Squadron Case One Recovery

Shadow
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Squadron Case One Recovery

Post by Shadow » Wed Jan 29, 2020 2:50 pm

The Sunday (2-2-2020) mission will include some training. I suggest we prepare for and practice a Case 1 Recovery, weather permitting. I did a search of the site for the details of a Case 1 but did not find a post. I am sure it is here somewhere. If we could get a link and everyone who plans on flying Sunday would review it, we could start the process of becoming proficient at Case 1.

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Hedgehog
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Re: Squadron Case One Recovery

Post by Hedgehog » Wed Jan 29, 2020 4:23 pm

We used to have a detailed Case I recovery procedure on the 'old' message board, but it got lost in transition. Plus, nobody ever actually read it, so it seemed kind of a waste of time to re-do it.

Here is a link to a fairly decent Case I diagram: https://www.reddit.com/r/hoggit/comment ... e_1_chart/

WE do a simplified Case I procedure that works for us in the sim world.

a) We do not do a marshal stack. Why? Unnecessary. We never have that kind of traffic waiting to recover, and it adds quite a bit to the complexity of the whole operation that becomes unmanageable without live ATC. When we marshal, it is accomplished at the direction of the Flight Leader, and directly astern the carrier about 20 nm.

b) We drop hooks at the direction of the Flight Leader, typically at the 5nm point. Why? Traditionally, carrier aircraft approach the ship with hooks down as an indication that 'I intend to land on the carrier,' which was a more important thing in the sketchy radio days of WWII, but remains a hold-over in modern days.

c) There are lots of YouTube vids of how to do a Case I, but they are all single-ship recoveries. For a flight, please note on the diagram that each aircraft counts 10 second to do his break turn while maintaining speed and altitude.

d) THE HARDEST PART: When you do your break turn, you MUST get 'on-speed' (orange donut) and maintain that speed for the entire downwind leg! This timing and spacing is critical! Do not crowd the guy in front of you, because that leads to:

e) THE MOST SCREWED UP PART: You MUST start your final turn when abeam (e.g. even with the fantail of the ship). When you delay this turn, you screw up everybody behind you.

When this is all done correctly, traps will be 30-45 seconds apart, which is pretty much the point of Case 1 recoveries; to get the greatest number of aircraft on deck in the shortest amount of time.

Note: when setting up your HSI, be sure to set your CSEL line to BRC (the ship's heading), not to the direction of the angled deck. We use BRC to manage the downwind and upwind pattern. If you fly the pattern by the direction of the angled deck, your flight path crosses that of other aircraft trying to land. Just don't. If you're in the habit of setting your CSEL line to the direction of the angled deck, get out of that habit.
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Hedgehog
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Re: Squadron Case One Recovery

Post by Hedgehog » Wed Jan 29, 2020 6:59 pm

Also, the question has been raised, 'what does the break turn look like?'

The real-world phrase is: FLOP, CHOP, CHECK, DROP

FLOP: crank your jet over 90 degrees. Pull the stick back to achieve a good G (350 knots = 3.5G, 400 knots = 4.0G). Relax the G's as speed comes off.

CHOP: pull the throttle all the way back. Extend speed brake.

CHECK: watch for airspeed to get below 250 knots (as quickly as possible).

DROP: extend landing gear and full flaps.

Your goal is to get 'on speed' (orange donut) as quickly as you can, downwind (reciprocal course to BRC) at about 600 ft.

On your HSI, 10nm scale, put the left wing of your airplane symbol on the CSEL line. You will be 1.0nm abeam the carrier.
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