G B

I KNEW I heard an “Auto” in there somewhere. Now I know why I couldn’t find it. That video was edited. The original video had it. I don’t know why you argued this so fiercely, but I am glad it is finally put to rest.

My “However” quote was in reference to the fact that while disallowed, a pilot in extremis can deviate from the rules. It is most certainly not allowed. He would be deliberately violating it (specifically, the violation is using a Mode 1 during pitching deck movement out of limits). ACLS is always on during Case 3 unless it’s broken. Normally a pilot flies a Mode 2, which means the ACLS Provides guidance in the HUD but the pilot manually flies the guidance (with or without autothrottles) A pilot can fly a Mode 1 and the jet will autoland, hands off from the pilot. If this procedure is performed, the word “coupled” is added to the ball call. In general ACLS, is used every Case 3...nothing special about extreme weather as you described as far as ACLS being on or not. However, there are limits as far as pitching deck. Again, there are deck motion limits. If those limits are exceeded (as they definitely were in that extreme pitching deck), a Mode 1 cannot be performed. Finally, if you view the PLAT, you’ll notice on the left side of the screen that the MOVLAS was in use. That is used by the LSOs to manually control the position of the ball. When that is used during pitching deck, pilots land themselves; not with a Mode 1. It seems you’re not familiar with all of this information. Hopefully, you learned something new.

Hey it is possible that the footage was edited and that wasn’t the ball call from that pass. And it’s possible he did a Mode 1 out of limits due to being in extremis. And it’s possible the PBS crew knew it and wrote it down. I just personally hadnt heard it. If that’s the case, then I humbly apologize.

If you hear “coupled” at 8:20 then I send you a baker’s dozen.

Ok lawyer, take this to court. -I know about ACLS and the boat. Call me to the stand as your expert witness. -You are confusing what the production crew means by the word “auto”. It does not mean what you think it means. -No deflection was made by me. Nor a straw man. Just the facts (ACLS limits, radio calls, zero notoriety in the community for that pass being a Mode 1). Those can be your exhibits A, B, C. -Objection, speculation and leading the witness on your part. Verdict: you don’t know what you’re talking about. Adjourned.

Pretty much every time.

Was 100% definitely NOT in that ready room, or anywhere near that ship, at that time. Does that disqualify me from knowing the limits of ACLS and how it works? Or Autothrottles? Because you did claim that specifically. Edit: I also may know a thing or about the comm around the ship, including “auto” and “coupled.”

The first and last.

Why wouldn’t I know how the ACLS works? Why wouldn’t I know its limits? Why wouldn’t I know the culture of Naval Aviators?

Ok. I will have to guess that the film crew knows the technical terminology of both the jets and the ships, as well as flying procedures. If Fravor did land on autopilot, then he was deviating out of the limits of the system based on the pitching deck. If Mode 1s could handle those deck conditions, every pilot would've used it. At 8:20 in the video below you hear the actual ball call. I edited my previous post before you replied to it apologizing for saying that the ball call said "AUTO." But the word "COUPLED" is not said, which is required when the jet does the landing via a Mode 1. There are a number of steps to get a Mode 1 going, so it's unlikely that was just omitted randomly. HOWEVER, if there are quotes and actual discussions that Fravor says he did a Mode 1, then you win. I can't and won't argue that. edit: I am not saying you're wrong about the producers and those conversations with the Admiral. I am not familiar with them. I am just discussing this from the ACLS perspective, which is what I thought this thread was about. I have no problem with being wrong if those behind the scenes things do completely confirm it, and I don't deny your honesty about it.

a. auto means autothrottles, not coupled autoland. b. edited c. the film crew said he landed auto, auto means autothrottles, not coupled autoland. d. You're right, I just inferred it from a-c e. cannot be verified f. true g. the ship cannot support an automatic landing in those deck conditions h. Sex would get more respect for doing a manual landing (using autothrottles), rather than having the computer do it (a coupled autoland, aka a Mode 1). EDIT: edited, i admit I did not hear his voice call the ball auto for that pass. First off the WSO calls the ball (if they did back when this was filmed), and I was thinking of a different pass. My mistake. i deleted point B

The numbers with the colon are times. Minutes past the hour specifically. The numbers in the middle are the TACAN DME. So 300 knots ground speed = 5 NM per minute.

Gear down, flaps full, at 8 miles. The book requires you to be on-speed at 6 miles. Well, given the time/distance to slow down, just go straight to on-speed when you dirty up. All of this is in CV NATOPS, FYI. As a PSA, the Case III diagrams in the NATOPS flight manual do not align with CV NATOPS. They are not accurate and are not referenced.

Yes. You should be as exact as you can. But if you aren’t, the world won’t fall apart. The expectation is precision. That said, the technique I described earlier (not the novel mach number technique) requires an airspeed in the box a little greater than 250. That is accepted to make the 300 ground work. Still hit your fix exactly on time, on altitude, etc. The reallly really really important time for precision is after you commence. VSI exactly 4000fpm to platform, then 2000fpm. Exactly 250. Dirty up at exactly 8 miles. Fly exact courses. Etc. This is to ensure spacing is accurate and to avoid costly foul deck waveoffs or slowdowns in the recovery or vectors or other such shenanigans. Edit: we are only human. We will not be able to be that exact, but we will make every effort to be there. If the VSI hits 4100fpm for example, it’s not the end of the world. Recognize it and fix it and get it Right.

Yes that’s right 250. However 300 ground is not that far off from 250 indicated. You can lose the excess 15ish knots fairly quickly as you hit the fix. Edit: for the mach number guys, or the typical procedure guys that are late and speeding up...well you better adjust your speed real quick as soon as you hit the fix! Pretty embarrassing to hear “305 take speed 250!”

The book answer is 10 seconds or else call Marshal and tell them you won’t make it. But nothing stopped anybody from transmitting at the correct time even if they weren’t exactly at the fix ;). Better to die than to look bad!

One of my favorites was the guys who would turn inbound and see their distance to go to the fix with 1 minute left and then set that in mach number. So with 1 minute left they had 6.7 miles to go, they’d set mach .67. They swear it worked but I never adopted it.

I draw this. It's based off of intercepting this profile and maintaining 300 knots groundspeed. It's the most common technique I've seen used but is by no means the only one.

What's the actual question here? Yes, ACLS has been around for a long time. Fravor was joking around. There is no doubt that Fravor flew the ball himself. First, there is audio of him calling the ball "auto." If he had been flying a Mode 1, he would've called the ball "coupled." Second, the deck was pitching way out of limits for a Mode 1 that night.

During CQ: Never Zip Lip. During Cyclic Ops: Zip Lip.

A PBIT is a Periodic BIT.

If you mean pilot selectable, I’ve never heard of that feature.

Only ever touched them for taxiing, crosswind landing, BFM. Never give them a thought otherwise.

Fly on the wing of a healthy aircraft, or fly a Mode 3 CCA. Then Paddles Contact for an LSO talkdown.