Landing Signal Officer

Last updated August 10, 2019

A Landing Signal Officer or Landing Safety Officer (LSO), also informally known as Paddles (United States Navy) or Batsman (Royal Navy), is a Naval Aviator specially trained to facilitate the "safe and expeditious recovery" of naval aircraft aboard aircraft carriers.^[1] 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.

United States Navy Naval warfare branch of the United States Armed Forces

The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most capable navy in the world and it has been estimated that in terms of tonnage of its active battle fleet alone, it is larger than the next 13 navies combined, which includes 11 U.S. allies or partner nations. With the highest combined battle fleet tonnage and the world's largest aircraft carrier fleet, with eleven in service, and two new carriers under construction. With 319,421 personnel on active duty and 99,616 in the Ready Reserve, the U.S. Navy is the third largest of the U.S. military service branches in terms of personnel. It has 282 deployable combat vessels and more than 3,700 operational aircraft as of March 2018, making it the third-largest air force in the world, after the United States Air Force and the United States Army.

The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by the English kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against the Kingdom of France. The modern Royal Navy traces its origins to the early 16th century; the oldest of the UK's armed services, it is known as the Senior Service.

An optical landing system (OLS) is used to give glidepath information to pilots in the terminal phase of landing on an aircraft carrier. From the beginning of aircraft landing on ships in the 1920s to the introduction of OLSs, pilots relied solely on their visual perception of the landing area and the aid of the Landing Signal Officer. LSOs used coloured flags, cloth paddles and lighted wands. The OLS was developed after World War II by the British and was deployed on U.S. Navy carriers from 1955. In its developed form, the OLS consists of a horizontal row of green lights, used as a reference, and a column of vertical lights. The vertical lights signal whether the aircraft is too high, too low, or at the correct altitude as the pilot descends the glide slope towards the carrier's deck. Other lights give various commands and can be used to require the pilot to abort the landing and "go around." The OLS remains under control of the LSO, who can also communicate with the pilot via radio.

History

In the United States Navy, aircraft carrier operations began with USS Langley (CV-1) in 1922, and it served as a platform to experiment and develop aircraft launch and recovery procedures.^[2] The first pilots had no signaling system for assistance from shipboard personnel.^[2]Langley's first executive officer, Commander Kenneth Whiting, had a hand-cranked movie camera film every landing to aid in evaluation of landing technique.^[2] When not flying, Whiting observed all landings from the aft port corner of the flight deck.^[2] 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.^[2]

USS Langley (CV-1/AV-3) was the United States Navy's first aircraft carrier, converted in 1920 from the collier USS Jupiter (AC-3), and also the US Navy's first turbo-electric-powered ship. Conversion of another collier was planned but canceled when the Washington Naval Treaty required the cancellation of the partially built Lexington-class battlecruisers Lexington and Saratoga, freeing up their hulls for conversion to the aircraft carriers Lexington and Saratoga. Langley was named after Samuel Pierpont Langley, an American aviation pioneer. Following another conversion to a seaplane tender, Langley fought in World War II. On 27 February 1942, she was attacked by nine twin-engine Japanese bombers of the Japanese 21st and 23rd Naval Air Flotillas and so badly damaged that she had to be scuttled by her escorts.

Aircraft carrier air operations include a launch and recovery cycle of embarked aircraft. Launch and recovery cycles are scheduled to support efficient use of naval aircraft for searching, defensive patrols, and offensive airstrikes. The relative importance of these three missions varies with time and location. Through the first quarter-century of aircraft carrier operations, launch and recovery cycles attempted to optimize mission performance for ships with a straight flight deck above an aircraft storage hangar deck. Carrier air operations evolved rapidly from experimental ships of the early 1920s through the combat experience of World War II.

Kenneth Whiting was a United States Navy officer who was a pioneer in submarines and is best known for his lengthy career as a pioneering naval aviator. During World War I, he commanded the first American military force to arrive in Europe for combat. After the war, he was instrumental in development of the aircraft carrier in the United States, where he sometimes is known as the U.S. Navy's "father of the aircraft carrier." He was involved in some way in the design or construction of five of the first six U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, and served as acting commanding officer of the first carrier to enter U.S. Navy service and as executive officer of the first two American carriers. In the earliest days of the U.S. Navy's development of an aircraft carrier force, he led many shipboard innovations still in use aboard carriers today.

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 (fast or slow), and whether the plane's tailhook and wheels were down. The final signal was "the cut" (a slashing motion at the throat) 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.

In fluid dynamics, angle of attack is the angle between a reference line on a body and the vector representing the relative motion between the body and the fluid through which it is moving. Angle of attack is the angle between the body's reference line and the oncoming flow. This article focuses on the most common application, the angle of attack of a wing or airfoil moving through air.

A tailhook, arresting hook, or arrester hook is a device attached to the empennage (rear) of some military fixed-wing aircraft. The hook is used to achieve rapid deceleration during routine landings aboard aircraft carrier flight decks at sea, or during emergency landings or aborted takeoffs at properly equipped airports.

