Happy to do it. My dad was a “plow back” (flight student to instructor) apparently because he had crazy radio navigation skills. He spent almost two years in NH-1’s before heading off to FM-2’s (VC) in the Pacific.
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Stupid Questions about Naval Aviation (Part 3)
- Thread starter Top_Gun_1_0_1
- Start date
jakebacc
44 5/7/7; GPA: 3.46; Pro-Rec: Y SNFO; Class 02-23
Hey been doing some research and can’t seem to find a straight answer. Does a WSO in the super hornet or a EWO in a growler have final release controls for any weapons systems? If so which weapons systems? I know they laze targets for air to ground, but do they have final release? I’ve heard air to air final release for WSO (like an AMRAAM)
Sure do! Growler EWOs have weapons release for TRONS!!!!
But no, pilot is responsible for kinetic weapon employment (at least in the Growler).
Are you talking about Precision Landing Mode a.k.a. PLM?
It's been around for a few years now and is a separate system from the existing automatic carrier landing system (ACLS).
Precision Landing Modes (PLM). In development, it was referred to as Magic Carpet, which was actually a made-to-fit acronym, one of the more ridiculous ones I saw during my time on active duty.
It is still very much a hand flown approach. Generally you fly PLM with autothrottles selected, but it is possible to fly a PLM pass in manual throttles (though I’d submit it is dumb). The implementation is different, but it would be akin to flying in regular approach mode (CAS) with autothrottles.....which has been a thing since before the F/A-18. PLM just makes the hand flying part a little easier/more predictable. Like was said, it is completely different, and as far as i remember (i could totally be wrong/don’t have my NATOPS on me here), incompatible with ACLS auto land.
How are PLM and ACLS approaches graded? Do those grades go into who is top hook at the end of a line period?
How does that work?
ACLS is a no count. So not graded. PLM is graded the same as any other pass. The graded ones are gonculated for top hook awards. I’ll just say there isn’t much variation in an all PLM airWing. So the GPA to get an award is a much higher bar. I remember seeing paddles get quite a bit more critical in grades after a line period or two, to attempt to mitigate this inflation. That is just one anecdote though.
It is awkward. You still fly glide slope with the stick, but you have to hold on speed with the throttles. Me thinks you are a strange ranger if you intentionally do it; easy to get underpowered/on backside of power curve i imagine, though i have only tried this combination at the field, never at boat. That being said, PLM, in certain wind conditions, will give you a huge power/lift surge (uncommanded) in ATC right when you are crossing the ramp that can either be contained by 1) stuffing the nose (also awkward, plus the stick forces are different in DP, so it ”feels” like a whole lot), or 2) by clicking out of ATC, making a power off correction, and then catching it with a power back on correction right as you hit the wires. I preferred #2, but knew people who did #1 too. That being said, I also thought people who flew rate at the boat were weird, but I’m sure there is some benefit to this that went well over my blue collar ball flying head, and i never cared enough to ask because my passes were safe and i stopped.
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When I did it for my "solo" IFR cross-country, we got gas at TLH. From there you can head down to CTY and then to PIE.
I wasn't sure what thread to post this is so here goes, for the last week big Navy has been doing what I assume is night currency landings at Kingsley Field with a P3. I thought P3s were all gone and P8 was the new kid.
Does the P3 live on?
Does the P3 live on?