Yeah, I would think swells are the equivalent of running into a cement
wall! Not good. Preflight briefs normally contain "sea-state" info
which is critical in deciding whether or not to ditch or bail. For a
real good read on the VP-9 ditching in the aleuts in 1978, there is an
awesome book written by ex VP-19 (Big Red) skipper Andy Jampolier,
"ADAK, the Rescue of Flight 586" can be found in Amazon. Not pushing
the book, but I couldn't put it down and I'm a groundpounder. Other
Aircrew guys said it really hit home.

n Sun, 16 Nov 2003 19:14:08 -0500, vincent p. norris
wrote:


Lets say you're flying a F-6 Hellcat. You can't
land on board cause your too shot up and your
hydraulics are gone( no landing gear) Your carrier
is in sight they know of your problem and have
dispatched rescue. The sea is moderately calm.
How do you land your aircraft?
Mike

As slowly as possible, gear up, flaps down, hatch locked open, near
the destroyer (but NOT directly in front of it!), into the wind if the
sea is calm.

If there are swells, land parallel (so you don't smack into the side
of one), on or near the crest, not in the trough.

vince norris