How do carrier-based planes find the ship after a mission ?

We had a Tacan

Or not. A certain Adm Jerry Tuttle had an aversion to radiating from his
ships. EMCON night recoveries north of the arctic circle. Pitching deck,
70 knots of wind over the deck, and the most memorable night trap in my life
(yes, you CAN experience the 3 ultimate physical pleasures simultaneously).

The E-2 would set up the recovery (which typically included a misdirection
penatration followed by a 25-50 mile vector at 1200 feet). Pulse
single-scan could really help on the run in. Figure out the BRC/FB on
flyover, turn downwind and dirty up, time 30 seconds while descending to 600
feet. Level turn to FB, fiddle with lineup and descend when the ball looked
centered. Cut lights (hopefully just once) and fly the ball. Not bad when
the weather was reasonable. Not fun when it was not.

R / John

"John Carrier" wrote...

Or not. A certain Adm Jerry Tuttle had an aversion to radiating from his
ships. EMCON night recoveries north of the arctic circle. Pitching deck, 70
knots of wind over the deck, and the most memorable night trap in my life
(yes, you CAN experience the 3 ultimate physical pleasures simultaneously).

Hmmm... Tuttle must have been friends with Chuck McGrail when McGrail was CO of
Midway in the early 80s... EMCON recoveries (day and night) and "stealth
transits" were routine for a while!

I've heard of the "7 basic pleasures of life," and can only guess which of the 3
you refer to as "ultimate"... :-)


The E-2 would set up the recovery (which typically included a misdirection
penatration followed by a 25-50 mile vector at 1200 feet). Pulse single-scan
could really help on the run in.

....but not available in the KA-6D, even for "cheating"...

John,

...but not available in the KA-6D, even for "cheating"...

Amen.

One tactic would be to find a navigationally-competent friend up there and
promise some gas for a lead home. (Note I said "promise." g)

--
Mike Kanze

436 Greenbrier Road
Half Moon Bay, California 94019-2259
USA

650-726-7890

"Do witches run spell-checkers?"

- Old word processing joke


"John R Weiss" wrote in message
news:sIugd.271445$wV.72828@attbi_s54...
"John Carrier" wrote...

Or not. A certain Adm Jerry Tuttle had an aversion to radiating from his
ships. EMCON night recoveries north of the arctic circle. Pitching
deck, 70
knots of wind over the deck, and the most memorable night trap in my life
(yes, you CAN experience the 3 ultimate physical pleasures
simultaneously).

Hmmm... Tuttle must have been friends with Chuck McGrail when McGrail was
CO of
Midway in the early 80s... EMCON recoveries (day and night) and "stealth
transits" were routine for a while!

I've heard of the "7 basic pleasures of life," and can only guess which of
the 3
you refer to as "ultimate"... :-)


The E-2 would set up the recovery (which typically included a
misdirection
penatration followed by a 25-50 mile vector at 1200 feet). Pulse
single-scan
could really help on the run in.

...but not available in the KA-6D, even for "cheating"...

"Mike Kanze" wrote...

...but not available in the KA-6D, even for "cheating"...

Amen.

One tactic would be to find a navigationally-competent friend up there and
promise some gas for a lead home. (Note I said "promise." g)

Not usually a problem... Those Phantom phlyers could sniff a 0.5 give of JP5
from 100 miles away!

John,

Those Phantom phlyers could sniff a 0.5 give of JP5 from 100 miles away!

....and howl like banshees when Tanker Control imposed an ex-post-facto "last
call" on our "give." g

The experienced fighter folks always assumed they'd get less than briefed,
and conducted themselves accordingly. It was usually the nuggets who made
the pained transmissions.

--
Mike Kanze

"Do witches run spell-checkers?"

- Old word processing joke


"John R Weiss" wrote in message
newsKBgd.22510$HA.1978@attbi_s01...
"Mike Kanze" wrote...

...but not available in the KA-6D, even for "cheating"...

Amen.

One tactic would be to find a navigationally-competent friend up there
and promise some gas for a lead home. (Note I said "promise." g)

Not usually a problem... Those Phantom phlyers could sniff a 0.5 give of
JP5 from 100 miles away!

John- Hmmm... Tuttle must have been friends with Chuck McGrail when McGrail
was CO of
Midway in the early 80s... EMCON recoveries (day and night) and "stealth
transits" were routine for a while! BRBR

Was it McGrail that had us fly daytime/EMCON but you couldn't go outta sight of
the boat?

A true 'FAGAT'...fly around and get a trap?

One A-7 did and got lost??
P. C. Chisholm
CDR, USN(ret.)
Old Phart Phormer Phantom, Turkey, Viper, Scooter and Combat Buckeye Phlyer

"Pechs1" wrote...

Was it McGrail that had us fly daytime/EMCON but you couldn't go outta sight
of
the boat?


That may have been the rules at the beginning, until we proved most of us could
find our way back without dragging a Bear along...

A true 'FAGAT'...fly around and get a trap?

Related to FACIT -- fly around and call it training.

You missed McGrail's Navy at it's best: when he had a gator-freighter
(Tripoli) and could have all kinds of fun and shake up the 'shoes but good.

The only time I ever really PO'd him was the day he told me he had been
given a choice between Midway and Kitty Hawk and couldn't decide which to
take. I asked him if he wanted to be CO or Ship's Janitor.

Rick

"John Weiss" wrote in message
...
"Pechs1" wrote...

Was it McGrail that had us fly daytime/EMCON but you couldn't go outta
sight of
the boat?


That may have been the rules at the beginning, until we proved most of us
could find our way back without dragging a Bear along...

A true 'FAGAT'...fly around and get a trap?

Related to FACIT -- fly around and call it training.

JR- That may have been the rules at the beginning, until we proved most of us
could
find our way back without dragging a Bear along... BRBR

Maybe the FID and F-14s...I did one hop where we were specifically told to stay
overhead making noise outta JP until our recovery time. Did that all day..maybe
during transit...I can't remember.

Really did like McGrail as CO tho. He brought the 'magic' back to Midway...much
better than the previous CO..who cancelled more events than we
flew...Owens....gee I remembered his name!!!
P. C. Chisholm
CDR, USN(ret.)
Old Phart Phormer Phantom, Turkey, Viper, Scooter and Combat Buckeye Phlyer

John,

north of the arctic circle.

A place where the wet compass is worse than its usual useless.

--
Mike Kanze

"Do witches run spell-checkers?"

- Old word processing joke


"John Carrier" wrote in message
...
We had a Tacan

Or not. A certain Adm Jerry Tuttle had an aversion to radiating from his
ships. EMCON night recoveries north of the arctic circle. Pitching deck,
70 knots of wind over the deck, and the most memorable night trap in my
life (yes, you CAN experience the 3 ultimate physical pleasures
simultaneously).

The E-2 would set up the recovery (which typically included a misdirection
penatration followed by a 25-50 mile vector at 1200 feet). Pulse
single-scan could really help on the run in. Figure out the BRC/FB on
flyover, turn downwind and dirty up, time 30 seconds while descending to
600 feet. Level turn to FB, fiddle with lineup and descend when the ball
looked centered. Cut lights (hopefully just once) and fly the ball. Not
bad when the weather was reasonable. Not fun when it was not.

R / John