Flight Deck Procedures
Carrier Qualification
FLIGHT DECK PROCEDURES
POSTLANDING PROCEDURES
To clear the landing area, advance power to no more than 70 percent, engage high gain nose wheel
steering, and follow the yellow shirt’s signals as you taxi past the foul deck line. You will be passed from
one yellow shirt to another as you taxi from the landing area to the catapult or refueling area. If it is neces-
sary to use power above 70%, inform the tower. If you lose sight of your director or if you are receiving
signals from more than one director at a time, stop. Follow the yellow shirt’s signals explicitly. Do not
anticipate any signals. If in doubt, stop. Always use high gain nose wheel steering on the flight deck. The
yellow shirts expect you to use high gain.
While taxiing to the catapult, complete the takeoff checklist, compute the aircraft’s gross weight, and
acknowledge the weight board prior to crossing the jet blast deflector (JBD). When computing gross
weight, round up to the closest 500-pound increment. For example, 12,300 to 12,500. If the figure is
correct on the weight board, give the thumbs up signal. If the weight is too low on the weight board, raise it
in 500-pound increments by moving your hand up and down vertically with your palm up. If the weight
shown is too high, lower it in 500-pound increments by moving your hand horizontally with your palm down.
If the weight is more than 1,000 pounds off, call the tower with the gross weight of the aircraft. Follow
yellow shirt’s direction to line up on catapult.
During refueling or hot seat evolutions, the yellow shirts will taxi each jet into close proximity to other
aircraft, the island, or the deck edge to utilize all available space. It is critical that the pilot never breaks
eye contact with the controlling yellow shirt. Once the signal is passed (by the controlling yellow shirt) that
the aircraft is chocked and chained, the pilot may then take his/her feet off the brakes and hot seat or
refueling can be performed.
DECK PERSONNEL
You must be able to recognize the deck personnel and their functions. All taxi directors, catapult spotters,
catapult officers, flight deck officers, and arresting gear officers wear yellow jerseys and are the only
persons authorized to control the movement of the aircraft on the flight deck. Additionally, Flight Deck
officers, Chief Warrant officers and Chief Petty officers wear khaki pants. The catapult officer and arrest-
ing gear officer can be identified by orange and green reflective tape on their cranials.
Maintenance personnel, catapult, and arresting crews wear green jerseys. The catapult and arresting gear
officers also wear orange and green reflective tape on their cranials. Plane captains wear brown; plane
handlers (pushers, chockers, chainers, etc.), phone talkers, and elevator operators wear blue; fueling
personnel wear purple. Safety and medical personnel, LSOs, final checkers, and quality assurance
personnel wear white. Ordnance and crash crews wear red.
NOTE: Flight Deck Officers, Chief Warrant Officers and Chief Petty Officers are the only personnel on the
deck that will be wearing “khaki” pants.
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