What do you find most impressive or surprising about nighttime aircraft carrier landings? Share your thoughts in the comments below! ⬇ Please note that some footage in this video is not recorded at night in order to better illustrate the landing process. We appreciate your understanding as we aim to provide a clear understanding of nighttime aircraft carrier landings. Thank you for your support! 💙

All I can say is it took balls of steel for the pilots to do any carrier landing day or night. I salute them.

I spent 4 years on the carrier USS Constellation in the 70's working the flight deck as a power plant mechanic and plane captain. Night shift could be terrifying at times. Especially during a storm, pouring rain and high winds. Pilots had the ACLS system ( Automatic Carrier Landing System ) they could use it to land but they did not trust the " black box" to land the aircraft for them and would shut it off at the last second before hitting the deck. I had many a pilot climb out covered in sweat and shaking like a leaf after a poor landing in the dark. It was much harder for the rescue Helo's returning after the last plane was aboard to land. They were a very big part of night operations and should have been mentioned in your video. It could turn your hair white working nights for all of us.

I served on the Nimitz in 1981 as an EOD tech and I witnessed many takeoffs and landings. Unfortunately, I was also witness to a night-time crash firsthand. May God bless all my shipmates who did not survive that terrible night.

Yeah, I spent 3 years of my life watching carrier landings ( and launches with full afterburners ) 6 hours a day or night night; in every kind of weather imaginable. Hot, humid, raining, freezing water and snow ( off North Korea ) and 85 foot waves in a typhoon ( no flight ops then ). Experience of a life time.

THIS is the most informative YT on Carrier Air Ops I've viewed. Well done.

My first ever CO in a A7 squadron had a ramp strike during night flight ops during a storm; sheared off all landing gear and hook and slid over the wires and ejected, but wave action after he hit the water forced him against the ship and the propeller pulled him through where the water was about 10000+ feet; the pilot and plane were never recovered, only pieces of the chute. Many other pilots that had landed prior to him said they just missed having the same thing happen and said the deck was rising and falling about 20 feet! I had only been in the reserve squadron for a couple of months and had just met most of the pilots on a couple of drill weekends and squadron picnic prior to the 2 week deployment. Semper Fortis!

I went on board a CVA 60 years ago. Even then, how they got onboard at night was pretty amazing. Naval aviators ahve my utmost respect.

Spent 4 years of my life on Carriers. I miss the fun, and excitement, but not other things.

Respect to all naval aviators , operational crew, a privilege to see this, thank you

For the most part this is pretty good. Brought back lots of memories. However, your mix of Air Force aircraft is confusing (especially the several clips of an F-16). And what’s with the two short segments of the MiG-29 in formation? You also have several segments where the video is transposed like you are looking thru a mirror. There are also some scenes which appear to be a shore based facility. We don’t wear short sleeves at sea (fire protection). And we don’t wear civilian attire unless we are leaving the ship to go on liberty. The video should have been scrubbed better by someone familiar with carrier aviation.

I am a pilot. Was a crew chief on a UH1D & UH1H in Vietnam 06/69 - 06/70. It ignited my passion for flight and later in life I learned to fly. Fantastic experience! I very quickly learned, in my opinion, that Naval pilots are the best in the world. I have tremendous admiration for them and the skill they had to have...along with balls of steel. Thank you for what you do!

I was approved in early 90's to enter the NAVCAD from the United States Airforce and ended up getting a medical disqualification just past the halfway point through the training and was reassigned back to my Airforce unit where I was subsequently medically discharged. I will always be supportive of Naval Aviation. Thank you for sharing this video. Hope this inspires young aviators to get involved. with Naval Aviation. I am still a pilot to this day. Just never could do it for the Navy but I was at least approved to try and gave it my best and learned to be a decent pilot as a result of the training I got.

I flew model planes as a teen and watched this video twice, I’m ready.

If we're talking Navy Aviation, why are there occasional pics of F16.'s in this video?

Fair Winds and Following Seas shipmates from a retired OS1. I was stationed on USS Semmes DDG 18 1983-84. Provided Plane Guard for USS America CV 66 in 1983 in the Caribbean.

A very nice video and your "small glimpse " in this fascinating world is by far the best in YT in explaining all aspects of dangers, worries and operations above, on and below the flight deck. As a veteran conventional submariner I am highly impressed by the guts of those pilots. Love it

Navy Productions showing Air Force F16's. Funny. Thanks for the video.

I have the utmost respect for these pilots and every person on the boat guiding and supporting their safe landing. Thanks and prayers 🙏 for all of you.

