Tarawa Ball

I checked the pocket guide and couldn't find anything. How does the "ball" on the Tarawa island work? It seems like the only time the ball is aligned with the datum lines is when I'm nearly or completely wheels-down on the deck. How does this work? Thanks!!

Does it even work?

I'm also not so sure about its correct function, but yes, it works. Or at least, you see it and the yellow light moves.

I'd guess it shows you your correct height during transition from "hover next to the carrier with its speed" to "hover over the deck and touch down".

It works. I'm just not sure if it works as intended. The ball is only ever "centered" when you're basically on the deck, going to idle, and holding the wheel brakes.

The Optical Landing System ("OLS") provides a visual reference for a 3 degree glideslope to a point 50 feet above above the boat's ramp. The one in-game appears to work as it should, although the coverage either side of the OLS center line seems a little wider than the 20 degrees it's meant to have.

The Optical Landing System ("OLS") provides a visual reference for a 3 degree glideslope to a point 50 feet above above the boat's ramp. The one in-game appears to work as it should, although the coverage either side of the OLS center line seems a little wider than the 20 degrees it's meant to have.

Makes sense. I'll try to get a quick trip around the boat sometime today or this evening and take some screenshots to show what I'm seeing/not seeing. I'll report back then.

Complicating matters is that the V/STOL OLS is only one part of a two-part system, the other being the Hover Position Indicator (HPI) which you're supposed to transition to use in close where the OLS becomes inaccurate.

The V/STOL OLS gets you close enough to visually ID the HPI, and then you use the HPI down to the deck. There is a position light on an armature that, when viewed against a grid of lights behind it, is used to depict your relative fore/aft position and altitude above the deck.

The HPI isn't modeled right now.

Neat!

We should definitely get that.

To use the OLS, do I need to activate or request anything these days?

I remember it used to work automatically, but now it doesn't seem operational. I just see the two green lines, no matter how close I am to and aligned with the Tarawa.

On LHA/LHD ships, they also have an LSO in Primary. That's the other part that's missing. He/she is supposed to tell you "clear to cross" as you slide over to land.