The Cool Video Thread

[GOONIE]

Nice pitching deck recovery after the cat shots, you can see the deck moving around 3:09. Too bad they don't include the LSO and CATCC audio with these videos. 

[SpazSinbad]

Just two side view from helo views of F-35C approaches with a closeup of No.3 wire being taken.

[GOONIE]

Aircraft Carrier Take Off / Landing in 2 Minutes (T-45)

[Paddles]

Nice video!
Notice at 2:10 the plane sinks and then at 2:12 goes up and back to glidepath. That's the burble, definitely...

[SpazSinbad]

Many thanks. Great video for sure. I'll make an edit of the 'cross the wake to the end'.

[SpazSinbad]

Learn something new every day (or perhaps this is an exception?). I was always under impression that Hornet pilots had hand on throttle for catapulting with other hand on the canopy grip. Maybe it is a VX-23 thing or perhaps optional? Whatever.... Pilot is going to fly the BOING! X-32 later.



F-18 Hornet Carrier Approach Explained + Catapult

[SpazSinbad]

Clarification on the above video + screenshot. Looks as though the editors of the film mistakenly mirrored that catapult - view from behind pilot helmet - showing his actual left hand grasping the rail (rather than what is seen in the video). Otherwise he will have his left hand on the throttle (with friction applied).

[Paddles]

Looks as though the editors of the film mistakenly mirrored that catapult

I really doubt that this eposide was mirrored - just look at the AoA indexer on the HUD frame (is this the AoA indexer, isn't it?).

Overall, that video is rather a 'carrier aviation for dummies', a bunch of episodes taken from different videos and glued together, imho 
For example, the pilot saluting @ 0:46 wears gloves. The pilot @ 0:50 wears no gloves... Definitely two deifferent persons. And most likely none of them is Cdr Yates 

[SpazSinbad]

Yes every film can be scrutinised frame by frame for whatever reason. Not my problem. However the frame illustrated does not show any AoA indexer. Another clue that the clip was mistakenly mirrored in the edit process. This forum would have photos of the HUD and AoA indexer probably. Here is one: (scroll down)

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=3093.300
http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3093.0;attach=8734;image

These are interesting web pages with some great graphics:

http://www.users.on.net/~jase_ash/styled-9/styled-6/index.html
&
http://www.users.on.net/~jase_ash/styled-9/styled-12/index.html
&
http://www.users.on.net/~jase_ash/styled-9/styled-15/styled-13/index.html

http://www.users.on.net/~jase_ash/styled-9/styled-15/styled-13/files/hornet_hud_view.jpg

[SpazSinbad]

X-35C & F-35C FCLP & Arrests NIMITZ Nov 2014

[GOONIE]

Lots of recovery footage from the flight deck. The jets look like they are going really fast from this perspective

[SpazSinbad]

Thanks Goonie - great to see the action on deck - beware the man with the CHAINS!  And now for some sprogs who would be old and bolds by now.

Buckeye T-2C FCLP & Carrier Quals New Pilots

[Paddles]

Spaz,
I attach your images with AoA indexer marked. As you can see, this indexer is a pretty small thing, compared to the one we have in the FSX Hornet.

[SpazSinbad]

At moment I'm plagued by thunderstorm activity so I'll be brief and return when I can. On another forum I asked the question with this reply:

"There was no throttle lock or grip in the Super Hornet, you just had to brace your arm - but you most definitely had your hand on the throttle. In fact I'm not sure there was a towel rail on the port side to hold."

" In the Hornet we put our left hand behind the throttles to make sure the throttles don't inadvertantly slide back during the cat stroke."

Not definitive sadly. However I did see a photo from the side front quarter of the Hornet HUD which may account for the 'small' hudlike feature you point out. From the front on colour photo it seems to me the AoA indexer is wider than what might be seen when in shadow. I'll have a look again for this other photo.

I will say that IF the VX-23 Hornet is modified in some way for a two hands completely off controls (as seen in the F-35C catapults recently) it may be a test item for these 'special' Hornets? OR the towel rails may be on either side but only the left one used? I have never seen a Hornet in real life.

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=4057.0;attach=10330;image

http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a208651.pdf Hornet HUD evaluation from 1989 (2.5Mb) Only download if interested.

Never noticed the towel rail in this photo before (from a magazine story about the Classic Hornet RAAF simulator): http://www.milskil.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=CBcBwLq%2F9qQ%3D&tabid=61 (may not be available now - have not tried). So then perhaps VX-23 do their two handed thing as a test? Not enough information. :-)

So apologies - I could have looked for more information. In this photo of the RAAF Super Hornet Sim: http://defence.boeing.com.au/ViewImages.do?id=40143&Year=2008 (link not working now) we can see the 'other' towel rail on the left (a bit hidden). So I hope we can agree that the Hornet family have towel rails either side and it is quite possible for the VX-23 test pilot (if that is who we see in the video clip) is having 'both hands' on the towel rails either side?

I'm not trying to be difficult - just curious - the RAAF sims shown may have the extra because that reflects a modification in the RAAF Hornet family? These RAAF Hornets do not catapult. I know that the Classic Hornet for the RAAF was especially nobbled to be unable to be used on a carrier - don't know about the RAAF Super Hornets (perhaps NOT because when they were first mooted to be bought there was a justification that they could be sold back to the USN after replacement F-35As were purchased many years hence). Anyway I'll look for USN Hornet photos when I have a chance.

[Paddles]

There are definitely two towel rails on both sides. On many youtube videos I saw Hornet pilots put their left hand on the left rail when doing hard turns during BFM and other manuevering. Not sure if they're doing this during cat shots, though...