A Crab's View!
No numbers, but, as a Crab on exchange with the USN in 79, my first carrier landing was in an A-4M on Lexington - a "small" carrier by US standards!!
When I caught the wire (OK 3, naturally!!), both my hands left the throttle and stick and went forward as a result of the deceleration. My kneeboard also went forward and rotated around my knee onto my shin. Having been indoctrinated in the need to select full power on landing, I eventually got my left hand back to the throttle and selected air-brake in and full power. I think all that happened shortly after I had come to a stop. The boat simply called "It's OK - we've got you - you can throttle back". So I did!!
It got better (daytime only!!) but the arresting deceleration bears no resemblance to an arrested landing at an airfield. It is way beyond what you could imagine after a land-based engagement.
As I recall, the A-7 was less stressful - but that might have been a result of some limited experience rather than reality.
My last engagement was in the back of a "heavy" F-14 (Bomcat) on Nimitz - not as violent as a Scooter on Lex, but still enough to freeze the brain!!
As to what my head did - I have no idea, but it's still where it should be and apart from my brain going stupid for a bit, I don't think there was any long-lasting effect - although others might have a different opinion!!
Great fun though - better than a boring landing on a 9000 ft strip of concrete.
Too old now, but I would love to do it all over again...............!!:
Last edited by ex-fast-jets; 17th Mar 2017 at 20:08.