As a VS 23 aircrewman on the USS Yorktown I was on 100+ carrier landings. Night, single engine, storms, rolling deck and still vertical at 81. Go Navy!

My boss was a Naval Aviator. His recollection of his very first carrier landing was dominated by his reviewing the status of his life insurance while on the downwind leg of the pattern. That focus instantly transitioned to ONLY aircraft location and attitude when he assumed final. He obviously survived but ended up in P3 sub chasers after all the drama of successful carrier landings. I was a dry-land pilot and have a great admiration and respect for all Naval Aviators! Thanks to each of you for your incredible service!

As a civilian Part 121 Flight Dispatcher @ 5:40 is why naval aviators are absolute bosses in my book. Had a chance to jumpseat with a CA who flew in the first desert storm, who happened to be training a FO moving into the left seat. FO was WAY high on the approach and the training CA immediately snapped into action *"My airplane !!!"* That had to be about 5 years ago, but I'll never forget it. ✈

I was on the Enterprise when she blew up in the Hawaiian Operating area. I was blown into the nets and busted both ear drums. Not a pretty site. We lost something like 134 brave men. I made it out with minor wounds.

Outstanding Episode! Best I've seen on YT. Thank You Sir!

I went on a hop and had one of the most memorable experiences of my life! It was a daylight flight and we did inflight refueling! There was a time I thought we would crash!

Enjoyed the video, thanks. Brought back memories of my night carrier landings 50+ years ago with a lot less electronic "gewizz" landing aids...almost none in the A-4 Skyhawk. One nit, we would drop the hook upon entering holding overhead (day) or marshal (night); so as not to forget!

I spent four years on the USS Forrestal CVA-59. I was a gunners mate in the Ship's Armory.

God bless America and the men and women willing to sacrifice everything to protect it.

I was ship's company as an ET in the radar shop on the USS Forrestal CV-59 back in 82. I was in charge of the ship's long range air search radar. Our shop was two work centers, one for search (SPS) radars, one for air navigation (SPN) radars. While I never directly worked with the SPN side, I worked with the people that did. My understanding of the ACLS radar we had back then, was that it would take control of the aircraft at about 5 miles out, putting it on the flight path, then return control to the pilot at 1 mile out, leaving it to the pilot to actually put the plane on deck (or not). I was told that the equipment could, in theory at least, actually land the plane itself, but this is how we were certified to operate. We lost two F4s on that cruise, one failed catapult launch, one failed recovery. The cat failure was daytime, and I was night crew, so I only saw the video. Those cameras they mentioned here that let you see the flight operations? That was on every TV set on the ship. We watched it in our radar shop, which is where I saw the video of the cat failure. A burst of steam halfway through the launch, followed by the F4 just sort of falling off the bow. The failed recovery was a night recovery, so under ACLS, and resulted in our radar shop being investigated. That F4 came in low and caught the round down. Broke up into lots of pieces, scattering debris and spot fires all over the flight deck aft of the island. Someone came into our radar shop (in the island) yelling about it and we all went out to vulture's row to see. So, we had investigators in our shop for days afterwards, poring over our maintenance records for the ACLS radar, interviewing the techs, etc. Ultimate ruling was pilot error. The TACAN mentioned here is a beacon. I was tech for the one we had on my second ship, a frigate (USS Vreeland FF-1068). For our use on the frigate, it was just a homing beacon to tell the helo (the only thing we carried) how to find us. It will generally be the antenna at the very top of the ship's mast. When I was first aboard the Forrestal, during workups before that 82 Med/IO cruise, I had a brand new 35mm camera. So, flight ops being "new" to me, I spent a bunch of time on vulture's row taking pictures. Turned out, the camera body was bad, so the whole roll of film was wasted. When we left on the cruise, I had the replacement body, so a good camera. But, by this point, flight ops was so "normal", I just kept thinking, I'll get to it eventually. Actually had to force myself out to take pictures towards the end of that cruise. And, I'm glad I did. I have a very good picture of a recovery, zoomed in on the tailhook, which is just about to catch the wire.

I was with VF-41 aboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42) from 1970-74. I worked in the Ready Room a great deal but I was a Personnelman and spent a lot of time behind a typewriter typing and retyping enlisted evals. I berthed below the flight deck, directly under the #2 wire and our office was directly below the starboard cat. I hated being a PN, it was a useless and dead end job, boring as hell, but I did finally come around, ignored the redundancy of the job and after a couple of years I began to enjoy my term of service. I knew a lot of great pilots, many of whom have died early and I would suspect that being a Navy pilot had something to shorten their life spans. But, being with a Fighter Squadron was a great experience and there isn't a day that passes that I don't ruminate a little on those days and remember my old shipmates.

