Even Adam Baldwin had to pay the bills when he was younger. I just wish he’d had better options…
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Yeah but did you see how fast and high it was flying before that?
And the aluminum was polished like a mirror…
And, and, it went high enough to need reaction control thrusters, and…
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It also wasn’t guaranteed to give the pilot an aneurism within five seconds of sitting down from sheer cockpit gore, unlike another aircraft I can think of. 
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No it’s more a wiff of pure sadness and existentialism packaged onto something that cannot be described as a plane!
Lackluster rocket with wings? On a stick… if its the zero launch
This would be the pilot’s HSI display in ECM mode. According to HB it’s the AN/ALR-45, the RWR on the F-14A.
Off of HB’s facebook.
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So could you tell us a little about whats going on there?
http://imgur.com/gallery/JfuepMb
Never actually gotten my hands on symbology for the RWR before, generally they classify that stuff.
The outer ring shows heading and probably has something to do with estimating signal strength. The inner ring looks to be the threat ring. Flashing seems to indicate either being tracked or fired upon. The boat is the universal symbol for a boat. The question mark is probably an unknown emitter.
So the questions I have at least, are which symbol is a SAM, which is an airborne contact, and what do the circles mean? The circle probably relates to relative threat (notice both, what I’m assuming are launch warnings, happen when the circle touches the ownship cross), but the golden rule of RWRs is they don’t show range, but signal strength, so idk.
As for which symbol is which, my current guess is the inverted triangles are surface threats (pointing down?), while the upward pointing ones are aircraft (look like jets), but I dunno. I could also see the upward pointing ones looking like SAMs.
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Interesting, that all does make sense. I was just wondering if the F-14 had some special mix going on with it’s fleet role and all.
I was under the impression that the F-14A had a pretty primitive RWR. This looks quite advanced though.
Sorta. So the F-14As were perenially stuck between the 60s and modern technology.
The F-14A was originally equipped with AN/APR-25 and AN/APR-27 RHAWS, but they were subsequently replaced by the AN/ALR-45 and AN/ALR-50, and later by the AN/ALR-67 […] The aircraft was also fitted with an AN/ALQ-100 jammer, replaced by the AN/ALQ-126 on later aircraft. The latter formed part of the PRIDE defensive avionics suite with the ALR-45 and ALR-50 RHAWS.
F-14 Tomcat Shipborne Superfighter, Pg. 82
The earliest models were effectively using the same RWR suites as F-4s. Beginning in the 80s concerted efforts were made to fix this. As for the 45 itself:
AN/ALR-45: Litton/ATI Radar warning Receiver and Control System that entered service with the Navy in 1970. Functionally replaced the AN/APR-25. uses the same cockpit scope as the AN/APR-25 system along with additional warning lights and an audible tone. installed on the F-14A only effective with BuNo 158978. Functionality superceded by the AN/ALR-67 in the F-14B and F-14D (also refit F-14As -me)
Grumman F-14 Tomcat, Leading US Navy Fleet Fighter, Pg. 67
Funnily enough, this was (one of) the RWR that couldn’t detect the X-Band targeting radars used by HAWK. Squadrons that found themselves deployed to the Persian Gulf for the “Screw Iran” cruises had consumer radar gun warning devices installed.
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So you need DLC to land? The forums will be on fire 
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“I think I just exerted so much energy mashing the brakes, for fear of unknowingly taxiing over the side of the flight deck into the black abyss of the night sea.”
That’s an eerie thought.
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It is DARK up there at night, especially if there’s no moon. We never had it happen in my time, but I’ve heard plenty of stories of close calls of planes almost being taxied off the side.
Ok, so here is a thought. There are lights out so the carrier is not a beacon in the middle of the night for enemy. So is there anything special the ground staff use to taxi with (like special low light battons or something ?)
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Yep, they do in fact use light wands to direct the planes around after dark. Still, it’s a very busy environment, and it’s easy to lose track of which director is controlling which plane, where others are in relation, and how much space is available. Add in other fun factors like worn nonskid on deck, and maybe rain to bring all the leaked oil, fuel, and hydraulic fluid floating to the top, and it further complicates the situation, as planes don’t turn and stop like they do in a dry deck with fresh nonskid.
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I’ve got special shoes but they don’t stop me from slightly slipping and sliding in motor oil, that stuff gets slippery. With normal shoes there is absolutely no grip. Scary thought driving over that in the dark.
A carrier deck at night would be nightmare fuel for me. I already have recurring dreams of taxiing aircraft in areas that are physically impossible (between trees or fenceposts for instance). I can’t imagine my nightmares if I were a carrier pilot.
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Keep in mind you’re being directed by a 19 or 20 year old who likely scored about 10-15 points above the minimum on the ASVAB, and who is severely sleep-deprived at any given time.
No biggie.
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