Good video explanation of "the meatball"

[Oldman731]

https://youtu.be/G-PAkYf-CGk

3:22.

- oldman

[Puma44]

That has to be SO much fun at night, in the weather, with some gusty winds thrown in just because. 

[RotBaron]

“Call the ball” 

Thank you, now I know what that meant in Top Gun.

[perdue3]

She catapulted hands off the yoke 

[The Fugitive]

She catapulted hands off the yoke 

I remember reading that most of the new stuff is all computer controlled now, so they get all set, salute and let the plane launch its self.

[Widewing]

Hands off the yoke till you feel the acceleration drop... I logged 232 traps in the C-1A. However, we did more deck runs than cat shots. Taxi to the edge of the round down, deck run off the angle deck. I did get a few cat shots when the ship was at anchor. With no wind over the deck, that is a really violent launch.

Photo: Coming aboard, about to snag an okay 3 wire, September, 1977.

[Chalenge]

Good Lord! She's even shorter than Tom Cruise!

[Puma44]

Widewing, how long did you fly the COD?

[Busher]

That has to be SO much fun at night, in the weather, with some gusty winds thrown in just because.

You like removing the seat cushion with your butt cheeks?? 

[Busher]

Hands off the yoke till you feel the acceleration drop... I logged 232 traps in the C-1A. However, we did more deck runs than cat shots. Taxi to the edge of the round down, deck run off the angle deck. I did get a few cat shots when the ship was at anchor. With no wind over the deck, that is a really violent launch.

Photo: Coming aboard, about to snag an okay 3 wire, September, 1977.
(Image removed from quote.)

Widewing, was there any quick way out of those Traders/Trackers if either of those Wright 1820's "burped" at an especially bad point on takeoff?

[Puma44]

You like removing the seat cushion with your butt cheeks?? 

Oh, there are many “sucking up seat cushions” stories out there.

[Eagler]

HT needs a goon with paddles on the CV's to guide us in or wave off a bad approach

Eagler