Can a civilian land on a carrier?
There are definite cases of light civilian aircraft landing on a carrier, the most well known was in April 1975 when South Vietnamese Air Force Major Buang Lee landed an O-1 Bird Dog on the deck of the USS Midway trying to escape with his wife and 5 children from the fall of Saigon to North Vietnamese forces.
Can you land a Cessna on an aircraft carrier?
Yes, it is possible for a light civilian aircraft to land on an aircraft carrier. In fact in one famous incident during the Fall of Saigon in 1975 a single engine Cessna actually did land successfully aboard the USS Midway.
How long does it take a jet engine to spool up?
Jet engines require time to accelerate, so the increase in thrust (known as spooling up) improves the ability to go around should it be necessary. Jet engines (U.S. certified) can require up to eight seconds to accelerate from idle to maximum thrust.
What does spool mean in an airport?
Many of the larger airports have noise abatement requirements. “Spool” is a term that is used when referring to the acceleration time a jet engine requires. Jet engines, unlike automobile engines, require several seconds to accelerate from idle to high thrust.
What is engine spooling and unspooling?
As the engine accelerates, more thrust is produced and the faster the acceleration occurs. When accelerated to the proper rpm, the engine is referred to as being spooled. An engine that is not at the proper rpm and will take time to accelerate is referred to as being unspooled. Q: Why do pilots throttle up when landing?
What happens if you miss the arresting gear on a carrier?
As Cameron pointed out, part of normal carrier landing procedure is to set the aircraft’s engines to maximum thrust as soon as your wheels hit the deck, in preparation for a “bolter” if you miss the arresting gear (or it fails to stop your aircraft).