General Category > Unofficial F/A-18 Acceleration Pack board
CArrier Landings
SUBS17:
Carrier tutorial and Carrier Practice missions both have Paddles contact.
SUBS17:
--- Quote from: SpazSinbad on January 10, 2009, 06:34:51 am ---"Paddles Contact"? In what circumstances or in what part of these posts have you seen this radio call please? My guess from hearing USN LSOs talk on videos would be that the aircraft is perhaps doing an instrument let down while the LSO will talk to the pilot before his 'ball call' to let the pilot know that he has the aircraft (before the pilot sees the ball coming off instruments). Perhaps it may be used in other circumstances but except in training situations (especially ashore) the LSO usually does not say much unless it is an emergency or a really bad approach. For example often there is silence after the pilot calls the ball with the LSO responding "roger ball".
--- End quote ---
It mentions in the LSO manual either roger ball or paddles contact maybe thats where they got it from.
wilycoyote4:
It was in a video where a pilot describes the low snowing clouds as he starts his pass. He can't see the boat or the ball but the LSO used the vocal "Paddles Contact" on the radio to let the pilot know the LSOs could see his landing light, if I recall correctly, and the F-14 broke out below the clouds with seconds to go and made it. No indication of landing instrument procedure that was being used, I assume.
Thanks for clearing that up.
wilycoyote4:
--- Quote from: SUBS17 on January 10, 2009, 06:46:05 am ---Carrier tutorial and Carrier Practice missions both have Paddles contact.
--- End quote ---
I'll check. Thanks for the info. I need all the help I can get.
SpazSinbad:
Regarding meaning of "Paddles Contact". I've not had time to reread all the different LSO information in PDF format but I would guess there is a distinct difference between the LSO radio call "Paddles Contact" and "Roger Ball". Paddles Contact to me would imply that the LSO is calling the approaching aircraft before that aircraft has called (seeing) the ball. As has been suggested perhaps there was previous conversations due to conditions. However my point is that the "Roger Ball" call by the LSO is different.
'Roger Ball' is acknowledgement by the LSO that he has heard the approaching aircraft callsign, fuel state and that its pilot can see the ball. I have seen commentators think that this (Roger Ball) means the aircraft is cleared to land. This is no such clearance. An LSO can WaveOFF the aircraft at any time it is safe to do so for whatever reason. Often you will see videos when the LSOs have their hands in the air to signify to others that the deck is 'foul'. That is: NO aircraft can land on a 'foul deck'. However an aircraft may approach to its safe waveoff position (even if the deck is foul) in case the deck becomes "clear" during the approach, so that that aircraft can land.
The approaching aircraft does not need to know this particularly. All the pilot needs to do is call the ball and concentrate. The LSO then is like air traffic control in that specific situation. The LSO will be hearing others around him (helping) determining if the deck will soon be 'clear'; so that he may continue to allow the aircraft to approach. IF otherwise it is known that the deck will remain foul then the LSO will waveoff the aircraft in good time for another approach.
So I hope that explains that "Paddles Contact" is not a substitute for "Roger Ball". Roger Ball is a response to the pilot calling the ball. Paddles Contact is an advisory call that the LSO can see the approaching aircraft (even though that aircraft may not see the ship, the ball or have obviously 'called the ball'). If a pilot hears 'Paddles Contact' that may encourage him to continue to look for the ship, ball etc but without otherwise getting into an unsafe flight/approach situation. That is another matter. For example without being under control of a Controller the aircraft will not go below a certain safe altitude until the ball is seen. The CCA (Carrier Controlled Approach Controller) looking at precision radar can guide the aircraft to the minimums to then allow the pilot to see the ball to then continue on a conventional approach.
Today of course there are many other types of instrument approaches where different instruments can be used in combination to carry out an approach to a specified minimum altitude and distance from the ship. IF the ball is not seen at these minimums then the aircraft must carry out a 'missed approach'. The various LSO and Super Hornet NATOPS PDFs describe some of these approaches and procedures.
Additionally the LSO can 'talkdown' a pilot in an emergency or use the MOVLAS (manual mirror control) to guide the pilot. These are explained in the LSO NATOPS PDF. Generally the pilot/LSO say little if all goes well.
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