Comments on: Could a Cessna land on an aircraft carrier?

By: gus_sniffer

gus_sniffer — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:15:59 +0000

I fly a cessna 182 and can land on areas as short as 600 feet if done perfectly. Given that no trees/obstacles would need to be cleared on a carrier, it would indeed be possible.

However, like most others have noted, it would take extraordinary circumstances for that to be allowed. I guess that is the advantage you have with writing fiction…you can make the circumstances fit your needs.
References :

By: Thom

Thom — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:10:59 +0000

I could easily land a 172 or 152 on an a/c carrier. I only need a little more than 700 feet, and the a/c carrier runway is usually into the wind which reduces my ground speed. So, yes, it could, very easily.
References :
I'm a pilot – nearly five years

By: a1graymatter

a1graymatter — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:42:59 +0000

YES!! Always better to land than to ditch!! Ditch a plane and get hurt for sure!!
References :

By: Jerry M

Jerry M — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:03:59 +0000

In calm seas with the carrier cruising at 30 knots into a 17 knot headwind a Cessna 150 would land with no forward speed at all. It would look like a helicopter as it touched down. Stall speed on a 150 is 47 knots. The landing would be a piece of cake for even a student pilot. As mentioned by other posters, the problem would be getting permission from the captain. I'd be willing to bet that the Navy would welcome such an occasion for a bona fide movie. 3500 hour flight instructor.
References :

By: Pilsner Man

Pilsner Man — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:53:59 +0000

What grumpy said. hell, with a cruise into a wind, the cessna would come in almost like a helo.
References :

By: Alloy Boy

Alloy Boy — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:38:59 +0000

Yes its possible, and like others have said, its has been done in Vietnam. Google- birdog- vietnam- aircraft carrier landing. I'm sure it will come up.
http://dtl.lib.umt.edu/cdm4/browse.php?CISOROOT=/airvietnam
the actual plane is on the website with a description.

These days the Navy would probably make the pilot ditch in the sea and just have a helicopter pick him or her up. But if the carrier were going at a good clip into the wind, a Cessna could conceivably touch down with probably next to no ground roll. Of course the pitching deck would be an issue. For your story, the pilot could tell the Navy that he's ditching alongside the carrier but then changes his mind at the last moment and heads for the deck. In real life he might get shot down though, so to be logical, I'd have him land on the deck and the phalanx gunners somehow mess up when the order came to shoot.
References :
used to cover scripts in hollywood, i'm a pilot/A&P now.

By: threesheave

threesheave — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:21:59 +0000

It is most certainly possible, but like has been pointed out above, highly unlikely. It has happened…

The Cessna O-1 Bird Dog has the distinction of being the only Cessna known to have been landed on a carrier.

Go here to read more about it:

http://collections.naval.aviation.museum/emuwebdoncoms/pages/doncoms/Display.php?irn=16007419&QueryPage=%2FDtlQuery.php

If you ever check out active aircraft carriers that are docked, they nearly always have one aircraft parked near the center of the runway to prevent touch and goes by the silly boys from the local airports. The carriers at Bremerton that are mothballed have other items on the deck to preclude errant landings. One of them clearly has an anchor on the deck and all have large (truck sized) boxes on them. (Google Earth)

Good luck with your film!
References :

By: grumpy geezer

grumpy geezer — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:14:59 +0000

It is possible. Your Cessna 150 will take up about 450 ft. for landing at sea level, no wind. With your carrier going 20 kts into a 10 kt. breeze, your landing roll will be shortened considerably. Yeah it could be done with a 172 as well with plenty of deck space left over. Of course there would be some VERY extraordinary circumstances allowing for you to be permitted to do this. Saigon 1975 immediately comes to mind. You're writing a screenplay, anything is possible.
References :

By: Techwing

Techwing — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:56:59 +0000

A Cessna could certainly land on an aircraft carrier. Landing on a carrier would always be preferable to ditching. It's a bit difficult to imagine plausible scenarios in which a civilian Cessna would find it expedient to make an emergency landing on an aircraft carrier, but it is technically feasible.
References :

By: Life Is Good

Life Is Good — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:13:59 +0000

If it was a bona fide emergency the captain might just order the crash nets up and let you take your chances. I'm sure a crash net could stop a Cessna.

The more likely scenario would be that you would be '"encouraged"' to ditch the aircraft in the pond and they would send the rescue divers out after you. I'm sure the Navy has rules about letting civilian pilots damage their boats whilst crashing into their decks.
References :
BTW – my wife has informed me that she saw a made-for-TV movie years ago that covers this. The pilot had a heart attack and his kid insisted on a deck landing and actually tried it. The plane ended up in the drink anyway and they had to send the divers in after them.