Schnugg got the first one ... and yeah, the driver's probably a RAG STUD, as VA-174 used to the East Coast A-7 Pilot factory ... but he could be an Instructor or a "former" getting a REQUAL ... in any case:
He's WAAA-A-A-A-A-A-A-Y TOO LOW = WAVE-OFF or if it happened at the last second at the ramp = NO GRADE TAXI-1 or CUT PASS TAXI-1.
As far as where the LSO's are standing, that was about the "normal" spot I'd work a guy from ... I'd always get a long cord for the radio and pickle ... and if I was "sweet-talkin'" a guy or someone was having trouble at night -- I'd usually end up just on the safe side of the FOUL LINE.
Sometimes, the LSO just has to crawl inside the cockpit w/ the driver when he's puckered.
I posted the following a couple of years ago (good God) when someone asked me @ VIGI's and/or wavin' 'em ... it kinda relates to what I'm describing here ... ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
.. photo AirWing 11 RVAH-7 VIGILANTE coming aboard ...
As an LSO, it was the toughest A/C on the flight deck to wave, and even tougher to bring aboard as a pilot. Auto-throttles were mandatory, and without them -- it was considered an "emergency" landing on the ship. It was the LAST aircraft you qualified in (to wave) prior to designation as an AirWing LSO. It was a dedicated team effort between pilot and LSO Platform to get that fire-breathing monster aboard. All the Vig pilots were above average -- hard core. I feel for their RAN's --- tough spot to be in for a left-over job -- as their job was compromised from the get-go. Disclaimer: one of my classmates ended up a VIGI RAN and gave me all the negatives of the position as he saw it through the post-card sized window in the rear seat of the RA-5C. He originally was in flight school as an Aviator STUD but washed out and went NFO. He knew EVERYTHING about aviation (even what Ellyson and Whiting had for lunch at the Pensacola O'Club in 1925 -- except he didn't know how to fly ......
)One night in 1974 -- waving a recovery in the I.O. with no bingo field -- the Indians said they would "shoot us down" if we crossed what passed for their ADIZ
-- and here I thought Hindus were non-violent (?) --- one of the VIGI's in our "heavy" squadron lost his auto-throttles, was getting skosh on fuel, and I was on duty on the platform .... Of course, ... great ..... After a considerable amount of prepratory chit-chat with the pilot --- down he came .... I cannot remember the specifics of the pass, but I remember he got high -- really high -- in close and gritting my teeth -- I waved him off. More talk on the downwind leg to settle him down and here he came again --- do it this time or rig the barracade!!!
My hook spotter was a black kid from DEEEEEE-TROIT, at least that was how he pronounced it. He usually showed up on the platform when I had the duty --- I later found out he TRADED some of his Air Dept. mates so he could be my "black shadow" on the platform. Who could know ??? He was a character --- he was good at his job, and he did it his way w/ a little panache for good measure. For example, he would not say "All down, F-4" like he was suppose to when the aircraft was abeam with everything hanging (day) or I.D.'ed through his binoculars (night) .
Instead, he would say "All down Navy fighter" ..... an EA-6B was "All down ... Tactical Jamm-ah", the A-7 was "All down ... light ATTACK, the A-6 "All down ... all-weather ATTACK " and so forth. He did it his way ..... and he was totally reliable.
But he was with me that night on the platform --- in fact, I cleared the platform of all hangers-on except for my assistant/writer and the kid from DEEEEE-TROIT; both of whom I needed. After the second VIG pass and the subsequent successful trap --- I ended up almost lying down on the deck about halfway between the platform and the foul line -- and I didn't even realize it -- there had been lots of "LSO body -English" during the approach & trap and my hook spotter said:
"SHHHHEEEEEEE-IT, Lieutenant ******* (insert my name here) !!!! --- I HAVE NE-VAH SEEN A WHITE MAN DANCE LIKE THAT ... !!!"
It was a successful recovery, saved a barracade engagement, and obviously my physical efforts had impressed the kid from DEEEEE-TROIT ...
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And it was proof positive that white men CAN dance ... when properly motivated.
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