The arresting gear officer is responsible for arresting gear operation, settings, and monitoring landing area deck status (the deck is either 'clear' and ready to land aircraft or 'foul' and not ready for landing). They communicate with landing pilots by voice radio and light signals. LSOs ensure that approaching aircraft are properly configured, and they monitor aircraft glidepath angle, altitude, and lineup. The landing signal officer (LSO) is a qualified, experienced pilot who is responsible for the visual control of aircraft in the terminal phase of the approach immediately prior to landing. Directors wear yellow and use a complex set of hand signals (lighted yellow wands at night) to direct aircraft. Although aircraft directors are often used at airports ashore, their function is particularly crucial in the confined flight deck environment where aircraft are routinely taxied within inches of one another, often with the ship rolling and pitching beneath. During flight operations or during a flight deck 'respot', typically about 12–15 yellowshirts are on the flight deck, and they report directly to the 'handler'. On some carriers, commissioned officers known as flight deck officers also serve as aircraft directors. They are colloquially known as 'bears' and those who work in the hangar go by the term 'hangar rats'. They are enlisted aviation boatswain's mates. TrumanĪircraft directors, as their name implies, are responsible for directing all aircraft movement on the hangar and flight decks. The normal working jersey color of an air boss is yellow, but an air boss may wear any color jersey he pleases, as he represents everyone working on the flight deck, hangar bay, and aviation fuels personnel.Īn aviation boatswain's mate taxies an aircraft during flight operations on USS Harry S. This officer is typically a commander and is normally a former CVW squadron commander selected for promotion to captain. From his perch in Primary Flight Control (PriFly, or the 'tower'), he, along with his assistant, maintains visual control of all aircraft operating in the carrier control zone (surface to and including 2,500 feet (760 m), within a circular limit defined by 5 nautical miles (9.3 km 5.8 mi) horizontal radius from the carrier), and aircraft desiring to operate within the control zone must obtain his approval prior to entry. For the commander of all United States Navy naval aviation units sometimes referred to as the 'air boss', see Commander, Naval Air Forces.Īlso known as the air boss, the air officer (along with his assistant, the miniboss) is responsible for all aspects of operations involving aircraft including the hangar deck, the flight deck, and airborne aircraft out to 5 nautical miles (9.3 km 5.8 mi) from the carrier. These sailors in their colored jerseys are referred to as 'Rainbow Sideboys'. Typically two of each colored jersey stand opposite each other in front of the entrance to the ship to render honors to the DV. When a Distinguished Visitor (DV) arrives on the ship by air, a call to 'Muster the Rainbow Sideboys' is made. This keeps in line with the traditional khaki color of CPO and officer service uniforms.

Khaki pants – Denotes chief petty, warrant and commissioned officers.Navy blue pants – Denotes junior sailors and petty officers.Rank is also denoted by the pattern of pants worn by flight deck crew: Medical personnel (white with Red Cross emblem)Įveryone associated with the flight deck has a specific job, which is indicated by the color of his deck jersey, float coat and helmet.Air wing plane captain – air wing squadron personnel who prepare aircraft for flight.Chocks and chains – entry-level flight-deck workers under the yellowshirts.Helicopter landing signal enlisted personnel (LSE).Ground support equipment (GSE) troubleshooter.Plane director – responsible for all movement of all aircraft on the flight/hangar deck.US aircraft carrier: jack colors and tasks

Launchbar 6 convert miles to km