Automatic carrier landing - limitations?

[Flamin_Squirrel]

Hi guys.

 

I'm interested in learning more about carrier ops and a question came to mind: Can anyone in the know explain how ACL is used practically, including its limitations?

 

It seems that its use is fairly rare, even in conditions where I'd have thought it would be very useful (e.g. night, or low fuel, making a bolter very undesirable etc).

 

Thanks.

[smnwrx]

Pilot partially incompacitaded. Such as hypoxia maybe. Loss of visual cues like the HUD. I may be wrong but Im assuming ACL is part of normal Carrier Quals. I forget where I heard a theory from a pilot who was having trouble with frequent bolters. He believed that because of the ACL bringing the hook down at the exact same spot every time, it created a divot contributing to hook skips.

Edited April 25, 2013 by smnwrx

[ФрогФут]

The loss of HUD does not affect landing. In fact first training landing in T-45 is always with HUD off, using "meatball" only AFAIR. So unless all landing light systems (main and backups) have failed, it is ok.

[smnwrx]

The loss of HUD does not affect landing. In fact first training landing in T-45 is always with HUD off, using "meatball" only AFAIR. So unless all landing light systems (main and backups) have failed, it is ok.

 

now that you mention it, that makes sense. I would venture to guess that using the ALCS in an emergency would depend on all sorts of different scenarios and be discussed between the pilot, LSOs, safety officers ect. I really have no idea how it is used in normal everyday operations though

[Flamin_Squirrel]

Bump!

 

Anyone know anything definitive?

[aaron886]

Typically, recoveries in instrument meteorological conditions. It's similar in purpose to auto-land in a commercial airliner.

[marcos]

Pilot partially incompacitaded. Such as hypoxia maybe.

Pilot knocked out by ice cube from T-45 ECS.

[ShockerGuy]

Pilots are only allowed to use ACLS after they have gone through a deployment typically and have over 100 traps. The reason for this is that ACLS can be tricky at times and requires some experience to use the system safely. It can kick off at very inopportune times, and the pilot must be able to take over immediately. In the jet, while flying ACLS you feel the throttles move, but the stick remains stationary which can be a very weird thing at first. Also, when flying ACLS, the pilot has to call "auto" on the ball call so the LSO is aware. As far as landing grades go (a huge part of a carrier pilot's life) ACLS landings aren't graded, so a pilot who can shoot an ACLS landing normally doesn't unless he's very tired after an unusually long flight because you're always trying to keep your GPA up, and ACLS landing grades don't affect it. As far as T-45 training goes, you learn to fly the jet with the HUD, sometimes an instructor will tell you to shut it off for a landing here and there. You don't learn to fly it with the HUD off at first. Flying on standby instruments in the Hornet is pretty awful as they are located right above your right knee. It's very difficult to have a good inside/outside scan when you're looking to your knee and then outside. Also the deck divot thing that was mentioned above was an issue with the ACLS system in the past, so there's actually an algorithm built into the system so jets touch down on a slightly different point every time to mitigate that.