What does fly the ball mean on an aircraft carrier?
(US) When landing on a US aircraft carrier: to sight the lights from the multi-colored optical landing system that shows a pilot to be on the correct approach path or how to correct the approach path.
What does flying the ball mean?
When a fighter jet is on approach and “in the groove” (i.e., 15-18 seconds to touchdown) to an aircraft carrier the Landing Signal Officer (LSO) onboard will say to the approaching aircraft, “Call the ball.”
What is Movlas?
Manually Operated Visual Landing Aid System (MOVLAS) is a backup shipboard visual landing aid system that is used when the primary Optical Landing System (OLS) is inoperable, when stabilization limits are exceeded, or for pilot/LSO training.
How does the meatball work?
A pilot uses IFLOLS to discern his glide slope—the angle at which aircraft descend and land—by tracking the up-and-down motion of a “meatball,” a bright amber light. The more closely aligned the meatball is with a horizontal row of green “datum” lights, the closer an aircraft is to its prescribed glide slope.
What do blue shirts do on an aircraft carrier?
Blue shirts are the most predominant crew on the flight deck. They operate motorized gear such as tractors and forklifts, chock and chain aircraft to the flight deck, and operate aircraft elevators.
What is the meatball on a carrier landing?
An optical landing system (OLS) (nicknamed “meatball” or simply “ball”) is used to give glidepath information to pilots in the terminal phase of landing on an aircraft carrier.
Why do Navy pilots say call the ball?
(When landing on US aircraft carriers) Is a request to sight the lights from the multi-colored optical landing system that shows a pilot to be on the correct approach path or how to correct his/her approach path.
What is a wave off on an aircraft carrier?
noun. (on an aircraft carrier) the last-minute signaling to an aircraft making its final landing approach that it is not to land on that particular pass but is to go around and come in again. the postponement of a scheduled landing, as of a space shuttle, due to bad weather anticipated at the landing site.
What is the ball in naval aviation?
What is Iflols?
Acronym. Definition. IFLOLS. Improved Fresnel Lens Optical Landing System.
Why do Navy pilots salute before takeoff?
If the pilot’s happy with the airplane’s performance, he or she will salute – that’s the signal that “we’re good to go.” Then the shooter – the catapult officer – will do a last check to make sure everyone’s clear, then will kneel down, touch the deck and point forward, sometimes dramatically for fun.