Why a steering wheel on carriers?

[mpdonnelly]

Have some respect for your black shoe brothers

I was a CG OOD for eighteen months in a three-section watch rotation. I've seen a cruiser go from a Flank 3 bell (30+ knots) to all back full to stop the ship in a single ship length (approx two-hundred yards). It rattles the ship to say the least and it's a good way to clear the fantail when the wake catches up with you.

When a carrier does it's part of their Basic Casualty Control Drills (BECKY's), and it's best to observe this from a distance, but don't take my word for it...

I liked the earlier picture of the EA-3B by the way, have any more like it?

 

[nfo2b]

I was a CG OOD for eighteen months in a three-section watch rotation. I've seen a cruiser go from a Flank 3 bell (30+ knots) to all back full to stop the ship in a single ship length (approx two-hundred yards). It rattles the ship to say the least and it's a good way to clear the fantail when the wake catches up with you....When a carrier does it's part of their Basic Casualty Control Drills (BECKY's), and it's best to observe this from a distance, but don't take my word for it...

While I believe you that a CG could do this, we were talking about a CVN doing it--and as a Nuke MM, I say it ain't happenin'. Yes, we did Propulsion Plant Drills (PPD's on CVN's, BECCD's on CV's), and we certainly did ABE's, but never from a bell above AI (Standard). In the case of a real emergency in which the ship itself is hazarded, well then main engine limits be damned, we'll do an ABE from any bell, but if you try to stop a carrier doing 30 knots in 1 shiplength, you will break something--guaranteed! And I wouldn't want to be anywhere near any of the propulsion turbines when something broke!

 

[A4sForever]

I liked the earlier picture of the EA-3B by the way, have any more like it?

I am really getting "uncomfortable" with all this BLACKSHOE chatter :icon_wink , but:
You mean pictures like these ?

VQ-2

On 03/08/1974 EA-3B was inbound to the USS AMERICA (CV-66) in the Western Med. Aircraft made the landing and caught the #1 wire (ooops!) 5 feet right (OOPPS !!) of the centerline (note: very, very bad place to be with a heavyweight bird like a Whale -- A4s). After 50 inches of cable run travel, the purchase cable failed approx 1 inch into the stbd socket. Socket assembly separated from the cap upon reaching the tail hook point. Aircraft continued up the angle at max power unable to regain altitude and settled down in the water. All crewmembers escaped and the EA-3B floated for 5 minutes.

Once saw a 16mm film (remember that stuff?) of this and other landing accidents in the ready room -- to motivate everyone. This one brought everyone to their feet, yelling "GO WHALE!! GO WHALE !!" The film was like watching slow-mo water torture ... the "Old Girl" didn't make it, but the crew did. I waved the EA-3's from VQ-1 and got 7 hours of stick time with them out of NAS Cubi -- LSO "cross-training". Very heavy empty weight birds, those VQ EA-3's, but a good, powerful aircraft. They usually showed up on the ball at max trap weight with only one or two passes before BINGO fuel. Obviously time for all to "tighted up" when there was NO BINGO!! Most Whale drivers were "good sticks" but it was always pucker time when the Whale (or VIGI) called the ball ... especially at night!!

ROGER BALL !!

 

[nfo2b]

I am really getting "uncomfortable" with all this BLACKSHOE chatter :icon_wink

Whoops, sorry, A4s, we'll tone down the "dirty" talk. But this is the SWO forum! :icon_wink
Seriously, though, when I was on the JFK, we once had to pull an ABE to avoid being sucked into a giant green glowing time warp. And when we failed to avoid it, we nearly hit the yacht of a vacationing congressman on the other side of the warp. Then, [brown-shoe-speak] we sent out our alert planes to check things out. Scared the bejeezus out of that congressman.[/brown-shoe-speak]
It really happened!

 

[A4sForever]

Whoops, sorry, A4s, we'll tone down the "dirty" talk. But this is the SWO forum! :icon_wink

I know ... just contemplating the possibilities makes me even more uncomfortable .... the horror . THE HORROR !!

ROGER BALL !!

 

[HAL Pilot]

While I believe you that a CG could do this, we were talking about a CVN doing it--and as a Nuke MM, I say it ain't happenin'. Yes, we did Propulsion Plant Drills (PPD's on CVN's, BECCD's on CV's), and we certainly did ABE's, but never from a bell above AI (Standard). In the case of a real emergency in which the ship itself is hazarded, well then main engine limits be damned, we'll do an ABE from any bell, but if you try to stop a carrier doing 30 knots in 1 shiplength, you will break something--guaranteed! And I wouldn't want to be anywhere near any of the propulsion turbines when something broke!

We did it on the TR during INSURV. From ahead flank to emergency back full. The ship shuddered like a stuck pig and things flew everywhere. But it was like hitting a brick wall. We stopped on a dime.

We also did 30 degree rudder angles at 30 kts. Lost the wardroom big screen during those. The Mess Officer almost lost his life when he tried to raise wardroom dues to cover his mistake in not securing the thing properly. Somehow he came up with the money to replace it.

 

[Schnugg]

Rudder swing checks

Rudder swing checks on the Stennis in 2001.

r/
G