History is always fun to learn - for me the broom and for others....? [+ additional quote should also be referenced to the TOOM experience earlier]
Clean Sweep: F-35 Fighter Confounds Critics With Perfect Performance In First Tests At Sea 21 Nov 2014 Loren Thompson
"There’s a tradition in the U.S. Navy that when missions are a complete success, a broom gets raised up the mast to signal a “clean sweep.” That’s what happened on November 14 when the F-35C Lightning II completed its first series of developmental tests on the U.S.S. Nimitz aircraft carrier. Sailors sent a broom up the mast below the flag to signal the tests had gone very well....
...As one Navy test pilot observed in an official news release, “It’s unheard of to conduct night ops on the first det,” meaning developmental test...."
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"...One key feature on the naval variant that performed well in the recent tests was a system called Delta Flight Path that enables the F-35C to automatically capture and maintain the optimum glidepath on final approach to the carrier — reducing the pilot workload, increasing safety, and making F-35C, in the words of the Navy’s testing team leader, “a carefree aircraft from the pilot’s perspective.”
This may be the first time ever that the word ”carefree” has been used by a Navy tester to describe the performance of a new carrier-based aircraft. Adjectives like “arduous” and “challenging” are far more commonly used...."
Clean Sweep: F-35 Fighter Confounds Critics With Perfect Performance In First Tests At Sea - Forbes
F4H Carrier Suitability 15 Apr
1960 McDonnell Aircraft Report No. 7462
"...Trials at Sea, Feb 1960
Following extensive build-up landing arrestments and catapult shots at NATC Patuxent River, the F4H-1 went to sea for the first time on 15-18 February aboard the USS Independence. Cdr. Larry Flint and Lcdr. Paul Spencer together accomplished 17 arrested landings - one at a sink rate of 21.8 FPS - and 18 catapult launches. The F4H-1 displayed a highly satisfactory degree of stability and controllability in the approach, a high reserve of power for wave-offs or bolters, and relative ease in deck handling and catapulting. The day operations were carried out so smoothly that even one night catapult and arrested landing were made-an unprecedented accomplishment for a new aircraft's first trip to sea...."
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"...Because of its relatively low approach speed and its rugged construction (which permits a high engaging speed) the F4H wind-over-deck requirement for landing is particularly low. The fleet airplanes - #48 and up-will have greater structural strength, a new and stronger hook, and a correspondingly lower W.O.D. requirement than the early airplanes..."
http://aviationarchives.net/F-4H%20C...uitability.pdf (5.3Mb)