And why don't the officers carry radios like their American counterparts? What the bloody hell do you need a radio for? the British officer asked. You know the plan, what the captain's intentions and expectations are. As an officer, your job is to lead, and if you need to talk to the captain all the time, then you're not doing your job or letting him do his.
Another philosophical difference is that the British are open to ideas that to Americans seem goofy, but work, such as the 12-degree ramp at the bow of the ship that dramatically improves Harrier operations. Senior U.S. naval officers over the decades have vetoed the idea, saying they don't like how it looks and that it takes up three helicopter landing spots. British and Marine officers say only one deck spot is lost to the 'ski jump.
To a man, Marine pilots want the ramps installed on their ships to improve operational flexibility and safety.
We're all in love with the ski ramp because when you come off that ramp, you're flying, Bradicich said. From our ships, if you're fully loaded, you need 750 feet, and even then you've got some sink once you clear the deck. Here, you can do the same thing in 450 feet and you're climbing.
But the ramp is intimidating at first sight, pilots said.
I expected it to be violent, but when you take off, it's almost a non-event, said Maj. Grant 'Postal' Pennington, a pilot with VMA-513 at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz. Up you go, and you're climbing. It's a great experience.
Equally important is the ship that's bolted to the ramp, pilots said.
Some of our guys who haven't flown from our ships yet are in for a big surprise when they do. This is probably the best ship you could possibly fly a Harrier from. Its not very big, but it's really stable, no roll, just a little pitch, not like the flat-bottom gators that roll so much. Youve got the island moving 30 feet in each direction when you're trying to land. That tends to get your attention.
3/4