First Female Nuclear Aircraft Carrier CO: No Fixed Wing Carrier Flight Experience

[Historian]

My dad was one of the commissioning officers of the Abe.

That was a long time ago.

[DAKA]

What does DRIVING THE BOAT have to do with PLANES ?

 

[railfancwb]

Just now, DAKA said:

What does DRIVING THE BOAT have to do with PLANES ?

 

Purpose of the boat is to launch and recover planes. 

[Gunboat1]

1 hour ago, DAKA said:

What does DRIVING THE BOAT have to do with PLANES ?

 

It is the end result of a political battle which was fought before World War II.  Aviators wanted major commands, to help them achieve flag rank in greater numbers.  They posited the argument that it was easier to teach smart aviators the basics of ship control,  systems and management that it was to teach dumb surface guys the basics of flight operations.  It was and is about competitive advantage in the pursuit of Admiral's stars.  It is one of the great idiotic injustices of the USN.  Carriers ought to be commanded by SWOs, not aviators.  But that battle was lost before any of us were born.

It makes even less sense now that carriers are all nuclear powered.  The CO has to attend and pass nuclear power school.   In effect, they try to make every carrier CO a qualified Aviator, qualified SWO, and qualified nuclear engineer.   It is insanely inefficient.   It should be a SWO command.  That's why they have dozens of SWOs serving under them, to do the hard thinking for them.  The good ones listen to their XOs and Department Heads, who have far more experience in driving and managing ships. 

[DAKA]

The DRIVER gests the orders to pilot the ship in a certain way to "FACILITATE" THE LAUNCH AND RECOVERY..

I'd be willing to bet that the DRIVER is NOT IN CHARGE OF positioning the ship during the AIR MANEUVERS...THERE MUST BE SOMEONE IN THE AIR COMMAND THAT TELL THE DRIVER WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE

SO, "SHE drives the ship basically from place to place....GOOD TO GO 

(If not HOLY SHEEP)

 

[Gunboat1]

17 minutes ago, DAKA said:

The DRIVER gests the orders to pilot the ship in a certain way to "FACILITATE" THE LAUNCH AND RECOVERY..

I'd be willing to bet that the DRIVER is NOT IN CHARGE OF positioning the ship during the AIR MANEUVERS...THERE MUST BE SOMEONE IN THE AIR COMMAND THAT TELL THE DRIVER WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE

SO, "SHE drives the ship basically from place to place....GOOD TO GO 

(If not HOLY SHEEP)

 

Not exactly.  The ship is maneuvered to give a desired velocity of wind across the flight deck, to provide the needed lift for launching and recovering aircraft at the speeds each will be flying at.  It is a documented envelope.  It can be compromised somewhat to allow the ship/battle group to move in the direction needed for operational reasons.   It isn't rocket science.   All the ship's company needs to know is what time air operations need to commence.  They can handle everything else.  

[railfancwb]

2 hours ago, Gunboat1 said:

It is the end result of a political battle which was fought before World War II.  Aviators wanted major commands, to help them achieve flag rank in greater numbers.  They posited the argument that it was easier to teach smart aviators the basics of ship control,  systems and management that it was to teach dumb surface guys the basics of flight operations.  It was and is about competitive advantage in the pursuit of Admiral's stars.  It is one of the great idiotic injustices of the USN.  Carriers ought to be commanded by SWOs, not aviators.  But that battle was lost before any of us were born.

It makes even less sense now that carriers are all nuclear powered.  The CO has to attend and pass nuclear power school.   In effect, they try to make every carrier CO a qualified Aviator, qualified SWO, and qualified nuclear engineer.   It is insanely inefficient.   It should be a SWO command.  That's why they have dozens of SWOs serving under them, to do the hard thinking for them.  The good ones listen to their XOs and Department Heads, who have far more experience in driving and managing ships. 

Unstated weakness in the system… that nuc powered carrier, which can go for years without fueling, is dependent upon supply ships for jet fuel and armament. And those ships can’t stay out for years. 

[Gunboat1]

True.  But there are more of them and they rotate back and forth from supply ports.   They are vulnerable to submarine and missile attacks, and are certainly prime targets,  but the carrier and its air wing is the prize.