PDA

View Full Version : RN/FAA Helicopter Ship Ops - Patterns


Jonay90
16th Feb 2022, 10:30
Hi,
Looking for some info on Royal Navy/Fleet Air Arm helicopter ops procedures, I've got the different landing and take-off techniques (F/A, RW, XD, A/F, Astern, Oblique) but what I don't have is the approach pattern - particularly for carriers - on how to arrive at the waiting position. For smaller ships with a single aircraft I can't imagine it's a problem once you've located the ship you intend to land on, but for carriers or LHAs, where there are multiple aircraft operating in the vicinity of the deck I assume some sort of controlled pattern is followed. I've found the USN "Charlie Pattern" but I don't think this fits FAA ops at all...

I'm not to caring about how you found the ship (but if you have information you care to share that would be great) - just some sort of approach profile/holding point/speed/heights/distances to arrive at the waiting position would be appreciated.

Doesn't have to be current, willing to hear from SeaKing/Wessex/Lynx pilots as well as any modern Merlin/Chinook/Wildcat pilots too.