What a great video! Such an impressive task. I was totally astonished at the sight of carrier ops aboard the Eisenhower and Forrestal as a reservist. Our pilots only flew during the day and that was SO impressive seeing the ordered chaos on the flight deck.

I spent four years aboard USS Independence in VA-66 A7E Waldo's in 72-75. I was an electronics troubleshooter working mostly at night. It's dangerous enough during normal landings and it Really gets hairy in rough seas with rain and a pitching deck of around 20 feet plus. With the wind across the deck, blowing rain, pitching deck and trying to maintain balance on a oil slick wet deck is treacherous, the pilots had a lot of guts to land the planes under these conditions.

That's an incredible video! I loved it. I have so much respect for pilots. They're a skilled bunch of people. Thanks for sharing this video.

More accurate and informative than most. With 2 exceptions: 1. Every recovery has dedicated organic tankers overhead (in other words, aircraft from the boat configured as tankers). Aircraft requiring tanking during a recovery will always tank from those Navy recovery tankers. The video show Air Force tankers (and even Air Force aircraft refueling), especially in the beginning of the video. Naval aircraft do tank off of heavy Air Force tankers, but it's most often on the way to/from a mission or overland . . . never as part of a recovery. The standard around the boat for recovery tanking is "plugged and receiving" within 90 seconds of a bolter - that is never going to happen on an Air Force tanker at typical Air Force tanker altitudes. The Carrier Air Wing trains specifically for this - in fact it's one of the checks in the box they have to demonstrate before deployment certification. 2. The video implies that a carrier arrested landing consists of separate sensations of touching down, a split second where you're waiting for the deceleration, then deceleration in your straps, the head, then your whole body. This is how people imagine carrier landings who don't have carrier landings. It's what I assumed before my first carrier landing. It's not correct. When my parents asked me what it felt like, I told them "Get in your car and accelerate to about 40 miles per hour. Then drive it into a tree. While soiling yourself." You wouldn't feel the bumper hit the tree, then notice the hood start to crumple, then the seatbelt digging in, etc. You would experience it all at once. It's the same for arrested landings - one moment you are flying, the next moment it feels like you crashed into a brick wall. Everything in the cockpit surges forward at the same time - hopefully into some kind of restraint. The tires hitting the deck (750 feet per minute vertical deceleration), and the hook catching the wire and resulting horizontal deceleration (150 mph to zero in 2 seconds) are both felt simultaneously and instantly. It's an overwhelming shock at first, but you get used to it after a while. Even if the hook just misses a wire (leaving the longest possible distance of about 50 feet before the next wire), at landing speeds it's still less than the blink of an eye (not a figure of speech - we're talking small fractions of a second) for the hook to cross to the next wire and catch it. Imperceptible for a pilot. If a carrier pilot notices touchdown without the "crashing into a wall" sensation, they already know they missed the wire and will be airborne again in the next few seconds. But the rest of this video is pretty good!

Flying a twin engine prop aircraft aboard an Essex class carrier in the mid '60s was interesting in several ways. Without a doubt the hairiest launch was in the Med as a new LTJG in the right seat next to an experienced LCDR. When we launched we had no actual horizon, just a velvet black hole. We launched on instruments with me doing the external observation of the deck while the commander was glued to the instruments. Interestingly the recovery was not bad because of the OLS was the reference. When we received the USS Yorktown as a replacement for the USS Randolph we actually had an improved night landing system that most never notice these days - the drop center line. That is a row of lights dropping down from the ramp and giving a night visual extension of the center line of the deck. All the more modern carriers have this as did the Yorktown, but the Randolph did not. I actually preferred night landings (when I accumulated enough experience to get in the left seat) as there is less visual distraction. You are more focused on the landings.

I appreciate your work on this video and enjoyed it. Might want to only use clips of planes that actually land on an aircraft carrier, just to keep it 100%.

Very well done and professional. CONGRATS!

Thanks for an awesome video. Feel the need for speed, Go Navy! Incredible the number of people that must do their jobs correctly to make this Navy run correctly. JOB WELL DONE to the senior enlisted and officers that ensure that the quality control is maintained.

WOW, I've always thought these pilots are without any doubt amazing. My god I was tense just listening to the process. I can respect the fact it must become second nature but never just another landing.

I was on board the U.S.S. Midway from 1980 -1983 , the last cruise in late 82 as a flight deck trouble shooter for VF-151. We had one pilot who was not able to land at night. The ops usually had him land last, after having to bingo(divert) to a nearby field for the 4th or 5th time he sadly transferred to a ground base for retraing. I never found out if was ever on a carrier again. We also took on 2 F-14s from the Enterprise because of rough seas. And boy were they rough, we almost lost an A -6 over the bow because a use of a wave, boke almost all 16 tie-diwns. If we weren't still recovering she would have pitched off the bow.

