. Incredible. You will never forget viewing this. I have seen a lot of aviation emails but the two videos below are undoubtedly the best. Turn on your sound and go full screen. I guarantee this will definitely hold your attention.

These videos show the difference between Naval Aviation and any other kind. The links below are two outstanding videos about F-18 carrier operations aboard the USS Nimitz during weather that causes a severely pitching deck, which you can see in the videos. It's more dangerous than most combat missions and the tension in the pilots and crew is very apparent. Watch Part 1 first. Great videos

Carrier Landing on a pitching deck, Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gGMI8d3vLs

Carrier Landing on a pitching deck, Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0yj70QbBzg&feature=related

 

[Kerry & Kathy]

Outstanding footage...

Naval Air are the best aviators in my book for the simple fact that the conditions in which they must operate are more challenging than any other for a pilot.

I have personally witnessed and taken pictures of waves breaking over the deck of our carrier during a typhoon in 1970....and the deck was 70 ft above the water line.

I was one of a crew of four aboard a Grumman S2 "Willy Fudd"...a twin engine turbo prop used for anti-submarine warfare and surface surveillance, when we lost an engine and landed aboard ship with only one engine remaining. I was not in flight status when I was in Tonkin Gulf and was not officially supposed to be on this aircraft. However the LT who piloted the aircraft was a friend and had offered the opportunity to fly on this mission in the absent Sonar man's seat, as this flight was not going to involve the use of a sonar buoy.

The problem was that with only one engine...if we missed the guy wires...we could not power off the deck as the aircraft would attempt to turn toward the port side...the side with the engine out...lose lift...and tumble into the water. The only option was to feather the remaining engine and put the aircraft in the water straight ahead, tail low, and as "delicately" as possible. After impact, unstrap, blow the escape hatch overhead, and exit the aircraft through the hatch, onto the wing and swim away from the aircraft as quickly as possible. I remember watching the wake from the carrier as we were on final thinking to myself...."today I die".... The pucker factor was off the chart. The one good thing....we had calm seas and it was daylight flight operations.

Fortunately....we hit the wires on the first attempt. It was not until I stepped onto the flight deck that my legs turned to jello. We were all taken to sick bay and given a small bottle of bourbon....as "nerve medicine". The bottles were just like what used to be served on commercial airlines, but these had white labels marked "Property of US Navy".

From that day on....Naval Pilots could walk on water in my book.

Kerry