AG-51_Razor Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 (edited) Can someone discuss or explain what, if any, landing aids there are aboard ship for the Harrier and helicopters for that matter? We are fairly familiar with the IFOLS and ACLS that a Hornet pilot has to help get them back aboard their CVN during lousy weather. What is available to the Harrier and helicopter drivers operating from the LHA's? Edited September 10, 2017 by AG-51_Razor Spelling [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSix2 Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 I don't believe they have a landing aid other then hand signals from the Paddles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AG-51_Razor Posted September 12, 2017 Author Share Posted September 12, 2017 That is interesting. I would think that they would have figured out some kind of instrument approach procedures for the helicopters over the years and would have figured out a way to adapt them to the Harrier. I suppose that the V-22 is in the same boat? I've no doubt that they have a non precision TACAN approach to the boat but I just assumed that there would be something like the meat ball and/or some type of ILS available as well. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drPhibes Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 I had a quick skim through both the AV-8B and SH-60 manuals, and none of them mention any landing aids (just, as you mentioned, TACAN, which at least helps you find the ship), so it seems that you'll need to land visually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waistcat Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 As a UK Aircraft Handler who worked on the flight deck in a previous life, there are no visual aids other than the spot number that is painted on the deck which is assigned to the pilot on his approach call and the signals from the marshal. There was orientation lighting for night time opertions but not specific to a landing aid. In the UK in the days when we had a fleet air arm, the approach was flown at a specific height (depending on sea state) along the portside of the ship until abeam the spot and the pilot then would follow the signals from the marshal on the deck. I for one will look forward to honing my skills to follow that procedure although I'll have to imagine there is a mini me on the deck freezing his nuts off, soaked through from the spray in the 30 knot wind across the deck. Ah happy days. i7 7700 @ 4.7GHz--GTX1080ti--Samsung SSD 500GB--32 gigs of RAM--TH Warthog--Crosswinds rudder--HP Reverb--Dedicated Sim room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AG-51_Razor Posted September 13, 2017 Author Share Posted September 13, 2017 Thanks for the replies fellas! Good information :thumbup: [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Repth Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 (edited) The Marines use systems very similar to the IFOLS and ACLS as far as aids for landing in poor weather. The Wasp Class ships use the VSTOL/OLS and ICLS along with TACAN Navigation to find the ship itself. Edit: These aren't the highest quality pictures but still show the locations of the systems on the ship. Edited September 13, 2017 by Repth Added content Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AG-51_Razor Posted September 15, 2017 Author Share Posted September 15, 2017 Very cool! Thank you for that information Repth :thumbup: [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitrz Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 Just because it doesn't have any aids doesn't mean you don't have to wear protection! [sIGPIC][url=http://www.blacksharkden.com][/url][/sIGPIC] http://www.blacksharkden.com "Come join us" - Bad Religion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Repth Posted September 19, 2017 Share Posted September 19, 2017 Very cool! Thank you for that information Repth :thumbup: No Problem Razor, glad I could help :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeus67 Posted September 19, 2017 Share Posted September 19, 2017 Can someone discuss or explain what, if any, landing aids there are aboard ship for the Harrier and helicopters for that matter? We are fairly familiar with the IFOLS and ACLS that a Hornet pilot has to help get them back aboard their CVN during lousy weather. What is available to the Harrier and helicopter drivers operating from the LHA's? Aircraft carriers have their own localizer and glideslope, along with their own TACAN stations. That is why the AV-8B instruments landing system is called the All-Weather Landing System (ALWS). I know that the USAF, and probably the USMC, have portable ILS systems along with TACAN that can be set anywhere they need to open an airfield with full instruments landing support. The USAF loaned one of those to my city when the 2016 earthquake destroyed my city's air control tower. The three people working on it died like heroes because instead of trying to escape they remained inside waving all aircraft in the landing pattern away. "Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." "The three most dangerous things in the world are a programmer with a soldering iron, a hardware type with a program patch and a user with an idea." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AG-51_Razor Posted September 20, 2017 Author Share Posted September 20, 2017 Thanks for the reply Zeus. Can you comment on whether or not the LHA that you are modeling will have the localizer and glide slope as well as TACAN included with it? Will there be an IFOLS also? [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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