TYB!
What is the procedure for landing on an aircraft carrier?
Landing on "The Boat", coming off of a 40,000ft view.
Carrier Procedure
For simplicity's sake we'll pick it up at initial. Glossary items have been italicized for ease of reading.
"123 flight of x, initial", ATC will then give the required instruction.
The flight will then side-step to the right of the carrier island, and begin looking for their interval.
Reaching the carrier, the flight will then perform the carrier break on their interval, ensuring that aircraft will arrive in 60 second intervals.
Landing checklist: 3 down and locked, flaps full, hook down, antiskid off, dispenser off, on speed XXX.
Once turned downwind, the aircraft will descend from 800ft AGL to 600ft AGL (the carrier pattern is flown at 600ft), and the aircraft will ensure it has proper lateral separation (abeam distance) from the carrier so as not to overshoot or undershoot on the approach turn.
Once abeam the LSO shack (or when the white of the round down is visible), the aircraft will increase VSI to approximately 200-300fpm and begin a 27-30 degree AoB turn. Proper time in the groove is limited to only 15-18 seconds. Too long or too short in the groove and the LSO can wave you off, so it is paramount that the approach turn be performed at the proper position.
At the 90, altitude should be 450ft AGL, and VSI should increase to 500fpm.
At the 45 the aircraft should be crossing the wake of the carrier, altitude should be 325-375ft AGL, and the ball should appear to rise. Note: Rolling into the groove, the ball should appear either centered or slightly high.
Once in the groove, with a visible ball, the aircraft makes its ball call. The LSO will respond with "roger ball", which is the aircraft's clearance to land.
Once established in the groove, the aircraft should be roughly 700fpm and flying the ball for glidepath. The pilot's scan becomes: meatball, lineup, AoA, meatball, lineup, AoA, meatball, lineup, AoA (you get the point).
As the aircraft flies in the groove the runway will constantly slip to the right requiring small, almost imperceptible, lateral stick inputs (and matching power corrections to account for the loss in lift). The pilot will strive to keep the aircraft on centerline, on speed, with a centered ball. Note: failure to keep the aircraft on speed can result in either a bolter, or an in-flight engagement. It is imperative the aircraft maintain the proper AoA.
Just prior to touchdown, as the aircraft passes over the ramp, the pilot's scan will shift to ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, and the touchdown should come as a surprise. This is referred to as "flying the ball all the way to touchdown". Pilot's that deck spot (ie, attempt to fly to a specific spot on the deck) often fly down through the glideslope at the last moment and land short.
Once on the deck, the throttles will go to full military power (just shy of AB), and when landing has been assured, then the power will be reduced and the aircraft taxied off the landing area.
https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/475/what-is-the-procedure-for-landing-on-an-aircraft-carrier