PLAN Carrier Operations..News, Videos & Photos

Originally Posted by Sczepan

One of the differences is, that americans could start with different cats also from the angled (landing) deck to. So they can use 4 cats nearly at the same time. This additional cats allow a lot of stars (doubbling them) in the first wave,

In addition, the US Navy regularly operates with full flight opertions at night, which most other countries, particularly the Russians rarely, if ever, do.

Originally Posted by equation

Thanks again Jeff...

You are very welcome equation, glad to provide useful info and pics.

In addition, the US Navy regularly operates with full flight opertions at night, which most other countries, particularly the Russians rarely, if ever, do.

back in '72 on the JFK our first launch of the day usually went down at 1200(noon)..Guess what time the last launch took off? 0000(midnight)...or Oh dark thirty...

The average day on an USN CVN involves about 120-160 storties. I read recently the RU ADM"K" in one months time launched 140 sorties...

Someday the PLAN CV will be completing 40-60 sorties a day...someday.

Originally Posted by bd popeye

back in '72 on the JFK our first launch of the day usually went down at 1200(noon)..Guess what time the last launch took off? 0000(midnight)...or Oh dark thirty...

The average day on an USN CVN involves about 120-160 storties. I read recently the RU ADM"K" in one months time launched 140 sorties...

Someday the PLAN CV will be completing 40-60 sorties a day...someday.

Wow, so what time would the last plane be landed at night?

Mpleio posted this on mp.net says it is from yesterday (02/02/2012)

Originally Posted by Equation

Wow, so what time would the last plane be landed at night?

Oh dark thirty.. about 0130 or later.

On the Nimitz in '91 sometimes flight operations would start at 2100 (9pm) and end about 12-15 hours later...I'm 100% sure these sort of operations are still taking place.

Most sailors working in naval aviation aboard ship are working 12 hours on and 12 hours off.

Originally Posted by bd popeye

Oh dark thirty.. about 0130 or later.

On the Nimitz in '91 sometimes flight operations would start at 2100 (9pm) and end about 12-15 hours later...I'm 100% sure these sort of operations are still taking place.

Most sailors working in naval aviation aboard ship are working 12 hours on and 12 hours off.

Am I to understand that a carrier cannot maintain flight operations for 24 or 48 hours consecutively but needs to - do what? - after launching aircraft within a time frame of 12 hours?

Originally Posted by delft

... but needs to - do what? - after launching aircraft within a time frame of 12 hours?

simply sleeping

In the gulf war the US had two groups of three carriers, each with two flattops on station (one in operation and one reposing). The third carrier falling back for replenishment. I think, on Yankee station in the Gulf of Tonkin it was quite the same.

Am I to understand that a carrier cannot maintain flight operations for 24 or 48 hours consecutively but needs to - do what? - after launching aircraft within a time frame of 12 hours?

An CV can maintain flight operations for quite sometime..but there comes a time for rest.

Aircraft that need maintenance are in the hangar deck being worked on. This occurs 24 hours a day. Remember that most sailors assigned to the air wing work in 12 hour shifts. .

Sorry if this is a bit off topic ...

For those who lives Australia (like myself), there is a (10 part) documentary starting on (channel) SBS2 tonight (Sunday, 5th February 2012) called "Carrier"; from 8:30pm. It is suppose to be about a six months deployment aboard the USS Nimitz.

I know this is a thread on PLAN carrier, but given the running discussions on carrier operations (and in reference to USN carrier operation), just though it might be interesting (for those who are currently living in Australia).

Thanks for the info, and I highly recommed informing yourself, if you don't have day to day knowledge of carrier ops like bd. It really is quite astounding the effort and skill required on every platform is mind boggling. The Chinese are about to get an education if they really intend to operate J-15s off the carrier in the real world, picture the real weather day to day in the south China sea and the stakes go way up. Life in the Western Pacific is very unpredictable, but lots of active weather and sea states that even affect submarine ops. It will be fun to watch, but it will also be quite dangerous for the participants, thats one of the sad parts of having a forum such as we do, without any day to day naval aviators participating all we have as commentary on air ops is anecdotal, and as I would imagine bd would admit, working on airplanes in the middle of the ocean is wild enough below decks, one can only imagine the high level of doing so on deck, in all sorts of weather and sea states. If you are a naval aviator the stakes are even higher because when you come home, the carrier won't be where you left it, think about finding one of those in the middle of the ocean, in the middle of the night, in the middle of any kind of weather, and you don't have the option of diverting to another airport, you either land, ditch, or bail. Sounds like fun right.LOL

This is the time to ask about the division of the crew between the several tasks, not in detail but in crude divisions: how many aircrew for how many aircraft, how many flight deck crew, how many people maintaining aircraft, electronics, engines? And what does the working in 12 hour shifts mean for the safety of crew and ship?
It is of course of great importance to build every aircraft for easy maintenance and that is even more true for carrier based aircraft. How do newer aircraft compare to older ones? I understand that F-14 was a difficult one to maintain on board, but perhaps Iran has enough well trained maintenance people to keep a reasonable number of them going even after about thirty years. Going for a STOVL aircraft on board a ship large enough to build the STOL functions - cats and/or ski ramp, traps - into seems to me technically perverse.
I understand that Adm K has a crew of about 2500. Is the number so low because she produces so few take offs per day that the number of maintenance personnel can be kept low?
I'm sure many more questions need to be asked, but this is enough to get on with.

Originally Posted by Intrepid

simply sleeping

The so called "Fighting Lady" (CV 10 Yorktown) 1944/45 in the Pacific: exhaustion, as airdales catch a few winks on the flight deck.

If you plan for a rest, you have one more option in case of an emergency.

This is the time to ask about the division of the crew between the several tasks, not in detail but in crude divisions: how many aircrew for how many aircraft, how many flight deck crew, how many people maintaining aircraft, electronics, engines? And what does the working in 12 hour shifts mean for the safety of crew and ship?

12 hour shifts mean that everyone gets 12 hours off everyday..except for standing watch. That 12 hours off is susposed to be for rest and relaxation.

Today's CVW has bout 70 aircraft..that means about 90 aircrew..maybe more. Those that work on the flight deck are numerous. I really don't know how many. As for maintaining aircraft..air wing personnel number about 2000 +..That number includes aircrew. And not everyone assigned to the airwing works on aircraft. I'm guessing that about 1400-1500 sailors in the air wing perform maintenance on aircraft.

The ship has a department called AIMD. Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department. They repair many items removed from the aircraft by the squadron personnel..There are about 400 sailors assigned to AIMD. I worked in AIMD on the Nimitz in the parachute loft.

I understand that traditionally a watch at sea lasted four hours and it was followed by eight or, when necessary, four hours off watch. When did USN carriers changed to the current system and why? Is the USN system followed by the carriers of other countries?