I am interested in visual and other means used to help recover aircraft aboard ship, from the World War Two Batsman to more modern methods. I am interested in the original experiment by Captain (later Rear Admiral Nick Goodhart) (nice video
here) and things that evolved from it, both fixed wing and rotary wing.
Yes I think STOVL is a special case, particularly as we look towards F-35B with two landing modes. I just find the whole subject fascinating. When I was at school I remember reading in the local paper than a local company had an £x million contract to supply shipboard lighting to the US Marine Corps. I now know this company did work on landing aids (things like CLUBS) and I wonder what fun things they were exporting...
I am also interested in the role that the ship's communicators play in keeping aircraft safe and effective.