Roger Ball, good and not-so-good questions about the world of "Paddles"

[A4sForever]

Back in the day of the mighty T-28, yes. Now, not so much.

Which is a dirty shame today ... as EVERY Naval Aviator should have the opportunity to CQ w/ a tailhook -- and did, in the ol' days -- even the HELO guys -- it's what sets us apart from the rest of the maddening crowd ...

I know, I know ... $$$$$ trumps all.

 

[MasterBates]

T-6B should have a hook and a holdback. I think it's got the juice to just deck run. :icon_smil

 

[Yank]

Thanks for the responses.

 

[kmac]

Which is a dirty shame today ... as EVERY Naval Aviator should have the opportunity to CQ w/ a tailhook -- and did, in the ol' days -- even the HELO guys -- it's what sets us apart from the rest of the maddening crowd ...

I know, I know ... $$$$$ trumps all.

Or skill set by some out of Primary.

 

[A4sForever]

Or skill set by some out of Primary.

Primary/shmimary. That's what VT-4 (jets) and VT-5 (prop & future helo guys) CQ were for .... .... even future seaplane drivers CQ'ed.

The only guys who didn't CQ were future blimp drivers (floaters??)

 

[MasterBates]

I think CQ for all should come back.

But, alas, I am not CNO nor SECNAV nor an influential Senator.

 

[HeyJoe]

080604-N-5384B-210 PERSIAN GULF (June 4, 2008) Lt. Ian Rasmussen, a Landing Signal Officer (LSO) assigned to the "Kestrels" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 137, guides an F/A-18E Super Hornet during flight operations aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Lincoln is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility supporting maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Justin R. Blake (Released)

You don't have to be an eagle-eyed observer to note that the LSO is wearing a VFA-2 Float Coat soooo I would hold the caption as being very suspect.

 

[A4sForever]

You don't have to be an eagle-eyed observer to note that the LSO is wearing a VFA-2 Float Coat soooo I would hold the caption as being very suspect.

True ... but he could have "borrowed" it -- as we did on many occasions as the coats were few and far between in the ol' days -- however, I am inclined to agree -- the "Mass Communications Specialist" screwed it up.

We had a "special" one reserved for the less than stellar trainees -- on the back was stenciled: "CHUMP"

One A-7 trainee never even noticed ... and didn't qualify, either.

What I find "somewhat disturbing" is how uniform and "clean" the LSO cadre appear today; uniformity or die -- as the PLATFORM of yore was more like a Pirate's lair ...

 

[highside7r]

Here's a dumb question for those of us not Tailhook Navy (or Marine Corps). What the hell does final sound like at the boat? I've only read some stuff on the internet, which says it goes something like:

ATC: "205, call the ball"
205: "205, Tomcat Ball, 3.5" (3.5 being thousands of pounds of fuel)
ATC: "Roger ball"

BS, depends on what 60 track you select after HT's, you might find yourself at night getting to make a ball call:

"610, Seahawk Ball, 1.2"

 

[Single Seat]

080604-N-5384B-210 PERSIAN GULF (June 4, 2008) Lt. Ian Rasmussen, a Landing Signal Officer (LSO) assigned to the "Kestrels" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 137, guides an F/A-18E Super Hornet during flight operations aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Lincoln is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility supporting maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Justin R. Blake (Released)

You don't have to be an eagle-eyed observer to note that the LSO is wearing a VFA-2 Float Coat soooo I would hold the caption as being very suspect.

'Ole Calvin. I CQ'd with that dude back in the day. Great guy!

 

[Single Seat]

BS, depends on what 60 track you select after HT's, you might find yourself at night getting to make a ball call:

"610, Seahawk Ball, 1.2"

Day Case I we do comm out, don't know what you helo guys are all jabberin' about!

 

[ProwlerPilot]

BS, depends on what 60 track you select after HT's, you might find yourself at night getting to make a ball call:

"610, Seahawk Ball, 1.2"

To answer the first question, at night it goes like this.

CATCC: 503, On course, on glidepath, 3/4 of a mile. Call the ball.
Prowler: 503 Prowler ball, 8.8
LSO: Roger ball.

Then the lineup and the power calls and the screaming waveoffs ensue....

As for the helos, they do call the ball from time to time at night. Of course I don't know what it means since the boss usually rogers it for them, and then they either come in on some wierdo helo glideslope or try to fly as close to the ramp as possible. I've given a helo a power call once (or a collective call?) and then he got all upset because I got him off his "approach" or whatever. They just kinda do their own thing, then fly off the angle and try to blow you over the side off the platform. Thats why the FNG paddles catches them!

 

[MasterBates]

There was an LSO out there when I went to the JFK at night? What were those flashing red lights for?

 

[FrankTheTank]

On cruise we had one helo guy waved off by the LSO. Made for good entertainment at Focsile Follies!

 

[A4sForever]

In my experience on different ships, we'd always take the plane guard HELO right down the groove to a flared "hook-skip 4 landing" D) after the last bird in the recovery trapped if the plane guard was going to change.

We would also frequently use the plane guard as a PLAT camera/Mk1 Mod0 eyeball/MEATBALL calibration tool -- perhaps not too scientific, but it worked.

"HELO BALL"

"ROGER BALL"