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Landing Aids?


AG-51_Razor

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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 by AG-51_Razor
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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.

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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.

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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.

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Edited by Repth
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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.

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