Questions for any Hornet drivers

[Matthew]

Watching something on cable a few minutes ago, filmed on board the USS George Washington - I've got two questions.

I've heard the F18 takes off by itself: the pilot salutes, then hangs onto grab bars. I was trying to watch for that, and I wasn't able to get a real good view. What's the story there?

Also, an F18 took off with a camera mounted below the nose, looking backwards. You could see the carrier drop away as the airplane climbed. There was a sequence of three lights on the nose gear strut, red-yellow-green, in about a 2 second span. It didn't look like the gear was retracting yet, but it was a quick shot. Any explanations for that?

Thanks.

 

[tonycondon]

ive also heard that the F18 takes off itself. autopilot holds optimal AOA for climbout. I think its something like 15 degrees.

i have no idea about question 2

My only F18 time is in FS2004, it does not autotakeoff.

 

[gkainz]

There was a sequence of three lights on the nose gear strut, red-yellow-green, in about a 2 second span. It didn't look like the gear was retracting yet, but it was a quick shot. Any explanations for that?

Sounds like the AOA (Angle of Attack) indicator or approach indexer - viewable from the front for the benefit of the LSO (Landing Signal Officer, aka "Paddles") on final to the boat.

found a couple of references, not necessarily for the Hornet, but it's not peculiar to the Hornet, either

http://www.anft.net/f-14/f14-detail-gearnose.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military//library/policy/navy/nrtc/14030_ch9.pdf

 

[Matthew]

Yep, that's exactly what it was. The nosegear must have been retracting and the light tree was changing angles and indications in relation to the camera.

It was three lights, top-to-bottom, on the strut and separate from the landing light. Just like the diagram.

That's an interesting invention, basically a VASI or PAPI mounted on the aircraft so the LSO can verify its attitude.

 

[poadeleted20]

That's an interesting invention, basically a VASI or PAPI mounted on the aircraft so the LSO can verify its attitude.

Not quite. All it does is echo the pilot's AOA indexer, i.e., tells the LSO whether the aircraft's AOA is at, higher than, or lower than, optimum for landing approach, not the aircraft's attitude. The LSO judges attitude by visual means (aircraft silhouette in daylight or relationship of lights at night).

BTW, A-6 pilots were supposed to keep hands off the stick during cat shots -- just set 5 units nose up trim, run the throttles up with the left hand and wrap your fingers around the cat grip, salute, and put your right hand behind the stick. The stick comes back to your hand and you grab it as you leave the deck -- the plane will fly itself (for a bit) even without a pilot aboard, as flight-proven by an A-6 belonging to VA-34 off the JFK in November 1974 (the B/N got a minute or two of solo time in his logbook before he punched out, too). It's just basic aerodynamics and trimming for speed, not an autopilot, and you do it so you don't accidentally pull the stick too far back during the cat stroke. Can't say how it's done in a Hornet.