Follow a VF-211 Checkmate F-14 Tomcat around the carrier landing pattern on the USS John C Stennis for day catapults and traps.
You’ve all wanted to do this: Man up your F-14 Tomcat for day catapult shots and traps. Sometimes they call it a “Bag-Ex” because you are “bagging traps.” But we will just call it carrier ops so we don’t get in trouble for not doing any “real” training.
Let’s follow this F-14A around the carrier pattern from startup, taxi, catapult shot, overhead break, and trap. Only to be taken back to Cat I again for another round of fun. Have a great Saturday!
Here is a blow by blow breakdown of the video.
0:17 RIO Panel shot (notice range scales on the radar–out to 200 nm…Phoenix capable)
0:30 Windmill engine for startup
1:22 F-18C Hornet Shoots off Cat IV
1:45 LSO Calibration of ILARTS camera (Landing Signal Officer’s stand out on the flight deck to calibrate the landing camera–cameo Stump)
1:58 “Hands up” for Arming of Tomcat by Ordnance personnel
2:20 Full control wipe out
2:45 Cat shot stroke down Cat I (Aft view)
3:17 Abeam shot of carrier
3:37 Overhead break into the pattern
4:45 CVN comes into view just past the 45 position in the carrier landing pattern
5:42 Trap! (kudos to those who can tell what wire he caught)

Read Next: Watch: Cool Time Lapse Video of Carrier Operations
6:25 Taxi into Catapult I
6:35 Weight board roger’d up by RIO, holdback fitting shown by Green shirt
6:55 Director signals “Kneel the aircraft” (3 times…because the LTjg didn’t understand)
7:30 Taxi into shuttle
8:13 Cat Shot!=Freedom.
And that is day carrier ops in a nutshell!
Thanks to former RIO Keith “Virus” Schomig for sharing his video!
Top Photo: An F-14 Tomcat from Fighter Squadron TWO ONE ONE (VF 211 “Checkmates”) launches from the flight deck with afterburners glowing. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Third Class Lance H. Mayhew, Jr.
COMMENTS
There are on this article.
You must become a subscriber or login to view or post comments on this article.