Flight Deck Procedures
Carrier Qualification
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Disengage nose wheel steering: director points to nose with index finger and makes lateral wave with
open palm of other hand at shoulder height.
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Engine runup: catapult officer waves index and middle finger in circular motion at head level.
*
Open canopy: director places hand palm-down on top of head and raises hand as though hinged at
wrist.
*
Hook up: director positions left hand in front of body palm down and moves right hand upward
bringing extended thumb into left palm.
*
Launch: catapult officer squats, touches the deck, then raises his hand.
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Hook down: director positions left hand horizontally in front of his body palm up, then moves right
hand down bringing extended thumb into left palm.
*
Lights on/off: director points to eyes with two fingers.
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Fuel top off: director or pilot pats top of head.
*
Engine shutdown: director points finger at one side of throat and moves hand sideways as if to cut
throat.
PILOT SIGNALS TO DECK PERSONNEL
Following is a list of visual signals you will use in communicating with deck personnel.
*
Fuel status: pilot moves thumb extended from fist toward mouth in a drinking motion and then uses
fingers to signal amount of remaining fuel in hundreds of pounds.
*
Fuel quantity signal: pilot signals 700 lb, for example, with a clenched fist followed by two fingers
extended horizontally. See your T-45 NATOPS for a complete listing of signals.
*
Cut fuel: pilot holds extended fingers at throat and moves hand sideways as if to cut throat.
*
Brake failure: pilot drops arresting hook and turns on light.
MANNING AIRCRAFT PROCEDURES
CAUTION: Any time you man an aircraft on the flight deck, request an escort to the aircraft from
flight deck control.
COLD PLANE
When manning an aircraft that has been shut down, perform an exterior inspection just as you would
conduct the shore-based inspection, again emphasizing the launch bar, tail hook bumpers, tail hook, hook
point (should be greased), landing gear struts, holdback, underside of fuselage, and tire pressure.
CAUTION: You may not be able to preflight some portions of the aircraft due to its positioning on
the edge of the flight deck.
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