Quick question: carrier bow extensions?!

Vlad · Post by **Vlad** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 1:55 pm

OK, this is a silly question that should only require a quick answer, but it's been bugging me. What is the purpose of the odd flight deck extensions on the bows and the ends of the angled flight decks on most USN carriers? also, why were they all removed in the most recent ones?

cheers

Dick J · Post by **Dick J** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 2:05 pm

They are called "bridle arrestors" or "bridle catchers". Older aircraft were attached to the catapult shuttle by a wire called a bridle. One end of this attached to a hook on the underside of the aircraft, then looped around the hook on the front of the shuttle, and then the other end attached back to another hook on the aircraft. The bridle would release as the aircraft left the deck, and the bridles would be snagged by the catchers, recovered, and reused. Newer aircraft have shuttle atachments built into the nose wheel assembly, and don't need bridles. The EA-3 was one of the last planes requiring them. When it was phased out, the need for bridle catchers disappeared with it.

Vlad · Post by **Vlad** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 3:24 pm

thank you

so does the shuttle itself just stop dead at the end of the cat?

EDIT: wait a second.... how do you "catch" a piece of steel cable doing 200 miles per hour?

Dick J · Post by **Dick J** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 4:20 pm

Vlad wrote:thank you so does the shuttle itself just stop dead at the end of the cat?

EDIT: wait a second.... how do you "catch" a piece of steel cable doing 200 miles per hour?

The shuttle is the part of the catapult assembly that protrudes above the flightdeck. Obviously, it can not go beyond the limits of the catapult track. As for snagging the bridles, I don't have all of the technical details, so I hope there is someone else on the board who can provide your answer.