Im in for a little while to grab something to eat and give my eyes a rest from looking at ocean, radar displays and instruments. Heres a few photographs I snapped while walking around with my sandwich and Pepsi (excluding photograph #1.) The first photograph is my view of approach to land aboard the carrier USS Ronald Reagan; the second is the guys that control the OLS (optical landing system); the third is a closeup of the OLS display that we see when on final glideslope to the carrier. Using laser guidance aboard both Enterprise and on the ship, the OLS light array visually shows us our alignment to center and glideslope up/down descent ratio. Unlike carrier-based aircraft, Enterprise is not equipped with a snag hook to grab the snag line laying on the carrier deck, for braking. The deck crew frown upon coming in too low and crashing in to the side of the carrier and coming in too high and not having enough room to stop, and then falling off the other end of the runway in to the ocean; the fourth is an aircraft going off. In addition to not having a drag hook, Enterprise is also not equipped with the mechanism to use the catapult launch system. This is why I use the long runway for both landings and takeoffs. To takeoff I use the brake pop runup method. This means locking her brakes, running her turbines up to 168% and then popping her brakes. Using this method Enterprise is off the runway in 212 feet at an ascent speed of 239 mph. Landing is a bit easier, coming in at just above her stall speed of 155mph with her flaps fully extended to keep her up in the air. Once wheels touch, using her thrust reversers, brakes and speed brakes, she comes to stop in 304 feet. More than enough room to keep Enterprise and I from taking a swim. The flight mechanics are giving Enterprise the onceover while refueling her and we should back up in the air in about 20 minutes, #1 for departure.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 10:51:07 +0000
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