Fighter Sweep
  • Home
  • Military Aviation
  • Air Force
  • Navy
  • Spec Ops
  • Expert Analysis
  • Careers
  • Photos
Home Previous Post Next Post
Follow @fightersweep

Watch: Old School F-14 Tomcat Carrier Ops

July 23, 2016
FighterSweep Staff 6 Comments Ask A Fighter Pilot, Military Aviation, Navy

Follow a VF-211 Checkmate F-14 Tomcat around the carrier landing pattern on the USS John C Stennis for day catapults and traps.

You’ve all wanted to do this:  Man up your F-14 Tomcat for day catapult shots and traps.  Sometimes they call it a “Bag-Ex” because you are “bagging traps.” But we will just call it carrier ops so we don’t get in trouble for not doing any “real” training.

Let’s follow this F-14A around the carrier pattern from startup, taxi, catapult shot, overhead break, and trap.  Only to be taken back to Cat I again for another round of fun.  Have a great Saturday!

Here is a blow by blow breakdown of the video.

0:17 RIO Panel shot (notice range scales on the radar–out to 200 nm…Phoenix capable)

0:30 Windmill engine for startup

1:22 F-18C Hornet Shoots off Cat IV

1:45 LSO Calibration of ILARTS camera (Landing Signal Officer’s stand out on the flight deck to calibrate the landing camera–cameo Stump)

1:58 “Hands up” for Arming of Tomcat by Ordnance personnel

2:20 Full control wipe out

2:45 Cat shot stroke down Cat I (Aft view)

3:17 Abeam shot of carrier

3:37 Overhead break into the pattern

4:45 CVN comes into view just past the 45 position in the carrier landing pattern

5:42 Trap! (kudos to those who can tell what wire he caught)

6:25 Taxi into Catapult I

6:35 Weight board roger’d up by RIO, holdback fitting shown by Green shirt

6:55 Director signals “Kneel the aircraft” (3 times…because the LTjg didn’t understand)

7:30 Taxi into shuttle

8:13 Cat Shot!=Freedom.

And that is day carrier ops in a nutshell!

Thanks to former RIO Keith “Virus” Schomig for sharing his video!

Top Photo: An F-14 Tomcat from Fighter Squadron TWO ONE ONE (VF 211 “Checkmates”) launches from the flight deck with afterburners glowing. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Third Class Lance H. Mayhew, Jr.

Related Posts

  • Watch: Cool Time Lapse Video of Carrier OperationsWatch: Cool Time Lapse Video of Carrier Operations
  • Here’s how the Navy’s Atari system may make carrier landings a breezeHere’s how the Navy’s Atari system may make carrier landings a breeze
  • Picture of the Day: Christmas Eve Snow on the Flight Deck of the Aircraft Carrier USS John C. Stennis CVN 74Picture of the Day: Christmas Eve Snow on the Flight Deck of the Aircraft Carrier USS John C. Stennis CVN 74
  • Watch: Aircraft Carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Renders Honors at Pearl HarborWatch: Aircraft Carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Renders Honors at Pearl Harbor
  • Watch: Time Lapse Operations On Carrier Flight DeckWatch: Time Lapse Operations On Carrier Flight Deck

Find Us on Facebook

FighterSweep.com

Sign Up
for the Newsletter

What’s Hot

  • Whistling Death: How The Corsair Got Its Nickname
    August 30, 2019

    Whistling Death: How the Corsair got its nickname

  • blue-angels-reporter-blacks-out-passes-out
    December 5, 2017

    Watch: News Reporter Blacks Out on Ride with US Navy Blue Angels

  • August 2, 2019

    The Ultimate Carrier Break: Nasty SHB

Follow Us

Facebook Twitter Twitter

Recent Comments

  • pak152 " the team came up with what the Brits dubbed as Mustang, powered by a [...]
  • P K Polish AF never has and never will operate Su-27, An-26 aircraft has been out [...]
  • bnarfhyde The best book is also great. have a [...]
  • TerrorTrike ive never survived this long with such a clumsy FL- cG.866B.CO/NC6155hc
  • D4rksupeme yessss truck kunnnnnnnn i needddd you m.866E.CO/vC6155H

© Copyright 2023 SOFREP Media Group. All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Advertisers