Bolter Pattern

Hi Guys,

what is the pattern for a bolter; do you essentially treat it like a cat shot from the waist cats' ?

Bolter - should be to fly the Final Recovery Heading until at 400 feet and then turn to the 180, fly downwind and try again.

And never turn to BRC before crossing the bow lest you want an earful from the airboss.

v6,

boNes

climb out on final bearing towards 600ft, once you pass the bow, turn to the BRC and maintain 600ft. fly out to 1.0 nm ahead of the ship, then turn to the down wind pattern permitting.

thanks guys

Also, while technically it doesn't matter in DCS, the Hornet NATOPS manual states that the hook should be retracted after a bolter. But as others have stated, turn to BRC after clearing the bow and climb up 600ft and re-enter the pattern on the downwind.

Hook retract is to ensure it won't get worn-out/damaged or cause any damages as it scrapes across the carrier deck (or worst-case scenario, get caught on something other than the arresting wires). Deploy it again once you're clear of the carrier, but again, that's just what it says in the NATOPS, it "technically" doesn't apply to DCS since the hook can't get worn-out or cause any damages to the carrier or itself.

You'll see in a lot of videos where during a bolter, sparks can go flying. Sparks can cause fires, and that's the worst thing to happen on a carrier. Also, the actual "hook" part of the arresting hook on the Hornet is held on to the main shaft only by a bolt, nut, and cotter pin. That's a number of places where a fault can occur after numerous flight hours, vibrations and a bolter can exacerbate any kind of fittings to potentially come loose (shout-outs to maintenance crews for keeping their planes in shape!). But again, that doesn't really apply to DCS.

The hook-up after bolter thing doesn't make rational sense. How can the hook get worn out by airflow?

Hook retract is to ensure it won't get worn-out/damaged or cause any damages as it scrapes across the carrier deck (or worst-case scenario, get caught on something other than the arresting wires). Deploy it again once you're clear of the carrier, but again, that's just what it says in the NATOPS, it "technically" doesn't apply to DCS since the hook can't get worn-out or cause any damages to the carrier or itself.

 

You'll see in a lot of videos where during a bolter, sparks can go flying. Sparks can cause fires, and that's the worst thing to happen on a carrier. Also, the actual "hook" part of the arresting hook on the Hornet is held on to the main shaft only by a bolt, nut, and cotter pin. That's a number of places where a fault can occur after numerous flight hours, vibrations and a bolter can exacerbate any kind of fittings to potentially come loose (shout-outs to maintenance crews for keeping their planes in shape!). But again, that doesn't really apply to DCS.

It sounds like you're describing retracting the hook after a successful trap. What Nikola is asking is why you would retract your hook after a bolter, only to need to put it down again when on downwind, or turning to the 90.

The hook retract thing...

I think this only applies to landing on a runway, while it does mention it in NATOPS its only under the Short Airfield section.

I've never seen a video of a Hornet bolter on the boat and raise its hook, but I could be wrong.

1.16

The hook-up after bolter thing doesn't make rational sense. How can the hook get worn out by airflow?

Umm....

;3804009']The hook retract thing...

^ is correct, I mis-read the NATOPS regarding bolters, the NATOPS actually doesn't seem to have the bolter pattern under the normal procedures section.

The hook-up after bolter thing doesn't make rational sense. How can the hook get worn out by airflow?

Just like a normal hook-up, you don't want your hook extended after the affair has been put to order. Maybe airflow over the hook can let it catch cold and cough cough *. Or maybe, maybe get pneumonia. Maybe the paint on the hook can get chipped off from the hot air exhaust, or maybe the tip of the hook can get really hot from the exhaust and then deform to become limp preventing hooking onto the wire.

;3804009']The hook retract thing...

 

 

I think this only applies to landing on a runway, while it does mention it in NATOPS its only under the Short Airfield section.

 

 

I've never seen a video of a Hornet bolter on the boat and raise its hook, but I could be wrong.

 

 

hey, love the new sig! The eagle has landed and the cat is getting after it.:thumbup:

It seems like a bad time to take your hand off the stick and reach for the hook....

If you're in the landing configuration and at on-speed AoA, you don't need the stick to climb, only power.

As mentioned before, I mis-read the NATOPS, the hook does not need to be retracted after a bolter during carrier operations, only during short-runway bolters with land-based arresting systems.

Let's see... what would I do if I was planning to do some bolters on a boat (you know... training requirements, etc.) I'm hauling a$$ from initial to break with hook down... that's a habit:smilewink:

Then once on downwind I RAISE the hook to accomplish a bolter:smartass: of course making sure that LSO's and everyone else are on the same page as I am...

Hook retract is to ensure it won't get worn-out/damaged or cause any damages as it scrapes across the carrier deck (or worst-case scenario, get caught on something other than the arresting wires). Deploy it again once you're clear of the carrier, but again, that's just what it says in the NATOPS, it "technically" doesn't apply to DCS since the hook can't get worn-out or cause any damages to the carrier or itself.

 

You'll see in a lot of videos where during a bolter, sparks can go flying. Sparks can cause fires, and that's the worst thing to happen on a carrier. Also, the actual "hook" part of the arresting hook on the Hornet is held on to the main shaft only by a bolt, nut, and cotter pin. That's a number of places where a fault can occur after numerous flight hours, vibrations and a bolter can exacerbate any kind of fittings to potentially come loose (shout-outs to maintenance crews for keeping their planes in shape!). But again, that doesn't really apply to DCS.

What? :megalol:

What? :megalol:

If you would actually read the entire thread, I mis-read the NATOPS manual regarding retracting the arresting hook during land-based bolters with short-runway arresting systems. Not during carrier recovery.

The hook does not need to be raised during a bolter during carrier recovery, but it still scrapes across the deck and can cause problems as-seen in the video I posted yesterday.

Just wondering one single thing here: If you bolter, when do you turn back into the pattern without totally messing up the timing with all the other guys in there? Just seems to be absolutely impossible to me. If the traps are like 16s apart, if you just squeeze in between there 'cos you boltered...

Just wondering one single thing here: If you bolter, when do you turn back into the pattern without totally messing up the timing with all the other guys in there? Just seems to be absolutely impossible to me. If the traps are like 16s apart, if you just squeeze in between there 'cos you boltered...

Maybe the fuel situation dictates the priority, I would presume?

Let's see... what would I do if I was planning to do some bolters on a boat (you know... training requirements, etc.) I'm hauling a$$ from initial to break with hook down... that's a habit:smilewink:

Then once on downwind I RAISE the hook to accomplish a bolter:smartass: of course making sure that LSO's and everyone else are on the same page as I am...

There are actual requirements for initial aircraft qualification and sometimes requalifications for pilots to do carrier touch and goes in which case you would come in with the hook up. Your pass would then read TG3 (Touch and Go 3-wire) for the wire the LSOs deemed you would have caught. Oddly enough, you can still get graded a bolter and it won't count towards your T+G requirements if you would have boltered with the hook down.

As for raising the hook, a carrier bolter won't harm the hook too bad, although maintenance is required to do a quick "bolter inspection" of the hook point if you do bolter. On land, if you drag the hook down several thousand feet of runway for some reason, that can be a different story.