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Rafaels on Big “E”

By lex, on August 6th, 2007

Last week we had photographic evidence of a kind of detente. This week we’ve got video.

Pretty much confirms my “that thing looks awfully cocked up on final” first impression.

(H/T to occasional reader Sully)

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August 6th, 2007 | Category: Flying, Military

6 comments to Rafaels on Big “E”

  • HomefrontSix
    August 7, 2007 at 1:06 am

    Nice. Wonderful way to wrap up a Monday.

  • Jeopardy
    August 7, 2007 at 6:24 am

    Here’s a question that popped into my mind after watching that clip: Are plane handler’s hand signals universal, or did they need someone to “translate” English signals into French?

  • SGT Jeff (USAR)
    August 7, 2007 at 8:43 am

    It is nice to see we are maintaining interoperability with other nations there – and that Rafale just sort of hovered down onto the wire there, didn’t it? Looked very professional.

    Do our Hawkeyes have that many propeller blades?

  • Nose
    August 7, 2007 at 11:55 am

    Jeff –

    Not really interoperability. More of a “having friends over to play” kind of situation. SJS is our resident historian, but I don’t know of any time when a foreign aircraft was launched/recovered on a USN CV for a tactical purpose. (You COULD make an argument for Doolittle’s raiders but they aren’t really foreign.)

    As for the Rafale just sort of hovering down onto the wire, well, that was not the best ballflying you have ever seen. Being that high that close, that dude was looking for a wave-off.

    Yes, our Hummers have 8 bladed props. They were developed for better maintainability and to reduce vibration.

    Jeopardy – CV NATOPS requires the CVN’s Air Department to give a brief to pilots prior to them coming out to the ship for Carrier Quals. I’m sure there were extensive briefs on hand and light signals. I would also guess there was a French LSO on the pickle (in addition to the CAG LSO or the team leader) during the landings. The French guys, I am told, do a lot of talking to their pilots. In contrast, the standard for new US pilots attempting their initial Carrier Qual is to be able to get aboard in the daytime without any LSO help.

    Nose

  • J.M. Heinrichs
    August 7, 2007 at 1:58 pm

    French carrier pilots are trained by the USN:
    “Mostyn said an interesting thing about these training wings is that not all of the pilots are Americans. CNATRA also trains pilots from foreign countries, including five aviators from France …”
    http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2005/10/mil-051031-nns02.htm

    Cheers

  • Nose
    August 7, 2007 at 2:37 pm

    France, Italy, and lots of countries further east…
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