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^{[ when? ]} 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" (pilots from one navy operating off a carrier of the other), the two navies had to decide whether to use the American or British system.

In contrast, the Imperial Japanese Navy had no LSOs.^{[ when? ]} 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.^{[ citation needed ]}

The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 until 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender in World War II. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) was formed after the dissolution of the IJN.

General Aviation (GA) represents the 'private transport' and recreational flying component of aviation.

Runway edge lighting are used to outline the edges of runways during periods of darkness or restricted visibility conditions. These light systems are classified according to the intensity they are capable of producing:

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 (OLS) 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 (that looks like a telephone handset), advising of power requirements, position relative to glide path and centerline. The LSO also holds a "pickle" (a handheld switch box) 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.^{[ citation needed ]}

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 (junior grade) 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 (FCLPs) without supervision. The LSO next attends the LSO School at NAS Oceana, Virginia, for Initial Formal Ground Training. Additional qualifications include:^{[ citation needed ]}

Squadron Qualification – LSO qualified to wave his own type aircraft; typically achieved after a full deployment.
Wing Qualification – LSO qualified to wave all the aircraft types in his carrier air wing or functional air wing; typically achieved after additional deployments. LSO is also qualified and trusted to wave all the type aircraft in any weather condition, day or night. LSO NATOPS requires a Wing Qualified LSO be on the LSO platform for all recoveries.
Training Qualification – LSO qualified to wave Student Naval Aviators and Fleet Replacement Squadron pilots in their specific type/model/series aircraft.
Staff Qualification – This qualification is reserved for Air Wing LSOs, the Senior LSO for the air wing. Air Wing LSOs (also known as "CAG Paddles") train and qualify LSOs from squadrons in the Air Wing.
Force LSO - This is the senior LSO for the fleet, typically assigned to Naval Air Force Atlantic or Naval Air Force Pacific.

Wave Teams

Air Wing LSO

All LSOs work directly for the Air Wing LSO (aka "Cag Paddles"), 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^{[ which? ]} is primarily responsible for aircraft glideslope and angle of attack. He or she also issues a "grade" for each landing.^{[ citation needed ]}

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"^{[ jargon ]} 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.^{[ citation needed ]}

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.^{[ citation needed ]}

ILARTS

Integrated Launch And Recovery Television Surveillance System (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.^[3]

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:

The 90 – when the aircraft has approximately 90 degrees of turn until lined up with the centerline.
The Start – generally from when the aircraft crosses the wake and/or the pilot "calls the ball" (picks up the lights of the Optical Landing System) at around ¾ mile.
The Middle – from about ½ to ¼ mile.
In Close – from about ¼ mile to 1/10 mile.
At the Ramp – from when the aircraft crosses the round-down of the flight deck until touchdown.
In the Wires – from touchdown until stopped

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.^{[ citation needed ]}

Possible grades:

"OK Underline" – a perfect pass, generally under unfavorable circumstances. Naval Aviators often have hundreds of carrier landings without ever receiving this grade. Worth 5 points.
"OK" – a pass with only very minor deviations from centerline, glideslope and angle of attack. Worth 4 points.
"Fair" – a pass with one or more safe deviations and appropriate corrections. Worth 3 points.
"Bolter" - a safe pass where the hook is down and the aircraft does not stop. Worth 2.5 point, but counts against pilot/squadron/wing "boarding rate"^{[ jargon ]}.
"No Grade" – a pass with gross (but still safe) deviations or inappropriate corrections. Failure to respond to LSO calls will often result in this grade. Worth 2 points.
"Technique Waveoff" – a pass with deviations from centerline, glideslope and/or angle of attack that are unsafe and need to be aborted. Worth 1 point.
"Cut Pass" – an unsafe pass with unacceptable deviations, typically after a wave off is possible. Worth zero points.
"Foul Deck Waveoff" – a pass that was aborted due to the landing area being fouled. No points are assigned and the pass is not counted toward the pilots landing grade average.

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 (but was on centerline because of the lack of a comment), 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.

Gallery

LSO running for cover aboard USS Hancock during an F7U-3 crash, c. 1955.

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References

↑ http://www.navyair.com/LSO_NATOPS_Manual.pdf
1 2 3 4 5 Tate, Jackson R., RADM USN "We Rode the Covered Wagon" United States Naval Institute Proceedings October 1978 p.66-68
↑ "Visual Landing Aids (VLA)". Naval Air Systems Command. Retrieved 31 August 2014.

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[1] ttp://www.navyair.com/LSO_NATOPS_Manual.pdf

[proceedings-2] 1 2 3 4 5 Tate, Jackson R., RADM USN "We Rode the Covered Wagon" United States Naval Institute Proceedings October 1978 p.66-68

[NASC-VLA-3] "Visual Landing Aids (VLA)". Naval Air Systems Command. Retrieved 31 August 2014.