Concur with Engines.
I wonder if there is a photo of an example Flypro board anywhere on the www ? I had a look and couldn't find anything. It's the best way to visualise the process.
In Op Corporate some Flypros would have been on a chalkboard, or magnetic strips, later on whiteboard and coloured marker pens (I guess all computerised now ?). AndySmith and JohnE concur, there were of course variations on the theme but as already stated a true Ripple 3 would be to imagine drawing a vertical line through a chart similar to below, and always have three aircraft in the air underneath that line, albeit two might be on task and one in transit to and from the screen. Of course the transiting aircraft could still be engaged in some form of ASW apart from active dipping. Handovers were most important and often achieved in transit. Close in passive you could sometimes be monitoring buoys whilst still on deck before launching.
Who remembers the Gimp Board of cock-ups/humour that always accompanied a Ripple which resulted in Trophy Night's awards on the next "up channel" night ? Like... "Sub Lt X dreamt he got a shake, got dressed and turned up for a non-existent brief"...... In fact the whole logistic of sleeping till shaken, ACRB meal management, Duty Crew, unserviceable aircraft swaps and pulling those for due flexops made it an all-squadron coordinated effort. One or two duty men running the briefing room, one on deck, one running around the ship for shakes/meals/signals. The squadron Wheels often acted as floaters, dropping into the programme at various time but still maintaining their duties with the Ship's Command. I reckon there were occasions where a couple of contributing aircraft to "the Ripple" could be yours detached to RFAs, and also from other squadrons where they were given Flypro lines to fill. The origin was to protect a convoy coming over from the East Coast USA. Northern Wedding with the Ark Group and 824 NAS in 1978 a classic example of the art. Cold War Warriors !
