Stories from FL280...

[Mister Fork]

Everyone is ASSUMING it will be a sure-thing second chance, (I was on track for Commodore's List), but there's a LONG WAY between "I'm SURE you'll come back, I can't imagine why not" and "Yeah, we're bringing you back". I'm trying to hold on to hope because there was talk of just starting me over the next day, which is unusual, so that HAS to be a good sign, but my CO fought against that (And I'm glad he did) because he wanted to get me a full round of warm-ups before I tried again, so I wouldn't be cheated out of practice. CO and XO are good guys.

Thanks for the support gents! It means a lot!

- remember that Karma goes a long way Serenity. You landing the broken jet - extra flights, extra studying...it all adds up. They're remembering everything as they want you to succeed. You're not trying to be some hot-shot - just someone who has a passion for this stuff. they see it in you. And it's why they want those warm-up's for ya. It's all guuuuud.

[DaveBB]

How does the Navy decide if you qualify? Is it based on trapping all 4 landings on the 3 wire? Or is it a cumulative score of all your landings?  Or is it something else?

[Serenity]

How does the Navy decide if you qualify? Is it based on trapping all 4 landings on the 3 wire? Or is it a cumulative score of all your landings?  Or is it something else?

There are several parts to it. Every pass has a grade, from Wave Off-Pattern, No Grade, Fair, OK, and OK, with a few other small options, all assigned a score of 0 to 4. You need a GPA of at least 2.5 for your passes at the boat. You need 10 traps in your period, and a 60% boarding rate (Trap to Bolter ratio). HOWEVER, you can be waived to qual if you have less than the necessary GPA or boarding rate if paddles thinks you're on an improving trend. HOWEVER, with a passing GPA and boarding rate, you can fail if paddles thinks you're on a decreasing trend.

The one thing that is set in stone is a single cut pass is an immediate failure.

[colmbo]

The one thing that is set in stone is a single cut pass is an immediate failure.

What is a "single cut pass"?

[Kanth]

I'd assume that's a pass so bad it can cause you to be cut.

It sounds like Paddles is on your side and has a lot of sway. As well as your command structure.  That sounds promising to me. Still 
Hopefully they understand what happened on the pass that you cut throttle in response to a wind gust and not to try to force a landing..

[PR3D4TOR]

What is a "single cut pass"?

Unsafe pass which still managed to achieve a landing. In this case Serenity landed with too little thrust to their liking. Idea being he should have aborted the landing instead of pushing his (and everyone on the boat's) luck. Lesson learned.

[Serenity]

Unsafe pass which still managed to achieve a landing. In this case Serenity landed with too little thrust to their liking. Idea being he should have aborted the landing instead of pushing his (and everyone on the boat's) luck. Lesson learned.

Actually, that's the difficulty. I can't take my own wave off. As much as I may have liked to, behind the boat you only wave off when told to do so. The only real solution to this would have been another Clara call (to nudge paddles into giving me the waveoff) and just being a few seconds faster getting the power back up.

[Toad]

That's a bit different.

The guy actually holding the stick and throttles can't make his own decision to go-around?

Is that while in training only or SOP?

[Serenity]

That's a bit different.

The guy actually holding the stick and throttles can't make his own decision to go-around?

Is that while in training only or SOP?

That's SOP. When I call the ball and the LSO responds "roger ball", he's accepting responsibility for the safety of the flight deck and environment. Even if there's a jet still in the landing area on a wire, I'm to continue until I get waveoff lights.

[Toad]

I admit I am old skool and ex-USAF to boot but I'm of the opinion that the guy holding the stick and throttle ALWAYS has the option to decide to go around at anytime.

I don't mind someone outside the aircraft calling the go-around. There's things the pilot may not see. (deer on the runway, whatever.)

However, I kinda want to reserve the right to call my own go if I decide that's necessary.

Good luck to you though, Serenity. I hope you get another opportunity and ace it.

[Serenity]

I admit I am old skool and ex-USAF to boot but I'm of the opinion that the guy holding the stick and throttle ALWAYS has the option to decide to go around at anytime.

I don't mind someone outside the aircraft calling the go-around. There's things the pilot may not see. (deer on the runway, whatever.)

However, I kinda want to reserve the right to call my own go if I decide that's necessary.

Good luck to you though, Serenity. I hope you get another opportunity and ace it.

Its unique to carrier aviation, to be sure. I would have been VERY happy to have waved off that pass. I wanted to. But waving off without cause, so to speak, could also have earned me a cut pass

[BFOOT1]

Good luck buddy! I'm rooting for ya, and I'm hoping the give you a second chance! Keep fighting, don't lose faith, and keep giving everything you have and more 

[JimmyC]

BJSpaz we love ya man,
Keep being you!
Your all over it.
Lifes cool and your livin it Bro
Bigups

[Maverick]

Could you define "clara". Just an unfamiliar term to me.

[cav58d]

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Why do LSO's always hold the thing of a ma jig over their head?  What's the point?