I served on the Lexington, green vest. It is an Incredible experience to be and work on the Fly deck. Great memories... IT WAS AN HONOR TO SERVE... GOD BLESS THE USA.

The UK invented the Optical Landing System that plays a big part in this

Thank you all for your service to our USA!!! Be kind to each other. Watch your six

CVN-71 V-2 Gear dog here! Great video, seen plenty of traps

Served on the Carl Vinson and Kittyhawk while belonging to VF 51 Screaming Eagles Miramar California. Top gun. Go, Navy.

This is so amazing .... I'm just glad it is on our side!

The Royal Navy developed the angled flight deck...and the catch wires...

Catapulting like a rocket. Fantastic

you know, showing an F16 refueling while describing carrier operations is not helpful, as the technologies involved are different. eg: navy aircraft typically use drogue basket and probe, while the air force typically uses a boom from the supplying tanker. at around 3:18 or so, we see the air force style of refueling, but the entire video is about the *navy*, so it would be better to show the *navy* method of refueling. there are also multiple instances where a close-up is provided of an F16, while the wide view is that of an F/A-18, and even some shots of russian aircraft. very strangely assembled video clips.

Old carrier sailor here (CVA-42). Good to see the advancement and also the similar techniques in use. Bravo Zulu to all the Naval Aviators.

Plane guard for Abe back in about 1995. I was Canadian Navy and watching them doing night traps, amazing, one highlight of my career

As a Civilian, I saw the John F Kennedy. I was totally blown away by its size and by comparison, she is not the largest. After watching this video, I am so impressed with the nerve and skills of the Naval Aviator.

That was a pretty good narration. The visuals.... spectacular.

I’m curious why the F35 is catching the wire when it’s a VSTOL aircraft and can just gently set down on deck saving the airframe a lot of unnecessary stress ?

Great video of carrier opps.

Thanks for clearing that up…I’ve always heard of case 1 and case 3 but never case 2

Gotta love the DCS clip at 6:50. And the various shots of the Viper throughout. I guess they didn't have enough stock footage and had to resort to showing AF planes and tankers?

I was on the Ike cvn69 for 3 years ams3 at night final checker/troubleshooter I loved it! It was a very long time ago ago

What amazed me was my pilot finding the boat a night and putting her on. My Bottom was always in extra Pucker on those landings. It was in impossible pucker when it was storming and night.

I remember my time at the USS "E" CVAN65 (1st in our planet Earth, Nuclear Aircraft Carrier) stationed at the US Naval Base Subic Bay, Olongapo City, Philippines way back during the American-Vietnam war in early 70's.

Have you ever covered the VT19, T2 Buckeye crash on the USS Lexington back in the '80s? That was my squadron, I was an AME2 but was discharged in Jan '76. I didn't even know about it till almost 2000. I'm enjoying your videos. Semper Fortis

Great video with great commentary. 👍🏼 Got my SUB.

18 of my 24 Year Career in the Navy. Over 1350 Traps. Miss it everyday.

Fixed wing guys are adorable. They have an entire ship filled with crew and tech to help them get on the ground safely. Meanwhile the chopper guys are landing in zero illumination in full brownout conditions while being shot at (and hit) on nearly every mission.

No questions. Had a family member serve on the Big E during WW2.

It must be fantastic to land a carrier at night during a full moon and light clouds

Mixing in Air Force planes? What the frog?

This must be the most intense of human effort in precision on many levels ...

So basically most of the problems come from trying to squeeze in a few sorties before the storm gets there. Then the storm gets there faster anyway. Navy pilots must age really fast.

I'm a retired Navy Air Traffic Controller. Spent time of 5 carriers. Best job I ever had, except the chow lines!!!

Nice video!!

Can you also tell us more about the navy, not just aircraft carriers?

Hated working the flight deck at night. Almost as much as when it was raining during the day.

To me, an EmCon Case lll Recovery in weather with a pitching deck, Blue Water Ops on a black-ass night, well executed by the air wing, is the height of professionalism and the most demanding task in all of Naval Aviation.

