Landing signal officer


A landing signal officer or landing safety officer, also informally known as paddles or batsman, is a naval aviator specially trained to facilitate the "safe and expeditious recovery" of naval aircraft aboard aircraft carriers. Originally LSOs were responsible for bringing aircraft aboard ship using hand-operated signals. Since the introduction of optical landing systems in the 1950s, LSOs assist pilots by giving information via radio handsets.

History

In the United States Navy, aircraft carrier operations began with USS Langley in 1922, and it served as a platform to experiment and develop aircraft launch and recovery procedures. The first pilots had no signaling system for assistance from shipboard personnel. Langley's first executive officer, Commander Kenneth Whiting, had a hand-cranked movie camera film every landing to aid in evaluation of landing technique. When not flying, Whiting observed all landings from the aft port corner of the flight deck. Whiting's position remained visible to landing pilots in critical touchdown attitudes when the nose of the aircraft might obscure the pilot's view straight ahead. Pilots found Whiting's body language helpful and suggested an experienced pilot be assigned to occupy that position, using agreed signals which evolved with experience. On one occasion when trying to signal an inexperienced pilot who had missed several approaches by coming in too high, Whiting pioneered the use of paddles or flags by grabbing the white hats of two nearby sailors and holding one in each hand to emphasize his hand positions.

Hand-operated signals

From the 1920s into the 1950s, U.S. Navy and Royal Navy LSOs used a variety of signals to assist pilots landing aboard aircraft carriers. The signals provided information on lineup with the deck, height relative to proper glide slope, angle of attack, and whether the plane's tailhook and wheels were down. The final signal was "the cut" ordering the pilot to reduce power and land the aircraft. In a properly executed landing, the aircraft's tailhook snagged an arresting wire that brought the plane to a halt. A "waveoff" was a mandatory order to abort the landing and go around for another attempt. Sometimes a proper approach drew a waveoff if the deck was "fouled" with aircraft or personnel in the landing area.
LSOs faced the incoming plane and held colored flags for visibility. Because LSOs waved colored paddles, flags, or wands, the officers became unofficially known as "Paddles" in the United States Navy, or "Batsmen" in the Royal Navy, while the trade was referring to as "waving".

LSOs in different navies

Both the U.S. Navy and Royal Navy employed LSOs. The main difference between American and British LSOs was the nature of their signals. Generally, U.S. Navy signals were advisory, such as indicating whether the plane was on glide slope, too high, or too low. On the other hand, Royal Navy signals were usually mandatory, such as ordering the pilot to add power, or come port. When "crossdecking", the two navies had to decide whether to use the American or British system.
In contrast, the Imperial Japanese Navy had no LSOs. Instead, its carriers employed a system of colored lights much like today's general aviation runway edge lights at most airports. However, each Japanese carrier assigned a sailor to wave a red flag in case a landing was to be aborted.

Optical landing system

From the late 1950s, carriers evolved from the original straight or axial-deck configuration into the angled flight deck, with an optical landing system providing glide slope information to the pilot. As such, the system of using both the OLS and the LSO was developed.
Together with the OLS, the LSO provides input to the pilot via a radio handset, advising of power requirements, position relative to glide path and centerline. The LSO also holds a "pickle" that controls a combination of lights attached to the OLS to indicate "go around" using the bright red, flashing wave off lights. Additional signals, such as "cleared to land", "add power", or "divert" can be signaled using an upper row of green lights called "cut lights," or a combination thereof. Often, pictures of LSOs show them holding the pickle switch over their head. This is done as a visual reminder to the LSOs that the deck is "fouled" – unsafe for an approach, with aircraft, debris, or personnel in the landing area. Once the deck becomes clear, the LSOs are free to lower the pickle.

