Civilian Maritime Tailhook Aviation

[FlyingOnFumes]

Just thinking out of the box: helos already do it, but civilian fixed wing airplanes landing on boats. What is the likelihood that this would ever happen in the future?

 

[TheBubba]

Near impossible.

 

[mmx1]

Why?

 

[statesman]

There was talk of building a cruise ship that was so big it had a flat top... But no tail hook, it was long enough to launch and recover aircraft conventionally.

 

[phrogdriver]

If there was an actual reason to do it that would make money, it could be done. There isn't, so it won't.

 

[TheBubba]

What phrog said.

Re: Statesman, I read about that and say part of a documentary regarding the design process for something that large and robust. I'm not a naval architect, so I can't give specifics, but I do know that they ran into alot of issues building something that big: strength vs weight, hydrodynamic issues, stability issues etc.

 

[GroundPounder]

Why?

We ( general aviation pilots ) kill ourselves and our passengers enough as it is. Other than as a novelty, I can't see a benefit to the civilian side of the street.

 

[phrogdriver]

What would be the purpose of buying an enormous, multi-billion dollar ship to move civilian airplanes closer to their destinations via the seas?

For civilian applications, you'd just buy a bigger plane.

 

[Scoob]

USNS VERTREP is already contracted out - is COD that inconceivable?

 

[HAL Pilot]

I don't think the Navy will let a civilian aircraft make an arrested landing on a carrier. Too much that can go wrong and too many things that can go boom & burn if it does.

 

[MIDNJAC]

USNS VERTREP is already contracted out - is COD that inconceivable?

Interesting idea, maybe some worth to it, but I'd imagine the hiring pool would certainly be senior retired 'hookers. Would be a pretty neat gig to get if it existed! That being said, I'm sure the COD community would do just about anything to keep this from happening

 

[MasterBates]

And those on the E-2 community would be on it like a fat kid on a cupcake if it came to be.

 

[brownshoe]

Near impossible.

This guy obviously didn’t get the memo. (Just kidding.) Pretty neat stuff though.

Steve

Edit: This happened during "Operation Frequent Wind."

 

[2sr2worry]

Interesting idea, maybe some worth to it, but I'd imagine the hiring pool would certainly be senior retired 'hookers. Would be a pretty neat gig to get if it existed! That being said, I'm sure the COD community would do just about anything to keep this from happening

There was a proposal about ten years ago by a certain large military aerospace firm to do exactly that--take over sustainment and operation of the COD's as a service.

 

[BusyBee604]

Magic...

This guy obviously didn’t get the memo. (Just kidding.) Pretty neat stuff though.

Steve

Edit: This happened during "Operation Frequent Wind."

Another of the many examples that inspired the term...Midway Magic :icon_king
If you've been on her, you know!
BzB :sleep_125