DAMMAGE Control member on CV 64 constelation 1988 to 1992 I miss that ship. 😊

Where can you find pleasure, search the world for treasure Learn science technology? Where can you begin to make your dreams all come true On the land or on the sea? Where can you learn to fly, play in sports and skin dive Study oceanography? Sign off for the big band or sit in the grandstand When your team and others meet In the navy Yes, you can sail the seven seas In the navy Yes, you can put your mind at ease In the navy Come on people, fall an' make a stand In the navy, in the navy Can't you see we need a hand In the navy Come on, protect the motherland In the navy Come on and join your fellow man In the navy Come on people and make a stand In the navy, in the navy, in the navy, oh They want you, they want you They want you as a new recruit If you like adventure, don't you wait to enter The recruiting office fast Don't you hesitate, there is no need to wait They're signing up new seamen fast Maybe you are too young to join up today But don't you worry 'bout a thing For I'm sure there will be always a good navy Protecting the land and sea In the navy Yes, you can sail the seven seas In the navy Yes, you can put your mind at ease In the navy Come on people, fall an' make a stand In the navy, in the navy Can't you see we need a hand In the navy Come on, protect the motherland In the navy Come on and join your fellow man In the navy Come on people and make a stand In the navy, in the navy, in the navy, in the navy They want you, they want you They want you as a new recruit Who me? They want you, they want you They want you as a new recruit But, but, but, I'm afraid of water Hey, hey look man I get seasick even watchin' it on TV They want you, they want you in the navy Oh my goodness They want you What am I gonna do in a submarine? They want you They want you, they want you in the navy In the navy Yes, you can sail the seven seas In the navy Yes, you can put your mind at ease In the navy Come on people, fall in make a stand In the navy, in the navy Can't you see we need a hand In the navy Come on, protect the motherland In the navy Come on and join your fellow man In the navy Come on people and make

I have witnessed many carrier landings. FLY NAVY.

Very good video. Thank you.

Very very informative video. Thank you.

"Only their skills and instincts to guide them..." There's an LSO and a lot of instrumentation 'guiding them' as well.

amazing, just amazing

Great job guys!😊

Great video! Whom can I contact about getting permission to use some of this footage for a presentation?

There are no military people I respect more than naval aviators and that includes my own beloved Green Berets!

Had the privilege of spending two days and nights on the USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63). As visitors, we were allotted the cabins just below the landing deck. It was the experience of a lifetime to have airplanes landing on the iron roof. And carrier "landings" are not landings. They are "controlled crashes." The airplanes keep descending, aiming to catch one of the arrestor wires. The lucky ones hit the deck at the right spot while the others have to quickly take off again for another attempt. To reduce the reaction time, they open full power just before touchdown.

could you show some info about Helm responsibilities

Nice video, Thanks to All Enlisted Men and Women in The US Navy,…The Back Bone of the Greatest Navy in the World, BRAVO ZULU!

I did 2 west-pacs on the Big E in the early 80’s and saw a lot of hard landings mostly during night ops.

1. There are other situation’s winning listed people can give an order to an officer. These are primarily guards. They are considered serving as a representative, the Commanding Officer 2. I am nitpicking here, but you showed Air Force planes refueling rather than Navy planes. Navy tankers don’t have a boom that flies (can be maneuvered) so the male part is located on the receiving plane and it couples with a flying basket that is just drug behind the refueling Navy plane. When the Air Force refuels a Navy plane, they don’t use their flying boom like the one you showed in the video. The stick the basket style out the back that the Navy plane flies into.

USS RANGER CV-61 WestPac79 cruise book photo credit NCE, I mounted a SLR on a tripod on the deck for time exposures during night landings. That was fun.

That is insane!!!

Gotta love the DCS footage lol

Brilliant

Yes, I have, being involved in the Program, Pilots usually say, I'm Home or Back.

Excellent narative

What are F-16's doing in the pattern?

But where is the night time landing? Anyway thans a lot for the info... And thank uou all for your service and dedicated job for our country..😊😊👍👍👍✌️✌️

I spent 11 straight on 3 Aircraft Carriers, USS Forestall, Saratoga and USS America in the Mediterranean Sea, I am a Marine Hydraulics Mechanic on the EA-6A. After that wanted to do it again but the Saratoga was sent West Pac so my Squadron went ahead of me and 9 other Marines that stayed with the ship.

I can relate as a helicopter pilot. I worked at night sometimes flying to oil drilling rigs at night in the Gulf of Mexico. They were stationary, but obviously surrounded by blackness. Easy does it on the flight controls. There's no one to direct you. You must concentrate immensely on the rate of closure, and remember where the wind direction is. Sometimes you will make more than one approach. 👀 Thumbs up to Naval operations 👍👍🇺🇸

As a DCS F/A-18C pilot, I concur that carrier landings are very stressful and difficult. VR pilots have a much easier time than TrackIR pilots though, as they have more depth of field sense than the other.