Honoring the value, accomplishments and contributions of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, and the men and women who serve aboard them.
U.S. NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIERS U.S. Navy aircraft carriers are floating, moving airports and cities that are the centerpiece of America s naval forces and serve the nation for 50 years. When the United States or our friends are at risk, the aircraft carrier will steam ahead and be the first to provide help. Aircraftcarrier.com
AIRCRAFT CARRIER FACTS Powered by two nuclear reactors Top speed 35 mph (30+ knots) 5,000 sailors and pilots 75 aircraft: fixed wing and helicopters Operated 24 hours a day Can launch an aircraft every 25 seconds Below deck is an entire city, complete with living spaces, dining halls, radio and television station, barber shop, library, gymnasium, hospital, dentist office, shops and post office. Aircraftcarrier.com
NATIONAL U.S. NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIER MONTH November is National U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier Month because the month is filled with historic anniversaries in the innovation of naval aviation and in the important role aircraft carriers have played in defending our country and providing medical assistance, water and food to the victims of disaster. November 14, 1910: Naval aviation was born when Eugene Ely launched from the deck of a U.S. Navy ship in a Curtiss Model D November 5, 1915: Captain Henry C. Mustin made the first catapult launch from a ship. November 11, 1924: Lieutenant Dixie Kiefer made the first night catapult launch from a ship. November 17, 1924: USS Langley (CV 1) became the first operational aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy. November 25, 1961: USS Enterprise (CVN 65), the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, was commissioned. November 9, 2013: Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the first of the next generation of aircraft carriers, was christened. November 14, 2013: USS George Washington (CVN 73) provided medical supplies, food and water to the victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines Aircraftcarrier.com
THE NATION CURRENTLY HAS 10 AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, BUT TO RESPOND TO CRISES AROUND THE WORLD WE NEED 15 The active U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and their homeports: USS Nimitz (CVN 68), Bremerton, WA USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), Norfolk, VA USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), San Diego, CA USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), San Diego, CA USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), Newport News, VA USS George Washington (CVN 73), Norfolk, VA USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), Bremerton, WA USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), Norfolk, VA USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), Yokosuka, Japan USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), Norfolk, VA Aircraftcarrier.com
AIRCRAFT CARRIER MISSION Aircraft carriers are among the most complex machines on earth and are designed to do four jobs: Transport a variety of aircraft at sea Launch and land airplanes Serve as a mobile command center for military and disaster relief operations House, sleep, feed and care for all the people who serve aboard Aircraftcarrier.com
THE PARTS OF AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER Flight deck: Flat surface on the top of the ship where aircraft can take off and land. Hangar deck: An area below deck to stow aircraft when not in use. Island: A building on top of the flight deck where officers can direct flights and ship operations. Hull: The main body of the ship, which floats in water. Engine: There is a nuclear power plant and propulsion system to spin the propellers that move and generate electricity for the ship. Aircraftcarrier.com
THE FLIGHT DECK An aircraft carrier s flight deck is one of the most exciting and dangerous work environments in the world and one of the loudest. When in full operation, planes are landing and taking off every 25 seconds in a very small space. Aircraftcarrier.com
TAKEOFF Because an aircraft carrier flight deck is shorter than a land airport runway, a plane cannot fly by itself from the deck of the aircraft carrier. To help a plane takeoff, aircraft carriers have catapults attached to the wheel of the plane and slingshot the aircraft at a high speed from the deck of the carrier. The catapult and the aircraft s engine provide speed for the plane to fly. Aircraftcarrier.com
LANDING Landing on a flight deck is one of the most difficult things a pilot will ever do. The flight deck only has about 500 feet of runway space for landing planes, which isn t enough for the heavy, high-speed jets on an aircraft carrier. To land on the flight deck, the pilot uses a tailhook an extended hook attached to the aircraft s tail to snag one of four arresting wires, which are sturdy steel cables that are stretched across the deck and attached on both ends to hydraulic cylinders below deck. If the tailhook snags an arresting wire, it pulls the wire out, and the hydraulic cylinder system absorbs the energy to bring the plane to a stop. Pilots land with their engines at full speed so that if they miss the arresting wire they can fly off the aircraft carrier and try again. Aircraftcarrier.com
RAINBOW TEAM The flight deck crews who prepare aircraft for takeoff and maintain them wear different colored shirts to indicate their job: Brown: These are Plane Captains who are responsible for overseeing the maintenance, launch and recovery and general well-being of aircraft. Blue: Plane handlers, who work under the direction of the yellow shirts, assist in moving aircraft around the deck. They can also operate the carrier s massive aircraft elevators, drive tractors and work as messengers. Green: Some of the hardest-working sailors on the deck, this group includes those who run and maintain the ship s catapults that launch the aircraft and the arresting wire and equipment. Purple: Purple shirts, better known as Grapes, are all about aviation fuels. They fuel and de-fuel the carrier s aircraft, often on very tight schedules. Red: Crewmen who wear this color are usually near very hazardous things or situations. They work with building, moving and mounting weapons, and placing missiles and bombs on the aircraft. White: White shirts are worn by a wide mix of deck crew. These include many quality and safety observers, but probably the most well known white shirt wearers are Landing Signal Officers (LSOs), who help an aircraft land safely and make sure the deck is clear for landing. Yellow: Aircraft handlers and aircraft directors who shuttle aircraft around the carrier s tight and chaotic deck, the Shooters wear a yellow shirt. Aircraftcarrier.com
FORD CLASS CARRIER Forty years after the first Nimitz class carrier, the first of a new class is being built: Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). The ship features new technology that will save the nation money. It is the first new design for an aircraft carrier since USS Nimitz (CVN 68). John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) will be the second aircraft carrier in the Ford-Class. Aircraftcarrier.com
HELPING VICTIMS OF DISASTERS Aircraft carriers are often used to help victims of hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. A carrier is well-equipped with a 50-bed hospital manned by six doctors, including surgeons and dentists, and the ability to transport large amounts of food, water and medicine as well as turn ocean water into pure drinking water. Aircraftcarrier.com
AIRCRAFT U.S. Naval Aviation is the envy of every military in the world. America s Navy has the most technologically advanced aircraft in the world. A Navy air wing may also be the most versatile collection of crew and equipment in the sky. Typically, an aircraft carrier air wing consists of: F/A-18E/F Super Hornets E-2C Hawkeyes EA-18G Growlers MH-60 Seahawk helicopters C-2A Greyhounds Aircraftcarrier.com
An F/A-18E Super Hornet launches off the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). Aircraftcarrier.com
An MV-22B Osprey prepares to land on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). Aircraftcarrier.com
Sailors maneuver and prepare to launch an F/A-18E Super Hornet on the flight deck of the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Aircraftcarrier.com
A shooter aboard aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) signals an F/A-18F Super Hornet launch during flight operations. Aircraftcarrier.com
Sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) load ordnance onto an F/A-18E Super Hornet. Aircraftcarrier.com
An F/A-18E Super Hornet launches from the flight deck of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Aircraftcarrier.com
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