Randolph (CVS 15) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 116 text:

Air Department Air operations are an integral component of Randofbhs ASW mission. The Air Depart- ment s role comes to the forefront in ASW and other air exercises and maneuvers at sea. Dur- ing flight operations the Air Department con- trols aircraft within the immediate vicinity of the ship in the launch and recovery phases. Flight quarters demand action and coordination and Air is more than ready to fulfill their four-point program' get them on deck and ready to go' get them off bring them back and get them ried out with speed yet painstaking caution for one mistake is usually fatal. lwo distinctly different groups do nothing but handle the planes One dixision V-1 handles all aircraft on the flight deck. lhese men move planes down the deck to the catapults, more planes after landing to the elex ators connected to the hangar deck below and bring planes off the elevators. The Hangar Deck Division X -3 handles the aircraft in transit to and from the flight deck. I Q . r . ' 9 a , , r f ff ,- , . , , , f , - 7 a q I ' I 1' ri a f Y . ' r . a , . , 1 a 1 - 7 . . a 9 ready to go again. Maintaining such a rapid pace with maximum safety requires the ultimate in teamwork. This teamwork and coordination between Primary Flight Control QPri-Flyj on the after end of the island and the various crews on the flight deck and below in the hangar bays is a result of long hours of planning and drill from the Air Boss at the top to the newest Airman Recruit. Communication must be rapid and clear from the Air Boss and his staff in Pri-Fly to pilots near the ship, the Landing Signal Officer QLSOD, the bridge, and Air Ops who control aircraft in their maneuvers once they are out of range of Pri-Fly. Pri-Fly also has the responsibility of maintaining flight deck safety. The observer viewing flight operations for the first time must be confused by the rainbow of men running about the deck during a launch or landing. The confusion is an illusion. Each man has a definite assignment that must be car- When the aircraft approach the catapults, they are turned over to the Cat Spotter. V-2 controls the twin catapults which are capable oflaunching an aircraft every 33 seconds at a speed of 105 knots. V-2 also has domain over the arresting gear at the after end of the flight deck. The ar- resting wires bring heavy props or speedingjets to an abrupt-safe halt. Airas V-4 division handles and stores the avia- tion fuels -AvGas and IP-5. Extreme safety precautions must be observed in stowage and handling of these volatile mixtures. Repair, maintenance and aviation electronics are handled by the men of V-6. Their care over the aircraft support equipment and test benches insures the safety of the shipis and squadrons' aircraft. Put these divisions together and the result is the Air Department. They work hard in all kinds of weather and put in long hours hoping to attain the hoped-for results, BravoZulu - well done.

Page 118 text:

.sg New ,VW The aircraft on deck are the respon- sibiligz of V1 Division. Working un- der their yellow-shirted directors, the men of VI Division 'fspoti' the aircrah on deck -placing the planes in posi- tz'on for launch or moving those that have just been recovered to a safe place on - the flight deck. 'Respotting air- craft is sometimes accomplished with the yellow flight deck tractors, called '5nules'j and sometimes accomplished by the application ofold-fashioned man power.