USN / USMC LSO qualifications

LSOs have been rated carrier pilots since the end of World War II, but during the war the need was such that some non-aviators were trained. Because of the importance of LSOs, the duty offers great responsibility for junior officers, generally lieutenants to lieutenant commander. Prospective LSOs are selected among junior pilots from each fixed wing USN and USMC carrier aviation squadron. The first qualification they receive is a “field qualification”, which allows them to wave aircraft at shore runways during Field Carrier Landing Practice without supervision. The LSO next attends the LSO School at NAS Oceana, Virginia, for Initial Formal Ground Training. Additional qualifications include:

Air Wing LSO

All LSOs work directly for the Air Wing LSO, who is ultimately responsible for the safe and expeditious recovery of aircraft, and for training/qualifying junior LSOs. There are typically two Air Wing LSOs per Air Wing, and one of them is usually on the LSO platform for every landing.

Controlling LSO

The Controlling LSO is primarily responsible for aircraft glideslope and angle of attack. He or she also issues a "grade" for each landing.

Backup LSO

The Backup LSO is typically more experienced than the Controlling LSO, and is primarily responsible for aircraft lineup and ensuring that the landing area is clear. He helps in the grading. He may provide glideslope/angle of attack commentary on that grade.

Deck status LSO

This individual monitors deck status as either "clear" or "foul." Foul deck is further delineated based on what is "fouling" the landing area. With personnel or aircraft in the landing area, the "waveoff window" is adjusted so that approaching aircraft get no lower than 100 feet above the highest obstacle in the landing area. If there is neither personnel nor aircraft in the landing area but the deck is still foul, aircraft must be waved off in time to pass no lower than 10 feet above the landing area.

LSO equipment

LSO platform

LSOs do their waving from the LSO Platform, which is on the port side of the ship aft of the port side aircraft elevator. It is protected by a wind deflector, and has an escape area into which deck personnel can jump in an emergency. The platform is outfitted with communications gear, deck status and ship indications, as well as controls for the OLS.

LSO workstation

The LSO work station consists of three pickle switches, a wind screen, the LSO Base Console and a HUD unit, with actual configuration varying dependent on ship type, age and technology.

ILARTS

provides the LSO with a reference for aircraft lineup and glideslope information during recovery operations, and is used as a debriefing medium for pilots. Additionally, the system is used for recording significant flight deck events and, when necessary, for mishap or incident analysis.

Grading

Every carrier landing made by US pilots is graded for safety and technique, using a complex shorthand to denote what each aircraft did during various phases of each approach.
Approaches are divided into parts:
Deviations from optimal glideslope, centerline, and angle of attack are noted for each phase, resulting in an overall grade, which is debriefed to each pilot by the LSO teams after each cycle. Average grades are computed for each pilot, resulting in a highly competitive pecking order of pilot landing skill throughout the airwing.
Possible grades:
The LSOs also write a comment in shorthand for use in the LSO-Pilot debrief. An example comment might read, "High, a little overshooting start, fly through down on comeback in the middle, low in close to at the ramp. Fair-2" This means the aircraft was high at the start of the approach and had slightly overshot the landing area centerline. As the pilot corrected to centerline, he did not add enough power so he flew through the glideslope from high to low. The LSO likely would have given the pilot a signal at this time to add power. For the last portion of the approach, the aircraft remained below glideslope, touching down prior to the target 3-wire. The pilot caught the 2 wire, and received a grade of "fair".

Popular culture

The LSO in popular culture is romantically represented by "Beer Barrel", the colorful officer in James Michener's best-seller The Bridges at Toko-Ri. Actor Robert Strauss played the role in the 1954 motion picture.
LSO's can be seen aiding in the recovery process of F-14's in the beginning of the 1986 movie Top Gun. They also play an integral part in the 1981 movie The Final Countdown.
The CBS television series JAG had several episodes centering on LSOs.
In Battlestar Galactica, Aaron Kelly served as the ship's LSO, responsible for the comings and goings of spacecraft.
G.I. Joe produced a 1/6 scale uniform and accessories for the LSO.

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